Youth Unmuted
Youth Unmuted is where Benton County teens grab the mic and keep it real. Hosted by teen Club member Holden, each episode mixes unfiltered energy with authentic conversations about the things that matter most, from sports and leadership to mental health, community, and the everyday ups and downs of teen life.
Along the way, Holden welcomes special guests with stories worth hearing, adding fresh perspectives and unforgettable moments to the mix. It’s not just talk; it’s laughter, hot takes, and powerful stories that show teens aren’t just preparing for the future, they’re shaping the present. Plus-Club members gain hands-on experience in media, storytelling, and leadership that sets them up for success in every part of life.
Plug in, turn it up, and discover what happens when today’s youth go completely unmuted.
Youth Unmuted
Ep. 5 - From Shy to National Spotlight
Nerves don’t vanish on their own, they get trained. We sit down with Ximena, the Boys and Girls Club National Youth of the Year, to trace how a once-shy student became a poised speaker, athlete, and community leader. The through line is trusting the process: more reps on stage, more honest reflection about identity, and more supportive rooms where teens can practice leadership without pretending to be perfect.
We dig into the playbook for Youth of the Year candidates and any teen aiming higher: know your story, name the people and places that shaped you, and get comfortable building relationships with mentors and CEOs alike. Ximena shares Keystone memories that broadened her world, from meeting teens on military bases to learning how culture and community shape character. Along the way, sports keep her grounded: volleyball, soccer, and track become training grounds for time management, grit, and humility while college applications stacked up.
This conversation also highlights the power of real support. Corporate partners upgrading tech centers, scholarships like Panda Cares, and opportunities to co-judge creative contests open doors that talent alone can’t. There’s joy, too: Two Truths and a Lie, meeting John Cena and Denzel Washington, and a dream dinner with Justice Sonia Sotomayor that speaks to representation and ambition. If you care about youth leadership, public speaking, and building confidence that lasts, you’ll find practical takeaways and a lot of heart.
If this resonated, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs a push to take the mic, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show. Your support helps us keep youth voices loud and unmuted.
Welcome back everyone. My name is Holden and I am your host for the Youth Unmuted Podcast. This is a team-led podcast with the Boys and Girls Club of Biton County where we share unique stories that relate to today's youth. Let's get started. Alright, welcome back everyone. Welcome to our part two episode, and we have our special guest, Hamena National Youth of the Year. Hamena, thank you much so much for coming back with us. Um can't wait to get started. So we get to talk a little bit to you about before, but just more about the National Youth of the Year. Um, what advice do you have for someone who is competing?
SPEAKER_02:Oh, okay. Well, thank you so much for having me again. I love this, you know, this whole interaction. I think for youth of the year, it can be very uh hard work. No, it can be very nerve-wracking. Nurve wracking, that's the word. I was like, it's somewhere there. Uh it can be very nerve-wracking to, you know, have to do all the public speaking and then having to meet with all these people and network. But I would say that, you know, really embrace who you are and your story. And I think that when you're sure about, you know, how the club has transformed you, where you come from, your parents, your background, it's so much easier to talk about these things on a stage. It's easier to talk about these things one-to-one with, you know, a CEO or a president of a company. So I think that just really embracing who you are and trusting the process will really help you through each stage. Um, I mentioned it earlier in the last uh part, the first part, where I felt I constantly felt really small when it came to these types of events because all of these kids are so amazing. They're amazing public speakers, they're CEOs in the room. Like there is a lot of different factors, right? And I think that that kind of hindered me from like really trying to talk to more people. And I think that my advice to get through that would just be to trust the process and to trust the fact that you know everyone is there for a reason, that all of these kids have worked really hard and know, you know, where they come from and how when they're sure about who they are. So as long as you embrace who you are and you're authentic, that will definitely help you get through it. Um, that was like seven pieces of advice, by the way.
SPEAKER_00:No, that's totally fine. Those are all great. And anyone who's listening, I hope they really take that to heart because as you can tell, it's what happened for you, and you're very successful in it. So, yeah, thank you for thank you, thank you. Yeah, so outside of the club, what are your hobbies? What do you like to do for fun? You know, make you said you had internships in part one. I don't know if you have a job or sports that you play, but yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, of course. So I mentioned it earlier too that I got involved with the club originally through sports. And so ever since then, I'm very passionate about sports. I love volleyball, I love uh soccer, I love running, everything. Cross-country track, I love being uh uh physically active, and it's because of my club. Um, I think that at my school I play different sports. I I just got out of my volleyball season very recently, very recently, and that's kind of what I like to do outside of the club, outside of volunteering, and outside of like my school, I love to uh play sports. Uh, I think it's just right now with you know that whole thing about college season and college applications that it's a little, it's a little bit more challenging. But as soon as I finish that last app, January 1st, trust me, I will be on the field playing.
SPEAKER_00:Trust me. I think I've seen. Do you post? Have you posted on Instagram?
SPEAKER_02:I think I have. I think I have.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I think I've seen like some of your soccer posts before. So that's too good.
SPEAKER_02:You'll play sports as well?
SPEAKER_00:Uh yeah. So I play basketball and I run track a lot. Because I mentioned in part one, we have a game today.
SPEAKER_03:So Oh yes!
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, after this, after this, I have practice before a game. But yeah, our season will be going super fun, and volleyball season just ended. So how was that?
SPEAKER_02:Oh, it was fun. I'm the team uh libero? Libero? Yeah, libero, yeah. So I I do a lot of the defense, uh, which I'm not that good, guys. I'm not that good, but I have fun. That's what matters. It's about being passionate about it. That's what matters. Yes, but it was it was a really fun season, and it did kind of end early. But I'm excited for soccer, so that's what's up.
SPEAKER_00:That's what's that is that what's next for you, soccer season? And can you do that and track at the same time?
SPEAKER_02:Uh, I've tried doing it, but you kind of always have to choose which one you're gonna prioritize, you know. So I I might as well, I think I'm gonna do track to get in shape, but I'm not gonna compete as much. Yeah. But what events do you do for track?
SPEAKER_00:So for track, I do I go to like uh we have like our classifications are based off like A, so like I'm a 4A school. I don't know if it's like that in Texas. So our school's like right in the middle, it's not super big, but it's not super small. So I do a lot. Um, I high jump and I triple jump. Uh I run the four by four. I've had to run the 100 before, and then I do the 300 hurdles, and I've done the 110, but I'm not great at it. And then I do the decathlon.
SPEAKER_02:So okay, that's crazy. You do all the events essentially.
SPEAKER_00:I'm a little everywhere, but that doesn't mean I'm great at it. I just I just compete, you know? It's fun. Track is too me too.
SPEAKER_02:Don't worry, don't worry. I'm in the same boat. It's like we don't have to be good. We can just post stuff and they need us, you know, they need us. So I do the uh, or I used to do because I haven't run it, I didn't run it last year, but it was what events are I doing? The 400, the four by four, the four by four forced fully, okay. I did not willingly want to do that. No one wants to willingly do that four by four trap.
SPEAKER_00:No, I get to, I get to. It was if it wasn't the last event, because it kills me every time. I run the four and I'm like, oh, I'm dead. Like, it's time, it's time to go to bed. I used to, I used to, I had to run the 400 once and then the four by four, and I was like, there's no way I can do this. There's no way I can do this. At least in the four by four, you're handing it off, and you can hand it off early, or you can start like early because you're shuffling, so I don't have to run like it might only save you like 10, 20 minutes, but still but it makes a big difference in our hands, in our hands, yeah. In my head, it's like, yeah, and that that's the farthest I'll go. I will never like willingly run 800 or a mile or two mile. That's uh crazy. People that do that, kudos to them because I can never no, yeah, for real.
SPEAKER_02:It's like distance 101. I don't know how they do it. I actually ran uh I never run distance for track. I don't know why my coach never played it for me, but I ran like uh like so the 400, 4x4, the 2x4, and the 200, and maybe like the 100, like every once in a while, but I was too slow for that. Um but you know, have you ever read cross country?
SPEAKER_00:No, no, no, no, it's not that bad.
SPEAKER_02:Truth, it's not that bad. It's just uh it's a mental game, you know, it's a mental game, it's about getting sidetrapped in the birds and just like anything else to hide away the pain, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I went to my first cross country meet just to watch, and I was like, there's absolutely no way I can do this. Because some you have these people that are like they're just like absolutely spreading like the whole thing, and I'm like, I don't know how you do this. And then there's like the people at the end that they're like, Yeah, you could tell their parents are making them do this to stay in shape, and I'm like, that that'd be me. That'd be me in the back.
SPEAKER_02:Don't worry, don't worry. We'll we'll be over there finding finishing last place together. Don't worry.
SPEAKER_00:That's right, that's right. Participation trophy right there.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what matters. That's what matters. Like everyone gets a medal in the end or whatever.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, what is one thing about you that may surprise people?
SPEAKER_02:That that surprises people, surprises, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:That was one thing about you that would surprise people, like they don't know.
SPEAKER_02:Oh my gosh, this is a good one. I don't know. Maybe you know I'm a yapper, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know I'm a yapper. I like to yap. Yeah, a little bit, a little bit. No, but I used to be very shy, like very, very shy. I don't know how. I was just very like nervous when it came to like speaking to people, or even just like honestly, even gay engaging with people, like I wouldn't really smile or anything. I was just super shy. And then it was um, and that surprises a lot of people. I think, especially during Youth of the Year, I talked about it in my story, right? In my speech to the judges, and every single time the judges are like, Really? You were shy? Really? Like, how in what world? Yeah, man, I don't know. I don't know how that happened, but I was just I guess I was just very like uncomfortable when it came to speaking. And I think they used to have a thicker accent, so I was like a lot more like, oh, like I don't want to mess up, I don't want to be not coherent. Um, so I think it was uh it was bad, but it was through my club that I got more comfortable. So yeah, I don't know if that surprised you or not, but no, yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00:You're definitely very outgoing and you do a great job public speaking, and just like what I've seen on stage and like here, so yeah, yeah, that's awesome. Oh, so if you you said now that like you're able to speak like more, like more articulately and just in front of people more comfortably. So, what is one piece of advice that you would give to that younger self that you know was maybe a little like inconsistent, like maybe a little shy, like just like let them know that it's gonna be it's gonna be okay.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, uh, that's a lot. That's a very hard question, guys. Okay, I'm still in the process of the the younger self, but um, I would say for the most part, it would be trust the process. I think it's very nerve-wracking to like, like for me, like when I before any of the youth of the year, any of the public speaking, any of the co-hosting, I was like, I can't, like, I can't imagine myself being on stage. I can't imagine myself talking to people like that. Like, I genuinely couldn't. Um, and I remember my advisor being like, no, Jimena, like, we're gonna put you on these opportunities and you're gonna learn. Don't worry, like, it's gonna be a process. And I was like, no, like I would literally have like like panic attacks thinking about being on stage because I was just so nervous and I was not that type of person to be on stage, like enjoying the moment. And she told me, she was like, just trust the process. I did not trust the process, girl. I was struggling left and right, all these competitions. I remember my first uh stage, like yeah, the first time I I hosted the annual uh theater, yeah, the annual musical theater for my club. It's like a this huge, like 500 C auditorium, and I was the only one on stage, and I was like, Yeah, it was very nerve-wracking, but I would just say to trust the process that it's through each exposure that you get more comfortable, and essentially at some point you learn to like overcome the nerves, and it's not that bad anymore.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah, practice makes perfect, yes, a hundred percent.
SPEAKER_02:I think uh, like you mentioned, like being at Keystone, that's that's the first time that I wasn't nervous to be on stage. Like, I've always been nervous, but that one I was like, oh, like if there was Mexican music playing on my in the background, like I was like, okay, like yeah, let's go.
SPEAKER_00:You're feeling the vibes, feeling the vibes for sure.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it was a really good experience.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and Keystone itself, it's just such a supportive group of people, you know, a whole bunch of like-minded youth and teens that just want to be able to like make a difference, have fun. It's a great way for us. We took a lot of like project ideas back, a lot of community service ideas, and you really get to see like the way that different communities live, you know. Like, we may like we're only like we're one, like we border each other, like our states, but like the way that you live is so different than the way that we do, and like the struggles you have to go through, but also just like kind of who you are, you can tell is like um you're brought up by your community, and so that's something that you can see the differences of. And when you have people that are from all around the country, and even we had someone on the steering steering committee. Um, his his name was Dre. He's from Germany because he lived on one of the military bases. So just like he was definitely like he he had to answer some ridiculous questions from all of us. I bet he was tired of it from the end, but we just like the food, you know, the culture, you know, what school was like, the base, the club, like all these things. It's really just crazy how much of a different life people live. And when you're able to come together and really unite for something that you care about and that a service and helping people, it's just awesome to see everyone, everyone together and you know, wanting to make a difference.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, 100%. I feel the same way, not about uh Keystone too, but also about Youth of the Year. I think that for nationals and for regionals, even for not even for our state, it felt like such an amazing experience to like meet these people that are so different. Like in in the Texas State, when I met this, uh, she won military for Texas. It's uh Tristan. She's so wonderful, she's the most she's so wonderful. Seriously, I love her. I talk to her like every once in a while because she's just so amazing. But like she lives such a different lifestyle, and it's like just to get to know them and get to engage with them and realize like you know what factors play into who they are is just so amazing. I think for nationals, I the same thing happened with uh Taylor. I don't know, Taylor is yeah, Taylor, he's the one that won military last year. He was a yeah, yeah, and he had like crazy life stories. I'm telling you, crazy about like I don't know, being on boats and like he's like in the Philippines right now. I think. Yeah, yeah, I know it's insane. But hearing him talk about it, we asked him a lot of questions too. Don't worry, like a lot of questions about over there in Bahrain and I don't even I don't even know what that is, but he was talking about it the whole time.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, absolutely. It's crazy. People have such different lives, but yeah. Um, if you don't mind, we could uh play a little game if we're fine.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, yeah, I'm down.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so two truths and a lie. So we're each just gonna uh we're gonna write three things or just say three things, and um, two of them are gonna be the truth, one of them is gonna be the lie, and we're just gonna guess uh which one we think is the lie. All right, so yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and I should have prepared better. Uh no, no, you're good, you're good.
SPEAKER_02:Don't worry, don't worry. No, if you saw my podcast setup in the club, you would be disappointed, okay? This is so professional and organized and set up. No, I'm proud of you guys. Seriously. I'm gonna take some notes and I'm gonna I'm gonna go fix my podcast.
SPEAKER_00:I would love to take the credit, but this is zero percent of me. This is all like connections we have with the club. This is not our space, so we're super grateful to be here because they are they are definitely well set up here.
SPEAKER_02:Oh yeah, no, I think for my club, they who who funded our our setup? Oh, it was Coca-Cola. It was like they're like the continental or something. It's like the the producer, whatever the heck. Yeah, because they're like right next door. So they paid for everything and I was like, wow, like these people know what's up, guys. I'm telling you. Oh, you can you can come make a setup in my house.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, yeah, no, yeah, for sure. We uh Cox Cox completely came in and redid our um our like tech center once and like gave us his like new computers and like made it super cool. So yeah, that sponsors come in, they're the goats sometimes.
SPEAKER_02:Oh yeah, a hundred percent. I think for us, ATT came through, yeah. They they helped us with our new like uh they remodeled the the computer room, which is really good. And I think I think soon this is one of the youth of the year uh experiences. I think panda, because I won a panda cares scholarship. I don't know if that's a with Panda Express. Um, they're gonna come into my club, they're remodeling one of the rooms, and it's like, wow, like these people really do want what's best for these kids, and it's really impacting them. It's really, really helpful.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, for sure, for sure. That's super cool. I got it. I got two more questions I need to think of really quick. Um is your favorite fast food restaurant that you have in Texas?
SPEAKER_02:Fast food that is only in Texas. Uh like probably. Wait, is What's spreading? I think it's spreading, right?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, we have it, but it doesn't have to be only in Texas. Oh, okay. Okay, we need them?
SPEAKER_02:Any fast food? Oh my god, I don't know if it counts, but you know Wingstalk?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, we have Wingstop.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, Wingstop is on top. I'm telling you right now. I think about that every day. I don't know if that's just me, right? Maybe I'm just a big fag, but I love Wingstop. Like, I could eat that every day. I really could.
SPEAKER_00:No, yeah, no, Wingstop is good. I don't have it that much. We only have like one around, but yeah, Wingstop is fire wings. Never go around.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, boneless. I know I it wings are boneless, or yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Oh no, yeah, I'm just saying. I don't I like the traditional. I like the okay.
SPEAKER_02:I I I respect it. I respect it. It's more, it's more, you know, like nonchalant and mysterious, but I'd rather just be yeah, no, no, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:But at that point, it's just like a sauce, chicken, nugget, all right. You just but no, but no, it's valid. It's valid. Either way, wings are still wings are still good.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, what about you? What's your favorite fast food?
SPEAKER_00:I don't know. Chick-fil-A is always a good one. I feel like that's that's like a basic answer. I really like Chick-fil-A. Uh I'm growing Chipotle. Chipotle's been growing on me. I've been eating that a lot lately.
SPEAKER_02:Dude, I've never tried it. I've never tried it. Yeah. I think we do. Yeah, we have several, but it's like is it's Mexican food, right?
SPEAKER_00:Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_02:It's because I have Mexican food at home. Like, I I don't really see the point in like going out and buying something that is already at home. So I just I've never tried any of the Mexican foods like like the big brands or anything. And for the longest time I thought Panda Express was Mexican food too, but it's not. It's not, it's it's Chinese food. Chinese food.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, yeah, for sure. All right, I think I am ready now. Okay, you are used to it. All right, uh, do you want to go first? You want me to?
SPEAKER_02:Okay, I I read all three of them.
SPEAKER_00:Uh yeah, go ahead.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, okay. The first one is I have 11 pets. The second one is I speak a third language, and the third one is I like all types of food.
SPEAKER_00:Alright, okay, that's tough. Well, don't be sure you speak two languages. Um 11 pets. That's specific. I'm gonna say that one's true because that was pretty specific.
SPEAKER_02:Yes, I do have 11 pets, guys.
unknown:Alright.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, so then what was the last one? What was the last one?
SPEAKER_02:I like all types of food.
SPEAKER_00:I'm gonna say that's a lie.
SPEAKER_02:Really?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. No, what do you I said I was a big back like four times? Okay, but I'm not gonna be mean and like call you out on it, especially on a podcast and be like, she just likes everything, you know. No matter where you want to go, she's just gonna get something from there. No, but hey, good for you. It's important to eat. I love eating.
SPEAKER_02:No, when I went to the MLB recently, like the the the game, uh the girl that was with us, Latrice, she's like the BGCA, you know, I don't know what their title is called. Okay, low-key, I don't know. But she was the one the one the one that was like taking me around, and she was like, No, Jimena, you shot you surprised me. The patch youth of the years, they eat everything inside, and I was like, I was like, Oh, I've been holding back for no reason, like that's like no I'll take, yeah, I'll take that one. Yeah, yeah, everything. No, but the the lie was that I I do not speak a third language, guys. I wish I did. I wish I did. I only speak two, I only speak English and Spanish, but hey, French, it's coming through. It's coming through. J'mappelle, that's all I know.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's more than me. I I wish I knew Spanish. I'm in uh I took Spanish one last year, and I I'm not technically like in Spanish too, but I'm in there every day. Don't ask me why. But I've been I've been trying to pick up on it, and you know, for a little bit I had a Duolingo streak, and nothing was legit. It was almost like a year, and then I um I went to I went to summer camp and we can't have our phones, and then after that, I was like, you know, no job not restarting.
SPEAKER_02:And you can learn, it's easy, it's not that bad. It's like, well, oh look, it's not that bad to like understand it and to like to to say a few words, like and still understand the conversation, but it's really hard to like speak professionally. Like I can barely speak professionally in Spanish. I'm telling you, after youth of the year, I got so many interviews about like oh, like the experience, but in Mexico, or like in Spanish, not in Mexico, in Mexican, in Spanish, and I was just like, I was struggling so bad to like maintain that like uh professionalism in Spanish, but uh my my apologies. You go ahead, you go ahead.
SPEAKER_00:No, no, yeah, you're good, you're good. Alright. Okay, my first one is I have met John Cena. Um my second one is I don't like coffee, and then my third one is I have a dog.
SPEAKER_02:This is hard. I don't like coffee. I've met John Cena and I don't have a dog. I do have a dog.
SPEAKER_00:I have a dog, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I have a dog. Oh, you do have a dog because you said it right now. Okay, so that's the true. No, I don't know. Wait, wait, wait. Let me let me think about this for a second. Do you look like you look like a dog person? Oh, I don't know. You look like you could vibe with with a cat too. I don't know. I don't know. Okay, and then the other one was John C. That one's really specific, like, but you can't even see him.
SPEAKER_00:So I felt his presence. I felt his presence.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, I'm gonna say that one's true because it's very specific. And if it's true, then I I need to shake your hands. Okay, that's like that's amazing. Um, after that, you said you I feel like You do you hate coffee? I'm gonna see that's true because that's very specific. And then you don't have a dog.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, you got it. I don't have a dog. I don't have any pets. Congratulations. You beat me together.
SPEAKER_01:No way.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:That's insane.
SPEAKER_00:I know, right? I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:So you met John Cena?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so um in Arkansas, like Binville, like Walmart headquarters. Uh so like they host a lot of stuff. And we had a film, a Bidenville film festival. And um, I know someone that they have like their own filming company, and so they got to go, and I got to I got to be like a photographer for him, and he was just like he was there. He like spoke and then he let people like go and like meet him, and I got a picture with him. It was super cool. I was little, I was probably like I was probably like six, but it was super cool. And I'm not original when it comes to these questions. So every time I play this game, that's on here because I don't know what else to play.
SPEAKER_02:It's valid, it's valid. That one's like a uh casually just dropped the fact that I met John Cena, like yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_00:A lot of people though, like just like no, you didn't. There's like that's a lie automatically can't see him, like what? Exactly. And that people say that too. Like I posted it. I've had like four Instagram accounts because I've had Instagram since I was like little. So it was like on one of them, and everyone's like, There's no one in the picture, and I was like, ha ha ha. The Instagram account is deleted now, thankfully, because some of the pictures I just look ridiculous.
SPEAKER_02:But don't worry, same here, same here. I think I would post on like I would post on Snapchat, guys. How no, we're that's a long time ago. That was a long time ago, but yeah, those very those are things in the past. Yeah, what's true?
SPEAKER_00:Don't even talk about it anymore.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah. What's true is that you met John Cena.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's exactly right.
SPEAKER_02:And I met the Jonas brothers, so like we basically already met everyone.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, everyone that's truly important. Did you didn't Zell Washington? Was he at your was he at Nationals?
SPEAKER_02:Yes, he he literally gave me the award. He he said my name correct and everything. It was crazy. Yeah, I know. I was like, no manches. I can't believe I'm living this, like actually, like this is real. Yeah, and I think I have I have it here somewhere. I don't know where it is, but I have him signed like the the thing that says like me being the winner. He signed it. Yeah, because they didn't even they didn't even put my name, they just put how to pronounce it. They put he meant uh which I love.
SPEAKER_01:I love that. I love that.
SPEAKER_00:Cheating, but it counts whatever, whatever it makes it look right on the stage. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it it was good.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, what is the the next thing you're looking forward to? Like, I don't know if you have an upcoming somewhere you're traveling to, or maybe like a fun outing event, but what's something you're looking forward to that's coming up?
SPEAKER_02:I think I have a lot of events, I have a lot of things on my calendar that I don't even want to look at because if I think about them, they're gonna be like, oh shoot, I have to prepare a speech, and I don't know. I think soon I think is the panda cares unboxing of the room for uh the club for my club. So I'm excited for that because obviously, like I have a lot to like say thank you to for them. I think before youth of the year, I actually won a scholarship through them. And then when I won the national youth of the year, I told them I was like, oh my god, I already won a scholarship through you. And so they were so happy. And a lot of them were like really uh they related a lot to my story. They told me that you know they were also Mexican-American and they were also, you know, they struggled also with their language and about probably speaking, and I was like, No matches, you know, me too. So literally, while everyone was waiting for a picture with me through with the trophy, I was over here yapping with this, these two ladies. Yeah, I know. None, no uh, no, not really good with my spatial, whatever the heck, but it was it was really good. It was really good. Yeah, so I'm excited.
SPEAKER_00:Living the moment, living in the moment.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was just yapping in the moment, guys.
SPEAKER_00:Like exactly that one's super fun. You don't have to travel anywhere for this one because it's uh yeah, I don't.
SPEAKER_02:It's right here, yeah. That's why I'm excited. I was like, I don't have to get jet lag, I don't have to get any of those airplanes, oh whatever the heck. Yeah, it's gonna be good, and I'm excited for it. I think I also have in uh January, I have to go to Mario Lopez's house in Los Angeles, which is like, oh shoot, yeah. He's uh I think he's like a content creator. He's like uh yeah, I've heard of him.
SPEAKER_00:I know that you're going to his house.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I have to co-host or co-judge a art contest, uh phone case design art contest.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, I've seen that. Uh our advisors have like sent that out for like Oh really? Yeah, because like the winner gets like like$20,000. Like, it's a lot. No, yeah. I um someone like asked me, I was like, uh, I can't do art. Like, I don't think I've taken art since like sixth grade. It's bad. Like, people ask me to draw something, I'm like, it's lines, it's not good at all. You wouldn't want me in this, I promise.
SPEAKER_02:Don't worry, me too, me too. I think I'm taking like AP art right now. I'm so failing. Dude, I've never failed an AP uh exam. I'm gonna fail that one. I'm gonna feel that one. All of all the AP exams that I've taken, I'm gonna fail art. Are you serious right now?
SPEAKER_00:You got it, you got it. So you're very studious then if you pass if you've passed the rest of them.
SPEAKER_02:I'm I maybe, I may be. I have to prepare my my valedictorian speech soon because I have to do it in like March.
SPEAKER_00:So you're getting into Harvard then.
SPEAKER_02:No, no, no, you're getting in Harvard. No, no, I'm just I'm just a try hard at academics, guys.
SPEAKER_00:That's good. That's what you need. That's what you need. That's how you don't end up having to pay for college, you know.
SPEAKER_02:Hey, hey, and then you you're a try hard at a podcast Yap studio.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, yeah, you know, the pod they're just gonna want me for the podcast for sure.
SPEAKER_02:Oh yeah, they're gonna they're gonna hire you, like Harvard is gonna hire you to host their podcast. That's that's what happened.
SPEAKER_00:You can be my co-host, so you say you have to. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, perfect. There, we got the Harvard duo.
SPEAKER_00:They have to automatically right there.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I was looking at a tutorial recently, and it was like, how to get admitted into the Ivy League, like super, like you know, whatever. And it was like, play a really niche sport. I was like, guys, why don't we just make our own sport? They're gonna have to hire us, they're gonna have to recruit us.
SPEAKER_00:What are your ideas? What sport?
SPEAKER_02:I don't know, maybe like flying tennis or something.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, I don't know how just let me know how it works, and yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I'll I'll send a I'll send a uh memo.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, have you ever played uh pickleball?
SPEAKER_01:I have not. Is it is it fun?
SPEAKER_00:Pickleball is so fun. I love pickleball. I'm like a competitive person, but yeah, pickleball. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, so so we have to uh we have to go 1v1. That's what's happening.
SPEAKER_00:You might want to uh practice first before because I'm not taking it easy on you. If you've never played before, I don't care what the score is, I'm going as hard as I can.
SPEAKER_02:No, I I played uh tennis before, I think like two years ago. And I was I was actually pretty good, guys. I was pretty good if you count like hitting it down and just not winning any points.
SPEAKER_00:Hey, that's fine. That's fine. You got like the fast, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:I I did like a whole like fancy like serve and it just went straight down. Just straight down.
SPEAKER_00:So is there a sport you have not played?
SPEAKER_02:Just like wonder that's a really good question. I don't know. Maybe like I did gymnastics, I did soccer, I did volleyball, I did cheerleading, I did I didn't I never done flag football. I never done flag football card. Yeah, that's the one that I've never done because um low-key like quarterback, quarter pounder. I don't know, I don't know anything about low key quarter pounder.
SPEAKER_00:I think for sure.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, I think it's like some somewhere there, like uh runner back. I don't know, those things, I don't know, and oh that one and basketball. Low key, like I know point guard. That's all I know about basketball. Oh, and uh double dribble or no dribble? I don't even know, guys.
SPEAKER_00:Close a yeah, running back, no dribble, you quarterback in basketball, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:No, I was the ref for a basketball game.
SPEAKER_00:No, only one time they did that.
SPEAKER_02:One time and never again, guys. Never again, yeah, yeah. But I'm assuming you've played you're playing basketball right now, so you you know about the the quarterback and everything.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, yeah, yeah. The quarterback that shoots the the half court track.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it makes it you're I'm gonna be the defense, I'm gonna be like the blocker.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, okay, yeah, perfect.
SPEAKER_02:That's a thing, that's a thing.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, the blocker, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, no, for sure.
SPEAKER_02:Don't worry. When I post up in Arkansas, you have to teach me how to play basketball.
SPEAKER_00:I got you, I got you. We can play for sure.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm a quarterback through the whole scene or whatever.
SPEAKER_00:Okay, yeah, that's exactly how it works.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:All right, uh, I have one more question for you. And that is if you could have dinner with anyone, past or present, so like they could be dead or alive, who would it be? And where are you going? Where are you going for dinner?
SPEAKER_02:Where? Oh, that's a harder question. Ah, it's because I'm I'm such a big fact I can't choose what location. Um, I would say, uh, do you know Sonia Sotomayor? She's the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice. And she's the third woman in the Supreme Court court, court. I don't know. Okay. But yeah, I think I've heard of her, yeah. Yeah, I think I I have I've written like three essays about her at this point because they're they always ask, like, oh, who's your biggest influ inspiration or whatever the heck? And I was like, that girl right there. But she was the first Hispanic Supreme Court. So I I think I'm very uh like I'm very influenced by her. No, I'm very motivated by her. That's that's the word. And I would love to like get to have a conversation with her about you know how her journey went and about how she was able to do all of that amazing stuff. Um, and I think for location-wise, I don't know, guys, is Chick-fil-A too bland. Just casually, Supreme Court Justice and me and the Chick-fil-A. Yeah, that's the vision. One day, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Hey, it sounds great, and I have no doubt that you will get to meet her one day and have that conversation. Invite the Chick-fil-A, you know.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, just casually. Yeah, I'll I'll invite you. Don't worry, we can all have a I'm gonna get a 12 count.
SPEAKER_00:12 countries. Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, no, no, a two spicy McChicken or spicy chicken sandwiches. That's what's up.
SPEAKER_00:That's what's up. Okay, okay, awesome. Not just one, two.
SPEAKER_02:You have to get two of them with buffalo sauce on the side. Stop. I'm gonna go right now. I'm literally gonna go get some.
SPEAKER_00:No, yeah, I get it. All right. Well, Hamena, thank you so much for coming, and thank you to everyone who is able to listen in. Again, Hamena is a Boys and Girls Club National Leaders of the Year. And like as we could see here, we could tell why. Uh, Hamena, you've done amazing things, and I know you continue, you're going to continue to. So thank you so much for taking the time out of your day, waking up early on your Thanksgiving break to be able to come out here, and we appreciate it. And I'll as always, thank you guys for listening, and please join us next time. Thank you all for tuning in. Again, I am Holden, your host. Please like this video and subscribe to Youth Unmuted wherever you get your podcast. Until next time, peace.