The Resilience of Pueblos Originarios during Covid-19
As a project manager, I co-led, managed, and supported five different projects funded by King County's Communities of Opportunity initiative. These projects focused on empowering and sharing the stories of three indigenous communities during the pandemic through research and community engagement efforts. I leveraged my leadership, relationship building and project management skills to drive the successful execution of these projects and achieve our goals.
While indigenous populations run far and wide. Among North and South America, indigenous populations get overlooked. The unique challenges faced by South American indigenous communities in the U.S. often go unnoticed, and they are sometimes merely categorized under the umbrella term "Latinx". My engagement in extensive research and firsthand discussions surrounding this matter has shown that the nuances of identity can be a little more complicated.
Observing a significant gap in representation within healthcare and government spaces spaces, gave way for Pueblos Originarios to be formed comprised of the Kichwa-Otavalo, Ireta P'urehpecha and Nuu Saavi community. Together we worked on a $100,000 grant project.
Art by: Diana Morales
Co-directed and co-produced a short documentary and trailer. Here is a snippet of the creation process. Enjoy!
I was able to present twice. The first presentation was to the organizations and project managers I collaborated with, where I shared insights and progress updates on our project. The second time, I co-MC'd an event that surpassed expectations, attracting over 100 attendees. Through my effective communication and presentation skills, I was able to engage the audience and leave a lasting impression.
I conducted extensive research for over a year and worked closely with communities from diverse backgrounds in King County. This experience provided me with insights into how these communities navigate bureaucracy, technology and culture, inspiring me to launch Project Mindalae. The knowledge and understanding I gained through this research acted as a catalyst for the development of a platform that addresses the unique challenges faced by underrepresented communities.