Citlalli Orozco: A Reflection on the Summer

My first year as the Engagement Fellow at HOPE Collaborative has been a transformative experience, centered on collaboration shaped by food and environmental justice, activism, creativity and a profound commitment to collective healing.  This role has deepened my commitment to uplifting marginalized voices, voices often unseen but filled with power and potential to reshape and transform their communities. Through this work I’ve strengthened my skills as a facilitator and community organizer, reinforcing my belief in the importance of creating change that is both intentional and necessary. 

The summer internship in partnership with New Voice Are Rising was particularly pivotal. It hardened my skills as a facilitator, allowing me to create activities that deepen youth understanding of these critical issues. Integrating art into our programming and youth advocacy has been a healing journey for me. It’s essential to build connections through storytelling, sharing personal narratives that resonate deeply. Leading this practice has sharpened my facilitation skills, yet I recognize there’s still much to learn as I embark on my second year in this role.  One of my favorite activities to lead was a nature walk, where we familiarized ourselves with our local environment by identifying plants and trees in our local park. We researched species, distinguishing between native and invasive splints, while also addressing the availability of recycling bins, trash cans and access to drinking water. Through this activity the youth deepened their understanding of accessibility and witnessed firsthand how the impact of colonization disrupted natural ecosystems, while also seeing how environmental racism has impacted resource accessibility in underrepresented communities. This experience inspired a collective responsibility among the youth to create change in their environment as they identified the issues present in the places they inhabit. 

This opportunity has reminded me of the profound power of listening, truly listening to the young people working alongside me. I’ve learned to be a learner and an advocate, driven by my own experiences and care for this work. My journey began with recognizing the need for visibility and equity, and now I walk alongside youth with a shared commitment to  justice.

One of the most exciting aspects of this fellowship has been the opportunity to guide young people in vocalizing their stories and recognizing the injustices in their communities, particularly around health and food access in Oakland. This work has been focused on creating spaces where these challenges are made visible empowering youth to step forward and engage in transformative change. What has kept me committed during this fellowship is the possibility of continuously reimagining and dreaming, something that is often stripped away from us. In itself, it’s revolutionary, and it’s what makes this journey so meaningful.

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