Each summer at our First Draft event, we celebrate the winner of the Lindsey Knox Volunteer Superhero Award. We are excited to announce that Joshua Cubas is the 2019 recipient! He has supported VOX in countless ways this past year, from mentoring teens on the VOX Investigates team to co-facilitating a skill-building workshop with our teen video editor to judging the Atlanta Youth Poet Laureate competition. Cubas is pictured above, second from the right, at one of our community workshops with the Latin American Association. Read on to hear from Cubas about his time at VOX.
What has been your favorite memory since volunteering at VOX?
All of the one on one conversations I’ve had with the VOX teens. In particular, talking with Atiyah and Shyne, the hosts of VOX’s Third Eye Point of View podcast. Atiyah had the idea for the podcast, but was nervous about doing something in that realm because she had never done it before. I talked her through it and encouraged her to do it anyways. After they published their first episode, Atiyah shared with me that my support was the reason she felt able to start the podcast. We both struggle with getting out of our heads and this was a good reminder that no matter what age you are, with enough of a supportive push from someone else in your life, you can do anything you want to do or might try to talk yourself out of. Another favorite project was helping the teens with their first “VOX on the Block” video.
Why is VOX important for the community?
VOX does a great job at creating a community. This is important because it allows both teens and adults to be a part of a teen-driven community, where adults are invited to meet teens where they are. VOX has been a very enlightening experience for me. This is the teens’ space, and they’ve welcomed me into it. I’ve also loved meeting the VOX alums who have come back to volunteer as adults and see the community they have built and how they carry VOX with them wherever they go.
What are 3 words you would use to describe VOX?
Welcoming, engaging, thought-provoking
We are grateful for the many ways that Cubas has supported VOX this year as a volunteer! Join us at First Draft on Wednesday, June 26th as we say “cheers” to Cubas and our other volunteers. Tickets and all event information available here.
We have corporate sponsorship opportunities available! Email allison@voxatl.org for more information on how your company can support VOX and our First Draft event.
