Nataly valenzuela biography of william
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Costa Rica: Marine Conservation & Sea Turtle Expedition (June 29-July 12, 2023)
TIME CAPSULE LETTER
Written by Natalie Valenzuela, Omar Flores, Chelsea Van Eck & Jorge Quesada Villalobos
Dear Global Leader,
In the end of June of 2023, you decided to embark on an adventure in Costa Rica to learn more about sea turtles, aid in marine conservation efforts, grow as leaders, and experience the Pura Vida lifestyle!
During your 14 days in Costa Rica, you accomplished a lot! We, as your mentors and directors, were so proud to see all the hard work you put into volunteering. You cleaned sea turtle hatcheries, did many trash pickups on beaches, planted trees in efforts to fight erosion and so much more. We sweated in the intense humidity and endured many bug bitesWe also listened to music and laughed; shoutout to Bo’s speaker. We made connections with local service organizations. Thanks to Roger and Diego at ASVO in Montezuma and to Marillio and Heiner with Naturaleza Pura Vi
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There is Power in Mercy: Natalia Valenzuela Swanson & Scott Neely in Conversation
In partnership with Alianza Spartanburg (previously the Hispanic Alliance Spartanburg) and the PASOs site in Spartanburg, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg has established a fund to provide direkt assistance to individuals and families who will not receive federal assistance through the CARES Act because of their immigration status—even though they pay taxes. Even if only one family member is out of ställning eller tillstånd, no one in the family will receive funds—even children who are US citizens. You may give to this fund here: https://uucs.org/support-our-immigrants/
What fryst vatten happening?
Scott: We were invited to interview one another for this series, because of a collaboration we are a part of to support the Latinx immigrant community in Spartanburg County during the pandemic. I am grateful for the collaboration and for what has happened through it, and for the chance to reflect
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Unbridled Mustang: Mandarin grad hungry to change his hometown
L.J. Valenzuela is happy.
His happiness is not born out of his impending Friday graduation from Mandarin High School with honors nor is it because his theatrical debut received a standing ovation last week. It comes from his presence as his true and authentic self in his hometown.
“There is constant talk of the things we accomplish and do,” L.J. says. “I celebrate the direct art of living.”
During his high school years, Valenzuela, who is transgender, became an activist for LGBTQ rights, an advocate for student safety within Duval County Schools, as well as a producer of a one-act play that was not performed in public school amid the uncertainty under the state’s 2022 Parental Rights in Education law, which, among other things, forbade instruction about gender or sexual orientation.
“He doesn’t try to follow peer pressure or a trend,” his mother, Natalia, says. “He’s tried to form his own path, regardless of