Guadalupe Alejandra Islas Chan
Guadalupe Alejandra Islas Chan, 24, is a native of Cozumel and a Registered Nurse at both the Mexican Institute for Social Security and the Secretariat of Health. While she enjoys the technical aspects of surgical nursing, she looks forward to her new position as a youth counselor and educator in the Opportunities Program. Her longer term goal is to specialize in public health and work with youth to develop effective educational strategies to inspire healthy changes in behavior. She looks forward to learning more about advocacy and public speaking, which she considers particularly useful tools in raising consciousness around SRH issues in Cozumel.
Lemuel Manases Mena Vega
Lemuel Manases Mena Vega, 22, is a native of Cozumel and one of the founding members of the Park and Museum Foundation, which is dedicated to the conservation and maintenance of ecological parks and habitat in Cozumel. Lemuel has been most active in a project conserving and monitoring sea turtles and plans to present his findings at the Second International Youth Forum in Canada this year. Lemuel is active in local youth organizations and very interested in addressing the sexual and reproductive health needs of youth. He is currently completing his AA in Biology. His long-term goal is to establish an environmental education business in Cozumel to get the native population active in conservation efforts.
Justo Rosas López
Justo Rosas López, 28, earned his MA in Population and Demographic Development from the Latin-American Faculty of Social Sciences in 2008. He is currently Chief Analyst for the non-profit Observatory for Social Violence and Gender of the Riviera Maya, where he spearheads studies on the social realities of gender violence, education, environment and development, both in Cozumel and along the Mayan Riviera. Justo is an active member of the Network for Studies on Gender in Southeastern Mexico and of the Southern Border Research Network on Water. Based at the University of Quintana Roo, he is particularly interested in involving youth as active participants in his research, especially in studies on gender-based violence.
Guadalupe Andrea Espinoza Chávez
Guadalupe Andrea Espinoza Chávez, is a 27-year old reporter with a BA in Social Communications from Occident University in her native state of Sinaloa, Mexico. She covers the Cozumel City Council for a radio station and also produces a radio show called “Citizenship Pulse” that covers a range of social and health issues affecting Cozumel, such as alcoholism and teen pregnancy. Guadalupe considers herself a strong public speaker and enjoys being at the forefront of public events. Motivated by her own personal experience, Guadalupe hopes to develop innovative and effective strategies to inform youth about their SRH decisions so that they make informed choices that will influence the rest of their lives.
Juan Javier Rojas Aguilar
Juan Javier Rojas Aguilar, has been involved in the leadership of Cozumel’s Rotaract Club for nine years and has also volunteered with the local government’s Center for Youth Integration. Javier earned a BA in Commercial Systems from the University of Quintana Roo in Cozumel in 2006. His thesis focused on evaluating indicators for the sustainable development of the tourism industry. Now, at the age of 29, Javier is head of Cozumel’s Commission for Potable Water and also works with CODESUET, the Consultancy Group for the Sustainable Development of Tourism Businesses. He looks forward to learning more about sexual and reproductive health so he can integrate this knowledge into his youth and environmental work.
Carolina Almaraz Román
Carolina Almaraz Román, is a 23-year old Events Coordinator at the Cozumel Office of Youth Services, part of the local municipal government, where she plans special events for youth ages 13 to 30 on tourism, health, and self-esteem. Carolina is actively involved in the political group Frente Juvenil Revolucionario, where she works with 150 other youth in Cozumel to promote youth as a priority on the political scene. She is in her third year of a Bachelors Degree in Tourism at the University of Quintana Roo and hopes to graduate sometime in 2010. Carolina enjoys collaborative work and looks forward to honing her skills in media, especially public speaking, as a fellow in GOJoven.



