I'm just starting as an Instructor and I'm currently working on the development of the New Guardianes de los Niños Workshop as an Instructional Designer, too. Guardianes de los Niños is Darkness to Light’s Spanish language version of Stewards of Children®, designed to resonate with Hispanic communities and featuring Hispanic experts and survivors.
One of the things that motivated me to become an Instructor was working directly with the content of the New Guardianes de los Niños. Being immersed in, and somehow connected to, this issue made me recognize that I could do “something more” and contribute in another way to the Hispanic community regarding child sexual abuse prevention. I found it very meaningful to be present during the filming of the experts and people with lived experiences in San Antonio. The prevalence of child sexual abuse is something that our community is not exempt from, and it is something that we have had for a long time. It seems to me that there are elements that we have used as adults in the upbringing of children, such as respect, secrecy, and overlooking warning situations, that have done a lot of damage to our children. Somehow, we have to stop those cycles, break those patterns. I think education plays an important role in this endeavour, and these are some of the reasons why I decided to take the step to become an Instructor.
I would like Guardianes de los Niños to reach as many Spanish-speaking countries as possible, including here where I live in Puerto Rico. We have a well-thought-out curriculum and evidence-based structure and content, which demonstrates that our workshop has the capacity to change lives and make a difference in our immediate and extended circles.
I want to share one piece of advice: whether we believe it or not, we have the power to protect and safeguard the innocence and well-being of children. Sometimes we think that reporting abuse is complicated or that it is "someone else's responsibility." But I believe that if we educate ourselves, our families, our friends, and everyone within “two feet from us,” we can make a difference in a child's life. The Hispanic community has a lot to be proud of, and I believe that learning how to protect children should be one of those things.
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