I find it ironic how after creating a new blog wordpress automatically titles your first post “Hello World!” Hello world…it’s as if it’s a statement of joy, greeting the world for the first time by sharing my words with others. But the more I think about it, the more I realize not everything in this world, our world, is happy-go-lucky. Reality proves to me that a lot is going on in this world and that it definitely need a lot of work.
My name is Priscilla Farinas. I’m originally from San Diego but currently reside in the City of Angels (often know as L.A.). I’m quickly approaching my third year at UCLA and like many others, still figuring out what I want to do with my life. But I guess since the last 2 years, I’ve been making some progress in finding that direction. I was recently fortunate enough to be selected as a summer intern for GABRIELA Network. And although this process has just begun I’m understanding more and more why I decided to be a part of it.
I think if there’s one reoccurring lesson that I’ve learned while being here in L.A. it’s remembering to always find and utilize the inner voice that lies within each of us. It’s this voice that allows us to find the strength so we can be true to ourselves and what we believe in. The past year I was lucky enough to work with the amazing and strong-willed group of women of Kappa Psi Epsilon who not only expressed to me what it means to find my own inner strength but also, taught me that by finding my own voice I can help others in their own struggles. That is one of reasons why I wanted to be an intern. I want to work with strong and courageous women who share my passion for helpings others; to help other women by speak up for them because sometimes, unlike us, they don’t have the ability to utilize their own voices.
That’s the type of world we live….that’s the kind of world I’m saying “Hello” to. A world where even as I continue to type women and children continue to be immersed into the globalized sex trade. Human rights become violated as more people are trafficked. And you might be sitting there wondering how and why this affects you. It’s an unseen, shared struggle meaning just as much as it affects every child and women, it affects all HUMANS…. What I aim to get out of this internship process is the ability to educate myself with every experience so that hopefully, I can educate others. I want to continue growing into the strong women and empowered individual that I want to be because I want to show others that positive change can happen in our crazy world just as long as you let positive change happen to you first.
