Tell Your Story
Tell Your Story (or Cuenta tu Cuento) is a pilot program where we invite youth to question their role in society, reflect on their everyday lives and envision a better world for themselves, their families and their communities. By creating opportunities for positive socialization where youth feel heard, respected and are encouraged to actively participate in their own development, we aim to support program participants in feeling a sense of influence over their lives. In this program we leverage recognized best practice in Photovoice and Positive Youth Development to create an inclusive environment for youth to consider their role in society and the future of their communities.
The whole premise of this program is built on community participation and empowerment under the recognition that people themselves are best suited to reflect on their circumstances, articulate their needs and that this perspective must be central to efforts made to address those needs. Throughout the program, we encourage participants to look inward and explore their identity while critically reflecting on their surroundings and considering their role in social change. The activities are designed to be easy to replicate, so that participants can later apply them across a variety of contexts and foci. We are interested in seeing local ownership of the curriculum we have developed for Cuenta Tu Cuento and seek positive role models who demonstrate a commitment to social change, alignment with Frierian principles and a genuine interest in making a difference in the lives of youth, to lead the groups. We mentor these local leaders and provide technical and logistical resources to support each of the participants in the production of their visual reports. So far we have worked with three different groups of 20 participants total from 9 different communities of the Highlands of Chiapas.
Since February we have been collaborating with the Center for Health Research in Comitán, given the need to interrupt in-person workshops due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and presented with the opportunity to take the program online, participants have been eager to continue with their engagement and we have begun to tailor the activities to the design of personal multimedia social impact campaigns. Here are our new team of leaders! We are thrilled to convene this talented group of open and engaged young changemakers with the potential and commitment to tackle complex problems in their own communities.
Eliazar Pérez Cruz
Eliazar Pérez Cruz, was born in Pueblo Nuevo Sitalá in the municipality of Simojovel de Allende, Chiapas in 1984, he’s original language is Tseltal. At the age of 6, he started elementary school although there was no secondary school in Pueblo Nuevo so for three years he received no education. At the age of 15 the first secondary school opened in his community, and he graduated when he was 18 years old. He then moved to the municipal capital of Simojovel where he studied at the Center of Scientific and Technological Studies where he graduated within the school of business administration, so that he could better manage his coffee business “Amaitepec.”
Eliazar became involved with the CuentaTuCuento workshop out of a desire for learning new ideas and gaining new experiences to share with his community, conscientize youth, while also promoting a culture that appreciates the art of coffee. His main hope is to create a cultural space within his community for artistic programs such as poetry, movies, documentaries, historical photographs of the community, theater, painting, music around social topics, promoting gender equity and environmental consciousness, and where he can also host workshops on the whole coffee production process from sowing its seeds to serving it.
Patricia López Gómez
Patricia Lopez Gomez is a mother, who graduated with a BA in Alternative Tourism from the Intercultural University in Chiapas. She is originally from the community of Ococh in Tenejapa, Chiapas, she speaks both Tseltal and Tsotsil. She is the co-author of the articles: Young Leaders for inclusive local development: An experience from UNICH and Challenges and Obstacles for Community Coordination in the magazine Diversity. Currently she is working at the Center for Health Research in Comitan within their youth leadership programs.
Her motivation for participating in the workshop Cuenta Tu Cuento is to learn new techniques for taking photos that tell a story and carry a message related to the lived experience of indigenous communities, where women are educated within a patriarchal system. Patty wants to use photography to share with indigenous youth in particular, that there are alternative visions and opportunities and that with hard work, sacrifice and perseverance it is possible to achieve them.
Mayra Sebastiana Pérez Morales
Mayra Sebastiana Pérez Morales (@ maya_mora.17n): graduated from the Intercultural University of Chiapas with a degree in Alternative Tourism. She is originally from Ejido Nuevo San Jacinto within the Municipality of Ocosingo, Chiapas where she was brought up speaking Tseltal. She is an active citizen and has been trained as a workshop facilitator by the British Council. She currently works for the Comitan Health Research Center (CISC) within their youth-focused programs.
Mayra became involved in Cuenta Tu Cuento to acquire participatory photography skills that she would then be able to apply in her own community. "So that it creates an equal opportunity for young people to become allies and feel empowered to promote an inclusive and just community atmosphere where they can work towards mutual solutions to the problems they identify." Photo by Abimael Arias @abimaelarias
Leonardo Gómez Velasco
Leonardo Gomez Velasco was born in the Municipality of Chanal he speaks Tseltal and he graduated with a BA in sustainable Development from the Intercultural University of Chiapas. He focused his research on the current situation of nutritional sovereignty in Buena Vista, Oxchuc, Chiapas working on environmental productivity. He is currently in the process of creating his own non-profit.
His intention in participating in the project is so that he can learn ways, strategies and formats for taking good photographs that highlight the environmental, cultural and social riches of the Highlands of Chiapas. His big dream is to create a museum in his hometown.
María Gómez Velasco
Maria Gomez Velasco, is originally from Chanal, Chiapas, her mother tounge is tseltal and she completed her degree at the Intercultural University in Chiapas. Currently she is working as a registrar in the 2020 population and household census for INEGI; before this, she was a certification technician for coffee producers in the highlands of Chiapas through ADES, the Agency for Sustainable development and along with her brother Leo, she is working to create her own NGO. Maria participates in Sna Jk’optik writing poetry in tseltal.
Her motivation in participating in Cuenta Tu Cuento is to be able to take photos from various perspectives that transmit a central message, giving meaning to her daily life, her family, and her work; as well as to reflect the different adversities she has experienced in becoming the professional she is today; she wants to motivate others through these stories and photos to share the message that with hard work, you can achieve your goals.