By Kate Lord, Director of Advocacy & Communications
“I live in a society where women only reach elementary school, then look for work or get married. That was my destiny. My father did not want me to continue my studies, but I wanted to continue studying. When I found out about the opportunity that MAIA offered me, I looked for a way to obtain the paperwork together with my mother, so I could enter and achieve my goal of continuing with my studies.”
Wendy Palax, a 21-year-old university student from rural Guatemala, is challenging expectations placed on Indigenous girls in her community. A 2022 graduate of our long-time partner MAIA Impact School, Wendy is now studying psychopedagogy and using her voice to advocate for girls’ rights through art, poetry, and leadership.
“MAIA gave me the chance to graduate with a high academic level,” Wendy says. “That wasn’t possible in my community before.”
Graduating from MAIA was a turning point. Wendy remembers how proud her parents were. “That day showed me that I was capable of more,” she says. “It was the start of a new chapter.”
“Changing my parents’ mindset wasn’t easy, but now they support me. I’ve learned to be resilient.”
“I graduated from MAIA in 2022, and that day meant a lot to me and my parents. Thanks to MAIA, I changed the cycle of many girls in my community. That day, my parents cried not from sadness but from joy as they saw their daughter fulfill one of her many dreams.”
“Because of my education, I managed to identify who is Wendy? Wendy is a girl who is not afraid of anything, believes in herself, is delighted to help people who need her, happy, sociable, and above all, is an empowered woman whose impact will be infinite, wherever she is.”
Wendy is the first in her family to receive a quality education and attend university. Her older sister also finished high school, but under different conditions—working and studying without the same support. Wendy is now fluent in English and involved in leadership and advocacy work, including campaigns with She's the First.
“MAIA helped me believe in myself,” she says. “I learned to speak up, to share my goals, and to know my voice matters.”
Wendy has contributed artwork and poetry to global campaigns, including She’s the First’s Reproduce This! art show. Her poem “Seré Quien Soy” speaks directly to the pressures Indigenous girls face to follow traditional paths. Wendy wrote it when she felt rejected and unsure if she’d be able to continue her studies.
“I wanted to show other girls that we don’t have to accept what society tells us we should be,” she explains. “We have the right to choose our own futures.”
For Wendy, art has always been a way to express emotions and connect with others. As a child, she found comfort in drawing when she felt alone. At MAIA, she discovered poetry and was inspired by authors like Pablo Neruda.
“I wanted to show other girls that we don’t have to accept what society tells us we should be. We have the right to choose our own futures.”
Wendy’s artwork for She’s the First’s Reproduce This! Art Show.
“When I create, I want other girls to see that they’re not alone,” she says. “That we’re here to support each other.”
Through her work with the Girls Advisory Council at She's the First, Wendy has built confidence and leadership skills. She’s helped plan events, connected with other youth leaders, and shared her story to inspire change.
Her long-term goal is to start a project that supports children’s learning through art. She wants to create safe spaces where girls feel heard, valued, and able to reach their potential. In 2024, she interned with She’s the First and assisted our annual Ellas al Frente event for organizations working with girls in the Northern Triangle.
“When I create, I want other girls to see that they’re not alone. That we’re here to support each other.”
Wendy assisting at the 2024 Ellas al Frente conference in Panajachel, Guatemala. Photo by Kincho Films.
Wendy’s journey hasn’t been easy. She’s faced rejection from family and pushback from her community. But she credits her parents, mentors, and peers for helping her stay focused.
“Changing my parents’ mindset wasn’t easy, but now they support me,” she says. “I’ve learned to be resilient.”
“For my family, I am the first to participate and influence spaces of leadership, empowerment and speak another language, in this case English. I am the first in my family to continue my studies at university. For my parents, it means a family achievement and a result of the love, affection, and trust they planted in me."
Her message to other girls: “Believe in yourself. Be brave. Your dreams are possible.”