Melanie Leyva
Hi, I'm Melanie! I'm the state-wide college organizer with Voces de la Frontera, and I'm the proud daughter of immigrants with Zacatecana roots. I studied political science, interned on the Hill, and worked on social determinants of health before finding my way to organizing.
When I'm not at work, you'll find me in the kitchen trying out fusion dishes, because I'm a major foodie and I will always say yes to a new recipe. I'm also training to become a barre instructor, and my dream is to lead bilingual classes in Spanish. Fun fact: I'm an only child, so I've gotten very good at keeping myself entertained.
In-Person | PM Session B
2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
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Facilitated By: Melanie Leyva & Laisha Ibarra
Audience: Open to Everyone
In this workshop, we’ll explore how our own stories shape what we care about and why we choose to take action. Participants will reflect on an experience that shaped their values around justice, community, belonging, or immigrant rights, and then have a chance to share their story with others.
Using the Story of Self framework and lessons from Youth Empowered in Struggle (YES) and Voces de la Frontera, we’ll talk about how our individual experiences can connect to bigger struggles and help us build collective power. We’ll leave with a better understanding of how storytelling can help us build relationships, solidarity, and movements for racial justice, immigrant rights, and liberation.