10-24-2021 Women to Watch - Flipbook - Page 46
PHOTO BY KENNETH K. LAM
KimberlyVasquez
18, digital divide and immigrant rights activist
First generation Guatemalan American
Kimberly Vasquez spent her high school career advocating against systemic injustices
within schools alongside Baltimore City College advocacy group SOMOS (Students Organizing A Multicultural and Open Society).
Vasquez joined SOMOS freshman year after attending a meeting.
“There were all these strong Latina women who were voicing their opinions. I wanted
to be like them so badly. I wanted other people to see me like I saw them,” said Vasquez. A
once shy individual found her voice among a
community of first-generation students and
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immigrants who shared her experiences.
Her senior year, remote learning due to
the pandemic prompted Vasquez to take
action about the digital divide — a lack of
reliable internet access for low-income families and the absence of computers in many
households. With SOMOS, Vasquez led Comcast to increase speeds for its low-cost Internet Essentials plan nationwide. In May, she
spoke with Vice President Kamala Harris
about the importance of digital equity.
“When I got the news about Comcast I
couldn’t believe it,” said Vasquez. “Of course
I believed in the demands we gave them but
I never truly believed they would do anything.”
For Vasquez, creating change was not an
easy process. She worked 20 voluntary hours
a week while being a full-time student. To
other young activists, Vasquez says that passion and dedication are important; however,
prioritizing mental health is just as essential.
“Take time to be proud of yourself and
celebrate even little wins but also be proud
of yourself, not only for what you’ve done but
for who you are,” said Vasquez. “Be proud of
your existence and your energy because your
value is not attached to the wins.”