Amplifying the Voice of Westwood Youth
By: David Lopez, ULC Intern
I never expected to become so passionate and in love with the community in which I work! I’m fascinated by the Westwood community and aim to help keep their rich culture and history intact, despite the gentrification and displacement of families occurring around Denver County. When I first started my new Internship at the Urban Land Conservancy (ULC), I was prepared for a new challenge. I grew up wanting to be a true Latino Leader and help as many people as I could, especially the Latino Youth. The Westwood neighborhood has not only sparked my ambition to become a leader but has also taught me so many things about culture, community, family, passion and overall leadership. Westwood has become a true face of what it means to be a community and their hard work is an example of leadership and passion.
During my first few months working for ULC as a Youth Organizing and Outreach Intern in the Westwood Community, I concentrated on understanding the community and developments, while trying to find solutions to the lack of youth representation. As a neighborhood community group, Westwood Unidos represents the voice of many concerned residents while striving to benefit their entire community, but the neighborhood is missing the voice of youth leadership. ULC sees the significance of maintaining a neighborhood like Westwood intact and empowering the young residents to step up and make a difference in their community. By acquiring the Thriftway property, ULC is making an effort to provide a safe and healthy area for all the residents. This is especially benefiting the youth, as ULC has used the property as an interim space for a Futsal Court and park area where many can enjoy an active and healthy area.
Many organizations in Westwood are available to help youth in a number of ways. Youth development organizations such as The Bridge Project and Denver Urban Scholars, thrive on mentoring and tutoring the youth. Organizations like these can provide leadership tools and are what youth need to succeed and gain confidence, but unfortunately there isn’t a youth led initiative in Westwood that allows them to voice their own opinion and gain more leadership skills. The youth want to be part of the issues in their communities and make positive changes.
One way we are seeing a youth led initiative in Westwood is through the Great Outdoor Colorado (GOCO) Inspire initiative, which is grant funding administered by Westwood Unidos. The goal is to educate youth about nature and to teach them how to better their community through nature. This initiative offers the ability to empower youth and the opportunity for community engagement. I was honored when I was asked to be the Youth Coordinator for this exciting new Youth Advisory Committee. As I began to interview 24 students from the Westwood community for this GOCO Inspire Initiative, one thing really stuck out. When I asked the question, “Why do you want to be involved in a Youth Advisory Committee?” Without hesitation many of them responded with, “I want to have a voice in my community.” I was amazed by how these potential youth leaders really wanted to make a positive influence in their community and wanted to have a genuine opinion on what happens to their neighborhood. I see a potential wave of students that can begin to become the face of youth leadership in Westwood.
ULC has a goal to have the youth create a better environment, through an education based initiative and support system for their peers and families in Westwood. How we intend to reach this goal is by acknowledging all of the great work that is happening in Westwood through youth development, and focusing on the gaps that we see in youth leadership development and the lack of technology available for youth in Westwood. This gap in technology forces students to walk long distances just to have access to internet and computers. The current labs in Westwood hit capacity daily, and many students struggle simply completing their homework. The intent is to create a youth led group that would take on this initiative to bring the community into the 21st century and provide the Westwood community with easy access to technology and create a hub for technology education. With multiple partners, ULC is setting out to support a partner organization in assisting the youth in creating this initiative and helping them succeed.
Westwood is a very passionate neighborhood full of culture and leadership. We see it in the parents and it is now transitioning to the youth. We need to support and empower the youth of this community in creating a better Westwood and this can lead to many beneficial success paths for Westwood. Together we can mold the next generation of true leaders, activist, teachers, politicians, and the face of a young neighborhood eager to be seen as a success story and no longer a stereotype.
Outstanding article! Good to see the ULC active in Westwood…