Marguerite
Casey Foundation Announces Miriam Aguayo and Karina Mendieta
as 2013
Sargent Shriver Youth Warriors Against Poverty Award Winners
SEATTLE – Marguerite Casey Foundation is pleased
to announce Miriam Aguayo and Karina Mendietta, both 22 years of age, from Brownsville, Texas, as two of 14 young
persons to receive the second annual Sargent
Shriver Youth Warriors Against Poverty Leadership
Award. The two women will receive $5,000 in recognition of their vision, passion
and dedication to improving the lives of families in her community.
Both were nominated
for the Foundation’s Youth Warrior Against Poverty Award by the Rio Grande
Valley Equal Voice Network. Ms. Aguayo's work has included tutoring and mentoring Army
veterans and the children of migrant workers, organizing young people in
support of a national park near Brownsville, and advocacy efforts in
Washington, D.C. for the rights of LGBT immigrant families. Because of her
experience interning at the U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas and
her experience working with immigrant families, Ms. Aguayo aspires to earn a
law degree, with the goal of helping immigrant families and communities. Ms. Medieta
has worked with a team of
youth leaders to host a Stop the Cycle of Obesity seminar for young people and
their mothers to help them understand what obesity is, how it affects people,
and what to do to prevent obesity. Karina also participated in a successful
campaign to ban smoking in public places in Brownsville, the first policy of
its kind in the region.
Whether fighting for
immigrant rights, speaking out about youth homelessness, helping young people gain
access to good jobs, or organizing youth in their communities, each of the 14
Sargent Shriver Youth Warriors Against Poverty Award winners has a unique and
inspiring story that Marguerite Casey Foundation hopes to share with other
youth and communities. Each is a local hero whose work is a powerful example of
Sargent Shriver’s call to “serve, serve, serve!”
Of the Award winners, CEO
and president of Marguerite Casey Foundation Luz Vega-Marquis said, “Their
activism, born out of necessity and rooted in personal experience, is fueled by
their belief in a better tomorrow for themselves, their families and future
generations. These young people are passionate and courageous and poised to
take the reigns as a new generation of leaders.”
Marguerite Casey Foundation is a national,
independent grantmaking foundation dedicated to helping low-income families
strengthen their voice and mobilize their communities.
