Thanks to the support of Southwest Airlines, Wells Fargo, Mayor Vidal's Office of Education and Children, the Latina Initiative Board of Directors and many members of Latina Initiative, six of our most active Youth Action and Advisory Council leaders attended Close-Up in Washington, DC. Our leaders spent five days with students from across the country learning from 8:00A.M. to 10:00P.M. about US government, history and how the civic engagement work we do makes a difference.  Our students say it was a life changing trip.  Highlights included meeting U.S. Senators Bennet and Udall, learning what it takes to get a job in Washington from Stephanie Valencia of the White House and a special meeting with Latina Initiative founder Katherine Archuleta.

YAAC members felt that Katherine gave them the information and advice they needed to take their dreams as Latina leaders to the next level. "I want to be Katherine!" was Yoselin Gracia's response to  hearing Katherine's inspiring story and seeing all that Katherine has done through hard work and determination. For our young leaders at Latina Initiative to meet with Katherine as the news was announced that Mrs. Archuleta will be the political director of the 2012 Obama re-election campaign was an honor. Their time with Katherine showed our young Latina Initiative members that there's no limit to what they can accomplish with hard work and a willingness to take on new challenges. She made each of them promise to challenge their comfort zones, to succeed in life and to call her when they achieve their dreams.  Latina Initiative wishes Katherine and our youth every success as they work to achieve incredible dreams. We're happy to be a part of their journey as they head to college and careers as doctors, stem-cell researchers, Supreme Court Justices, criminal investigators, and the next Katherine Archuleta.  

We'll be posting more of their adventures soon. Stay tuned!