Meet Latinitas’ Fall 2018 Social Media Intern, Alison Skyles. Alison was born and raised in Southern California and studied Communication and Linguistics at the University of California at San Diego. She is currently studying Advertising at the University of Texas at Austin and will graduate in Spring 2019. She hopes to leverage her education and voice to advocate for any community that is either misrepresented or underrepresented.
Why did you choose your major?
Advertising is often seen negatively as a vehicle to sell, but I chose it because it has such a profound potential to improve people’s lives and make a positive difference in the world if wielded properly. Advertising also involves creativity and problem solving, which I love!
What made you want to join Latinitas?
I’m half Mexican and half white, so I have always been exposed to a societal double standard, in terms of representation and opportunities, for Latinas since I am one but don’t look like one. I appreciate that Latinitas is uplifting and empowering young Latinas and fighting that double standard.
What extracurricular activities do you participate in?
I have always enjoyed creative writing and I’m also the finance chair of an organization in my graduate program called Advertising Graduate Council–two different sides of a coin that is me!
Who is one of your role models and why?
My mom, Dinorah, is definitely my biggest role model. Like many others, she bravely left behind everything when she immigrated from Mexico and came to the United States and built a life from very little. I believe my work ethic and strength in the face of fear and hardship are my most crucial traits, and I have my mom to thank for those.
What is your idea of a dream job and how will your involvement with Latinitas get you there?
I hope to one day work for an advertising agency that prioritizes culture and diversity. My dream job is simply one that allows me to use my knowledge and passions to make a tangible positive impact in my community and maybe the world. Working with Latinitas is such a great opportunity to do that with a community that is especially important to me.
What is one of your favorite hobbies and how’d you get started with it? My all-time favorite hobby is traveling! I love and yearn to learn about new cultures, places, people, and food! It is exhilarating, can be challenging, and not to mention fun. I also think it is so important to be exposed to different things in order to grow as an intelligent, compassionate human being. Once again, I have my mom to thank for my passion for traveling, since she sparked my interest and taught me important traveling skills when she took my sister and I many places growing up.
What is one of your guilty pleasures?
I definitely feel guilty about how much I love hot dogs, but I love me a good hot dog.
What are the best and worst uses of the internet?
The internet is so powerful, but it’s a double-edged sword. The best use of the internet is when it brings people together or to gain new knowledge for good. The worst use is the same, but when it’s for any kind of negativity or hate. (The second best use of the internet is for sharing dog pictures and videos.)
