Week 6 - Javiera Lagunas-Álvarez

Week 6

By Javiera Lagunas-Álvarez

There aren’t enough words to express how proud I am of our Teen Leaders. Our final week is always very stressful, with the difficult task of putting together a Final Showcase in 6 days. But it is also one of the most inspiring. Our teens finally performed their Final Showcase at the Shubert Theatre, they get to share all their work for the past six weeks with their families, friends, and community members. Their smiles shining so bright, with beaming pride when their loved ones see them on stage share their own voices. But something that is not seen is the process. It is wild to think that a Final Showcase at the Shubert Theatre, a professional stage, gets put together in just 6 days. The process takes hard work, but also lots of compassion and empathy for one another. They are not only rehearsing, but also creating and perfecting more content to deliver a message of change, of self-advocacy, of love, and of action. With this year’s theme of Human Rights, our Teen Leaders really wanted to make sure they included as many voices as possible, thinking deeply about intersectionality, as well as the simple – yet, sometimes so complex - idea of just “being”. If they wanted to share a message of inclusivity, they needed to create that in the rehearsal process. Throughout the summer they constantly talked about City Spotlights being a community where they can be themselves, and I believe, deep down, this is what the theme was about. Their contribution to protect and advocate for, not just themselves, but all of us. For the right to have a fulfilled life. That is really what we strive for in City Spotlights, and if the Final Showcase did a bit of sharing that with our audience, then their work paid off.

As we wrapped up the last two days of the program, we made our final circle and spent some time debriefing the past 6 weeks. Teens shared memories of laughter, of pride, and of challenges, and in all that, they shared their growth and appreciation for one another. They described feeling more confident, believing their voices matter, being able to achieve whatever they set their minds to, and creating a community that made a difference, in small and big ways. Because at the end of the day, as we always say, “you get what you put in”, but it’s only possible with your community behind you. We are so incredibly proud of the 2024 City Spotlights cohort!!