Yazmine Garcia and Miguel Tzoni remember feeling connected to themselves—their authentic selves—in high school. When they looked around at their peers and their communities, they saw themselves, their cultures, and their lived experiences reflected.
Then came college and work and other spaces where fewer people looked like them, and fewer people shared their understanding of the world.
Over time, a sense of their authentic selves felt harder to hold onto.
When Yazmine recalls that feeling, she thinks of the phrase, “Ni de aquí, ni de allá.” Neither from here, nor from there.
Yazmine and Miguel felt the weight of hypervigilance, arbitrary standards, and systems designed without young people like them in mind.
And when they discovered Ednium, it helped them name what they had been carrying.
For Yazmine, Ednium helped her understand she did not have to prove she belonged by becoming someone else.
“It reminded me who I used to be and the fire that I used to have,” she says. “And it ignited that fire again.”
And for Miguel, Ednium was where he began building the confidence to be seen.
“When we capitulate, we tend to lose a little bit of ourselves and our culture,” he says. “But it’s important to take up space and be seen and be courageous.”
What It Means to Be Your Authentic Self
Yazmine’s and Miguel’s stories help us understand the importance of spaces that encourage young adults to explore their authentic selves.
Authentic Self is one of Ednium’s five domains of alumni agency. Understanding one’s authentic self—who you are, what makes you you, and how comfortable you are embodying all parts of yourself—is a complex and evolving process.
For Ednium, young alumni are embracing their authentic selves when they are proud of their identities and confident showing up as their full selves in the world. And authenticity is important to navigating the world with agency.
In Ednium’s latest research, alumni reported feeling most connected to themselves around family and friends. But in professional settings, young alumni reported more mixed experiences.
Many alumni said they could speak truthfully at work, while also reporting that they code-switch, changing how they talk, dress, or act to navigate those environments.
That distinction matters. It means alumni may be speaking up while still feeling pressure to abandon or change parts of themselves to be accepted.
Yazmine’s and Miguel’s stories help us understand that belonging does not happen by accident.
Employers, schools, and community organizations all play an important role in shaping whether young people feel they can show up as their full selves—especially for first-generation students, students of color, students from low-income households, and alumni navigating spaces where their communities have been historically underrepresented.
Collectively, we share a responsibility in supporting young adults to develop and maintain their authenticity.
A Portal Back to Power
Yazmine’s and Miguel’s capstone projects, which they presented last month, provided an opportunity for them to put their authentic selves on display.
Yazmine’s capstone project, a podcast, helped her finally believe what others have been telling her about herself: that she has something to say to the world.
Her podcast, Curando Con Cultura: Pláticas Rooted in Comunidad, features conversations with mentors, educators, and community leaders who have poured into her life, influencing and inspiring her.
Through those conversations, she created an archive of local wisdom centered on ancestry, resilience, mentorship, organizing, and joy.
For Yazmine, the project honored “la cultura cura”—our culture heals—and the power of the palabra, or spoken word.
“I don't get to have these vulnerable conversations on a day-to-day basis, but when I do, it is so meaningful and impactful,” Yazmine says. “And I just want to share that with everyone. My podcast is like a peek into my soul. And I hope that these conversations, in some type of capacity, can help others heal.”
Miguel’s capstone challenged him to become more visible. He created a collection of three black-and-white portraits representing his journey before, during, and after Ednium.
The first portrait featured his friends, with Miguel looking up at them. It represented the confidence he had borrowed from people who saw his potential and believed in him before he did.
Another portrait featured his family—the motivation for him to become more confident, more involved, and more willing to take up space.
The third was a self-portrait. For Miguel, it was the most vulnerable photograph. He often avoided having his picture taken, preferring to stay behind the camera and in the background.
Putting his own portrait on public display meant confronting the self-doubt he carried before Ednium—and the confidence he found through his journey.
“It was me acknowledging, finally acknowledging, what others see in me,” he says.
Belonging Is Built
Authenticity isn’t something that is achieved—it’s not a box to check on a form. It’s a continuous practice: the decision to be fully yourself, while nurturing growth; the courage to be seen and heard in spaces where you may feel unwelcome.
Authenticity grows through relationships and community, when we share stories and parts of ourselves with others.
Ednium is intentional about creating spaces that celebrate authenticity.
This summer, we will open applications for Leadership Launchpad and Denver Deep Dive, and invite more young alumni into this work.
If you’ve wondered whether Ednium’s programs are spaces you would belong, the answer is yes.
This is a space for you. For your culture. For your lived experience. For your leadership. For you to explore and embrace who you are.
For Yazmine and Miguel, Ednium’s programs have been nurturing and transformational.
“I think it can be easy to count yourself out,” Yazmine said. “So, when you're in a space that counts you in, it's life changing.”