Janeth Mejía is in her second year at the University of Minnesota where she is already a Spanish consultant, supporting Spanish teachers in class, providing cultural input, and hosting conversation hours with students and the university community.

Janeth grew up with her mother, aunt, and younger sister in Chichicastenango, a small town in the highlands of Guatemala. Supported by her family, Janeth was always motivated to learn. Her family only spoke K’iche, but Janeth was able to teach herself enough Spanish in order to continue her studies. Throughout her time in school, Janeth continued to defy expectations and was consistently ranked one of the top students. Along with her academic strengths, Janeth also loves the arts, music, and animals. She was able to balance her schoolwork, house chores, and take on extracurricular activities, including studying marimba – an instrument usually associated with men in Guatemala. By challenging this norm, Janeth inspired many other girls to sign up for marimba lessons. In addition to music, she participated in theater, dance, and speaking, reading, and writing contests. 

Janeth’s time spent volunteering with organizations allowed her to lead workshops on the rights of children, women and indigenous peoples. She experienced first-hand how language can change someone’s path and open the door to a new worldview. Janeth wants to help preserve the indigenous languages in her country, connect her indigenous community and the world through languages, and help increase opportunities for Guatemala. 

Highlights From Janeth’s Work Experience:

Spanish Consultant, University of Minnesota Spanish Department

Customer Service Agent, ATENTO, Guatemala

Customer Service Agent, TELUS International
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, K’iche’, and Italian