(Questions and Answers with Milka)
Meet the 2020 Michael Lotito Fellows! This year’s class of Fellows is hard-working, creative, bold, and strong. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing their stories and dreams with you. We can’t wait for you to get to know these impressive young leaders.
Name: Milka
Hometown: San Angel
How was your experience with the Institute last year?
It was a really good experience that I would recommend to 100% of young people. I met new people, I learned to leave my comfort zone, and I took the opportunity to interact with people outside of my established social circle. The Institute showed me that I have a second family that supports me and believes in me and in young people.
What was your favorite week of the Institute last year and why?
My favorite weeks were the first and third, self-discovery and self-expression. In self-discovery week, I learned that I could trust myself and that to heal, I need to forgive. I understand now that to achieve something, I can, as long as I trust myself and have the willpower to do it. I also enjoyed self-expression week because I learned to appreciate that we can express our emotions in many ways, like painting, singing, or telling a story.
Which class or theme did you like the best?
Elizabeth’s sessions were very comfortable and helped us create trust among ourselves so that we could listen and let go of things in the past and forgive.
What are your plans for the future?
My long-term plan is to finish high school and then get a bachelor’s degree in advertising so that I can work and support myself. I want to get a job related to my studies and then work to improve my community, both economically and socially, in the way that we relate to one another. I want San Angel to use its resources to help people. My other dream is to travel, to get to know as many places as possible within Mexico and learn their traditions and cultures.
Tell us a few fun facts about yourself.
It’s hard for me to choose favorites! My favorite color is black, and I like to paint but I’m not very good at it, so I just started learning calligraphy. I don’t have a favorite food because I like everything, and at the moment I don’t have a favorite class in school, either. I like to read and my favorite book is The Diary of Anne Frank. I also like listening to music–some of my favorite songs are “House of Gold” and “Tear My Heart” by Twenty-One Pilots.
What app do you use the most and why?
Right now, I use WhatsApp the most frequently to communicate, Canvas to work on homework, Netflix to watch movies, and Facebook and Google to find information.
If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
It would be Rome or Amsterdam, for the cultures there.