LVEJO’s Youth Leadership Program

Little Village Youth have been an integral part of LVEJO’s work since 1994. Youth that work with LVEJO have often focused a lot of the class projects on Environmental Justice issues that directly impact them. To see some pictures of work that has been driven by the youth we work with, click the links below:

LVEJO Youth Leaders

Marisol “La Qué Te La Canta Directo” Zequeira

Marisol Zequeira is a returning youth leader at Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO).  Marisol is a senior currently attending Curie High school. Marisol comes back to LVEJO when she can, because she is fond of the staff here, and because of the “work” space LVEJO’s staff create. She even helped organize the 6th Annual Youth Summit in 2018, “Youth Empowerment!” This summer, she worked with Vivi in the Brownfields Campaign. Due to interning every now and then at LVEJO, Marisol had the opportunity to grow personally. Through LVEJO, she was also able to grow a bond with a cousin she met on last year’s summer program.

 

Cindy “La Más Profunda Qué El Mar” Reyes

Cindy is a returning youth leader at Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO). She is currently a senior at Infinity Math Science & Technology high school. Cindy also helped organize the 2018 Youth Summit along with other youth, this was to help those who want to organize but don’t necessarily know how to start get a general idea of what organizing looks like in LVEJO. This summer Cindy was part of the Brownfield’s campaign where they learned about cooperatives and surveyed street venders along with corner stores. They did this to obtain information regarding what kind of vegetables and fruits they sell, this information would help give a general idea of what should be grown in the workers cooperative farm in La Villita Park. She hopes that her LVEJO internship experience can help her share more information with her community.

 

Maria “La Walter Mercado” Guadarrama 

Maria is currently a sophomore at Harold Washington College. She has been a part of LVEJO’s youth internship program for the 2013 and 2018 summers.

“The reason I do community work is because I feel that a community that is united can get stuff done despite their backgrounds and education.”

 

 Jocelyn “La que esta ready to Throw Down” Vazquez

Jocelyn is a senior at Social Justice High School. She worked on the Brownfield Campaign which helped her become a person who is not afraid to speak her mind and fight for the community.

“The activities that taught me how to do that included meetings that involved issues in our community. I have always been a quiet person but the internship made me open up to a lot of people.”

 

Daniel “El De las Muchas Caras” Soto

Daniel Soto is currently a senior at Walter Payton College Prep and has been living in the Little Village community since he was 6 years old. Daniel joined the 2018 LVEJO youth program and worked on the #NoDiesel campaign.

 

 

 

Lulu “La Valiente” Mares:

This is the first year Lulu participates in the LVEJO summer internship. She has lived in Little Village all her life. She attends Little Village Lawndale High School and is the class of 2020. She likes sports, but loves to play volleyball. She has a fountain of energy and curiosity.

“Working in LVEJO helped my curiosity and I learned many new things and more about my community. I made many new friends and I’m glad to have met them.”