City Spotlights Staff Blog | Week 1 | Hada Bustamante Gomez

During the first week with the City Spotlights Teen Leadership Program, I realized that being in the role of a junior assistant after spending 3 years as a participating teen was strange but excitingly different. From my end, it required me to adapt very quickly to my new role as I entered this new perspective of the program. Since it was the first week, I expected things to start off somewhat slow as it did in the past years, especially with the teens that were new to the space. One of my goals for this summer was to help build up the newer teens and try not to stick with the teens that I was already friends with. As one of the staff members, I was expected to contribute to everyone. 

I am an introverted person; however, this program has helped me get out of my shell and put myself and my voice out there. So, interacting with the new teens would be a bit awkward, but I was ready to embrace the challenge. Unexpectedly, the first week went better than I had planned it to. The new teens quickly found a group of friends amongst the returners, and everyone’s relationship with one another grew as the week flew by. I am proud that I helped contribute to that by having small talks with some of the new teens and getting to know them. I am very happy that within just the first week, I already have built a small professional friendship with about three of the new teens. 

I already find it a bit funny that one of them comes up to me to ask if I could make him a sun butter and jelly sandwich after frequently forgetting to write his name down on the signup sheet. For the first week, I always expect the new teens to be a bit shy when it comes to interacting with the returners or advocating for themselves (even in the smallest ways) but seeing that they have already grown comfortable in the space, tells me that we as staff have done a very good job in helping them feel welcomed to the program.