Meet the Fellows!
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Documents and downloads for Fellows.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.
Nayeli Karina de la Torre Garcia
Nayeli Karina de la Torre Garcia, selected at age 28, is responsible for donor outreach at the environmental protection organization, Fundación Flora, Fauna y Cultura de Mexico, located at Xcaret. She focuses on raising funds for the foundation‘s Marine Turtle Protection, Maintenance of Green Areas, Cultural Conservation and Community Involvement programs. Karina has a BA in Business Administration and experience working in gender equity and violence prevention. Karina’s future plans include opening a Library Café in Playa del Carmen that sells organic products and obtaining a Master’s Degree in Marketing.
Maria Beatriz Chimal May
Maria Beatriz Chimal May, who was 25 when selected, works as a librarian in her native Mayan village of Coba. Beatriz speaks Spanish and Mayan and is committed to improving the lives of the children and youth in Coba. Beatriz wants to help children and youth overcome their fears and speak freely about sexuality, even though it is taboo in her culture. She would like to study law in the future, becoming Coba’s first lawyer and continuing to fight for the rights of her community.
Alberto Lopez Castro
Alberto Lopez Castro was 24 when he was selected for the program. He is an environmental activist living in Playa del Carmen who and is actively involved in local work to protect the mangroves of the Sian Kaan Reserve. Alberto became interested in HIV, STI and adolescent pregnancy prevention while working as a medical assistant and administering pregnancy and HIV tests and counseling. He is interested in becoming a physician and is currently studying law so as to better protect the human rights of youth and families.
Iris Borraz Magdaleno
Iris Borraz Magdaleno, selected at age 23, is a Marketing Assistant at the Xel Ha ecological park. Iris is passionate about gender equality and eliminating the abuse and exploitation of children. She studied domestic violence while completing her BA in Marketing. Iris is involved in a local youth group, where she participates in life-skills training and social consciousness-raising workshops. She participates in the PRI youth group, coordinating social improvement projects for youth and families. Through GOJoven she hopes to strengthen her understanding of sexual and reproductive health and share this knowledge with more than 600 employees at Xel Ha, as well as youth in local communities.
GOJoven's Mission
GOJoven promotes and supports young leaders to act as catalysts for social change in Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health. Read more here
Leadership Action Plans
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