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SPECIAL FEATURE |
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Guatemalan Girls Raise Their “Voces de Cambio”
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Launched in July 2006, Voces de Cambio (Voices of Change) is a program for young women in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala that fosters intellectual and creative growth, self-confidence, and leadership. Using writing and photography, Voces de Cambio encourages young women to challenge destructive social and gender norms that keep them from fully participating in their community.
The group meets two afternoons per week, learning the basics of photography, improving their writing skills, and exploring issues of racism, discrimination, and machismo.* The teens analyze images of women in the media, write modern versions of classic fairytales, create public service announcements, interview women leaders, and much more. At the end of the first session, Voces de Cambio held a local exhibition of the participants' writing and photography. Teen Voices is excited to share a selection of the writing and photographs from the exhibition.
Part 2 features writing by the teens about their views on their art, beauty, and aging.
Voces de Cambio
Ella me dijo que le tomara una foto y yo le dije que dónde quería que la tomara y ella dijo que allí se iba a sentar. Porque allí hubo un acto cívico y era el aniversario del colegio y por eso estaba todo adornado. Con esta foto, quiero comunicar alegría por los colores y es lo más bonito por el mensaje que tiene atrás.
She told me to take a picture of her, and when I asked where she wanted me to take it, she said that she wanted to be seated in front of the stage. There had been an event to celebrate the anniversary of the school, and everything was decorated. With this photograph, I want to express joy with the colors and the beauty of the message in the background.
–Yenifer, 15
 Yenifer's Photo of a Friend
Cuando tomé esta foto sólo quería pensar en que todos algún día llegaremos a viejos y quería que las personas lo vieran también. Esta foto me hace sentir bien. "La piel puede arrugarse, los años pueden pasar, pero: la verdadera juventud, está en el corazón."
When I took this photograph I thought about how one day we would all grow old, and I wanted other people to see this also. This photo makes me feel good. "The skin can be wrinkled, the years can pass, but true youth is in the heart."
–Aida, 17
 Aida's Picture of Growing Old
Cuando yo tomé esta foto estaba pensando en lo interesante que pueden ser los espacios o lugares captándolos de diferentes ángulos y diferentes puntos de vista. Con esta foto yo quiero comunicar lo especial de las cosas que uno ve cada día y que las vemos sin darnos cuenta que pueden tener una belleza cuando las miramos con más calma. Cuando uno la ve siente interés por saber que habrá más allá y en la tranquilidad que infunden las lineas y los colores.
When I took this photograph, I was thinking how interesting different spaces and places can be when we see them from different angles and vantage points. With this photograph I wanted to communicate how special the things that we see every day can be, even though we don't usually realize it. Everyday things can be beautiful when we view them with patience. When I see the photograph in this way, I am curious to know what lies beyond, and I notice the tranquility in the lines and colors.
–Brenda, 15
 Brenda's Perspective
Para ayudar a las personas hay muchas cosas que quiero hacer me gustaría darles clases a los niños que no tienen educación, porque yo sé que les serviría bastante. Otra cosa sería ayudar a las madres dándoles platicas para que sepan lo adecuado como para traer niños al mundo y las consecuencias que tiene tener muchos hijos.
There are many things that I want to do to help people. I would like to teach children who do not have access to education, because I know it would be a great help to them. Another thing would be to help mothers by leading workshops so that they learn appropriate ways to raise the children they bring into the world and the consequences of having many children.
–Belén, 15
 Belén
Para mi ser bonita significa; ser una persona buena, humilde, ser bonita para mi antes significaba ser una mujer con un bonito cuerpo, un hermoso cabello, una mujer que se viste bien, una mujer que tiene todo, pero mediante el tiempo mi opinión de ser bonita cambió. Ahora pienso que una mujer bonita no se mira por lo que demuestra ser por afuera, sino que lo que es por dentro, una mujer que es bonita por afuera puede ser por dentro de lo peor.
To me, to be beautiful means to be good, kind, and humble. I used to think that for a woman to be beautiful she had to have a perfect body and nice hair. She had to dress well and have everything she wanted. But my opinion has changed. Now I think that a beautiful woman is beautiful not because of how she looks, but because of what she carries inside.
–Sandra, 15
 Sandra
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