January 2013
Greetings!

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. CYC is very excited to enter the new year with plans to engage more youth into their high school education while continuing to grow and tackling new challenges.

2012 was a awesome year for CYC. We would like to share with you how we wrapped up the year. Enjoy!
 
Sincerely,
 
Steve Dobo
Colorado Youth for a Change
 

CYC's Cause Mob


 On Saturday, December 8th,  CYC's 2nd Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth Leadership Forum and Cause Mob included 10 youth from six different schools in the metro Denver area.

 

The morning's events focused on dialogue about a video clip from PUT THIS ON THE MAP:  "Re-teaching Gender and Sexuality," which led into a discussion about how, as youth, they could educate others by bringing awareness to issues facing today's LGBTQ youth.  Some of the youth created an LGBTQ specific Facebook account to reach out to their out-of-school peers between the ages of 13-20.  Others created hand-made signs that displayed LGBTQ and homeless youth statistics and dropout rates. These signs were used for the Cause Mob that afternoon. This event gave the youth a voice and the opportunity to bring awareness to issues many of them have experienced.   

 

The Cause Mob took place in downtown Denver on the corners of Colfax and Broadway.  A Cause Mob is like a flash mob, but instead, you have a mob of people gather with signs to bring awareness to important issues. CYC staff joined teens for the event, in support of the students in educating the community on issues facing our LGBTQ and homeless youth. The youth received positive feedback from community members and horn honks from passing motorists in support of their cause.  When we were finished for the day, several youth asked when we could "do that again." We are proud of our youth for speaking out! 

 

To learn more about CYC LGBTQ Youth, check out their Facebook page!

 

CYC would also like to thank the following organizations for their contributions to our most vulnerable populations (MVP):

  

Julia Fitz-Randolph Lesbian Innovation Fund, a Donor-Advised Fund of the Women' Foundation of Colorado

 

Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Foundation 


Volunteer Spotlight: Rene Begay

In September 2012, Rene Begay responded to the Colorado Youth for a Change (CYC) volunteer tutor posting on the University of Colorado volunteer website. Rene grew up on a Navajo reservation near Flagstaff Arizona.  Due to her own background, she is very passionate about volunteering and education. Rene attended the University of Arizona where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology. While enrolled as an undergraduate student, she began to volunteer at local middle and high schools. Rene moved to Colorado to attend the MD PHD at University of Colorado in 2013. She is currently working as a research assistant for University of Colorado Health and Sciences Center.

 

Read Story

 

Youth Success: Meet Salvador

In 2011, 18 year old Salvador was feeling like he was stuck and knew that a change needed to happen.  At this time he needed over 100 credits to graduate and had not earned any in the current educational program that he was in. Robert Garcia, CYC Outreach Coordinator, met Salvador in the spring through Servicios de la Raza.   

 


Join Team CYC!

CYC will be participating as a charity partner in the 2013 Colfax Marathon the weekend of May 18-19.This is an event that nonprofit organizations use to fundraise by recruiting runners to participate in one of the four races (half or full marathon, relay, and the 5K) and/or volunteer during the event and fundraise for the organization. In 2012, runners raised money and awareness for close to 100 charity partners. Colorado Youth for a Change has been a charity partner in the Colfax Marathon for several years. 

If you are interested in running for CYC, please register at The Colfax Marathon website, and select CYC as your charity partner.

 

In This Issue
CYC's Cause Mob
Volunteer Spotlight
Youth Success: Meet Salvador
2013 Colfax Marathon
Join Our Mailing List





 




Javier 2012






Rebecca 2012