Connecting Digitally: Chicas Sessions Go Virtual
Our Chicas Program provides Latina girls with opportunities for connection and growth and this begins with building strong relationships with them in our sessions. Our program thrives on the cultivation of the relationships we have with our youth participants.
The Chicas program worked hard to find ways to connect with their beloved Chicas and their families once Covid-19 put an end to our onsite sessions. It was never really a question of whether we would reconvene the girls, but rather how and when, because we knew we would find a way to connect with our girls no matter what’.
After many brainstorming meetings about the best ways to reach out, connect and support the girls, a social media engagement plan and virtual Chicas sessions were born. We found ways to get the girls to take care of their physical and mental well being by simply showing up to the virtual sessions. When they see us, the facilitators, show up for them, they in turn believe in themselves enough to show up as well.
Slowly but surely, we saw our participation numbers go up and their tears and anxiety lessen and even turn into helpful conversations filled with, “I’m going through that too”, or “Try and find something that makes you feel good in your heart and do that every day!” These are the voices of youth speaking to one another.
We let the girls know that in this time of uncertainty, we all have a lot to lose, some more than others, but we want them to know that we hold space for all of them. In return the girls are showing us every single day that the things that we have to gain internally outweigh the bad going on externally.
We talk about how life may be on hold right now, but looking at the stars isn’t cancelled, cooking with your family isn’t cancelled, going on walks isn’t cancelled, practicing gratitude isn’t cancelled, laughing isn’t cancelled. Ultimately, relationships aren’t cancelled.
Here we are in the middle on a pandemic, staying true to our vision – connecting, growing and tending to these relationships with our chicas. They say it takes a village, right? We’re that village. We’re here, pandemic or not, tending to these relationships because we believe in the power of community and we believe that we are stronger together.
Carmen Walsh is a Chicas Youth Development Advocate at Adelante Mujeres. She has been writing short stories and poems almost all her life. She finds that putting words down on paper is therapeutic and crucial for us to connect as humans. Paired with coffee, nothing else could be better.