By Kent Colonel

Member of the Youth Advisory Group (GAJ)-GOYN Mexico

“Sic Parvis Magna”

–Sir Francis Drake, Uncharted

If I had been told that I could collaborate in building a space that considers the participation, influence and activism of young people as the main axis for their preparation as agents of change, I would have felt nervous, anxious and expectant about what was to come.

Sharing my experience as a member, facilitator, monitor, learner—all the possible roles within this youth laboratory—is for me to express how much I enjoy learning about each topic, carrying out each exercise, and meeting people who inspire through their own actions, ideas, and struggles.

“Voices and Agents” was born from a young perspective that has faced various barriers and situations within spheres where adultcentrism, structural imposition, and exclusion are constant factors hindering their growth. However, recognizing these difficulties within these spaces is often not enough to bring about internal transformation, making it problematic in many cases to participate clearly, effectively, and accessibly.

Exploring this idea inevitably leads to the question: Are young people being observed, but also listened to, regarding their actions in terms of advocacy, activism, or participation? It sounds overwhelming for young people to have the opportunity to seek safe, stable, formal, and inclusive work and/or educational spaces.

It was then that the laboratory's first efforts began to reach out to young people who live and carry out activities in territories such as the Cuauhtémoc and Iztapalapa boroughs, as well as the municipality of Ecatepec, without excluding young people from other territories.

Publicizing this initiative means strengthening projects, collectives, and work with a strong perspective of social impact, building ties between each one to enrich the revolutionary actions they generate.

From day one, we established working subgroups to develop and build a safe, caring and inclusive space, with a narrative that considered the voice, identity and social struggle of youth in influence, supported by a visual design directly taken from a wrestling arena, reinforced by participatory content.

Undoubtedly, learning, collaborating, and contributing to the work done by the Youth Advisory Group (GAJ) greatly enriched my way of observing this space, which constantly makes me reformulate my perspective, confront challenges that arose without losing focus, because beyond putting on a wrestler's mask, carrying a microphone, or making visible an impact achieved, it was about establishing a space where the struggle is always felt.

Collective work is a fundamental part of this project, which, through content created for social media, firmly establishes that everything built for young people must include us in its creation, participation, and presence. It is at this point that finding a voice for the project, surrounded by masks and vibrant colors, together evokes a spirit of revolution for social change.

Integrating informational links within a campaign that invited youth projects to step into the ring was also a personal challenge, because confronting my fears in front of the camera took a back seat when GAJ and our colleagues from the collective “Las del Umbral” Mar, Hokku and Jari, showed me that the voice has an unstoppable force with their support, without a doubt the side of the technicians was the bravest or were we the rudos?

The narrative of struggle gained momentum as we approached the opening event. Advocacy played a fundamental role when we began to consider care as a key element of the project, since fighters also need rest between rounds. In this sense, what better way to support us than through this process, providing safe, respectful, and reliable assistance?

Developing techniques for better emotional management, group integration exercises, and creating strategies to ensure all perspectives are heard was undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges in the planning process, but it was always filled with multiple ideas. Learning directly from Mich, Ana, and Sofi in this process made me realize how important it is to have someone who takes care of you. Building a place like this is not an easy task, but it carries the heart of many things within it.

Each piece, idea, or sketch we thought of began to enrich the presentation of this project, a brand that resonated in perspective, preparing the way we wanted to communicate, share, and explore. It was right here that I understood how relevant writing could be, that navigating between different moments to build narratives with poetry or scripts for a new video was a small act, one that could be revolutionary.

The big day arrived, when “Voices and Agents” would be presented through posters in a campaign that would take place in educational spaces, on the streets of the outskirts of the city, and on government murals. Because beyond the connections, getting to know these territories and moving through them fostered a sense of closeness among the collectives that would be part of this laboratory.

Developing a youth event with such a clear narrative was fun, enjoyable, and inspiring. Remembering to put on masks and rehearse with words moments that represented the struggle as a relevant piece for the stories of the participants empowered our voice. Collaborative work created a space with many interactions, expanding the network for which we continue to work.

The lab began by preparing us to facilitate, support, and guide the first generation of agents for this project. It's a test to take our leadership and influence to a higher level of impact. Getting to know new collectives, adapting projects in a creative process, and discovering the similarities between their areas of work were fundamental parts of the first day in this space.

“Voices and Agents” is not just another place where ideas seek an opportunity; here, the space adapts to their progress with feedback, actively participating in each session and expanding their learning with complete openness. This is why participating in this incredible moment is a personal embrace of a process that, filled with diverse challenges, finds an inner voice that empowers young people from various parts of the city.

Without a doubt, I am grateful to my colleagues in the Youth Advisory Group for making this project possible. From each of them, I learn new ways of thinking and share experiences that help me grow every day with their support. In these words, I can describe the incredible strength of the leaders who surround me. They teach me daily that confrontation is necessary for making an impact, and that this voice resonates like a neon light, one that will remain in my heart, because being a young person of opportunity means having hope to change the future of our communities.