The GenZ Summer of 2018 is in the History Books

Hey there! My name is Krista Jasso and I am 22 years old. I’m a recent graduate of Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

Texas born, I am the daughter of a Mexican-American family that loves to embrace our unique heritage. Who says you can only have tacos on Tuesday? Family and religion hold true to our culture and are two core values that shaped me into the person I am today.

If I’m not talking about how great Pope Francis is, then I’m probably talking about the Carolina Panthers or any of my other favorite sports teams. Growing up I was the only girl who loved to watch sports (mostly Cowboys football and Spurs basketball) with my Dad, uncles and grandma. I was the captain of my competitive cheer team in college, and even after graduation I continue to dance in my spare time a local hip-hop dance studio. So needless to say I love performing and taking advantage of new opportunities.

In 2015 I was fortunate enough to be the youngest member of the social media team for Pope Francis’ visit to the United States. Remember the Popemoji’s? Yup, that was us! I love telling stories through social media and sharing experiences with others around the world. My specialties include funny Twitter memes, cultural diversity and humanitarian efforts. Being a member of the WeRGenZ Teen Think Tank is important to me because it allows my generation to show the world our talent.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @KristaDestinee!

My main priority is to have a true sense of happiness. To ensure this, I spend time on things that I am passionate about. Such as drawing, designing, painting, and just simply creating things as often as possible. Or, being informed about events, whether they’re happening right here in my community or across the world.

Through these examples of something I am passionate about, I’m able to tie that passion into my extracurricular activities. These include; sports (volleyball and soccer), Yearbook, Student Government, Charlotte Mecklenburg Youth Council, Young Black Leadership Alliance, National Society Of High School Scholars, Debate Club and so much more! All of these contribute to my future.

I plan to major in Computer Science with a focus on user experience at my college of choice in two years. Overtime, I’ve been building up my list of accomplishments. These include; being Adobe Photoshop Certified, being an Intech (girls in technology nonprofit) Ambassador, attending the 2017 Grace Hopper Celebration, being apart of an Adobe Summit Internship, etc. Technology altogether is something that I am very passionate about, and I can’t wait to continue to explore!

Topics that I am passionate about:

• Civil Rights and Social Action (Ex: Conversations about Gun Laws)
• Human Rights
• Women in Technology
• Mental Health
• Feminism
• Economic Empowerment

Hi, my name is Lydia Laramore and I’m 18 years old. I go to Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia studying Computer and Information Sciences.

If I can’t be found reading a book, it’s because I’m writing one and although I can only write fiction in English, I love studying the French language and culture. I spend my weekends biking around Atlanta and trying out new restaurants. Oddly enough, I hate chocolate but I make an excellent brownie. I was voted least likely to spoil the next Avengers movie and while I’m waiting to see my favorite characters on screen again, I’ll be practicing on my five Rubik’s cubes and yes, I can solve them all.

The intersection of technology, business and pop culture is where I want to work for a couple reasons. Money rules and as such, it’s essential that we understand the massive, globally interconnected systems that shape our lives. Pop culture acts as a thermometer for our values as a society but it also acts as a catalyst for evolution. Finally, the way that we consume our information has a significant impact on how we receive it. As technology has quickly infiltrated every part of our daily lives, we need to evaluate how it has fundamentally altered humanity for better and for worse. Through amazing opportunities and organizations like Girls Who Invest and The Next It Girl, I weave together these different threads to create a new perspective.

Family is ultimately made up of the people we choose and I have been lucky enough to choose the family I was born into as well as people I’ve met along the way. I wouldn’t be myself without my two little brothers and loving parents who remind me that home is where we are free to be the most authentic versions of ourselves.