East Stroudsburg University announced this year’s Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month keynote speaker will be Jenée Chizick Agüero, founder of Motivos magazine. Her presentation, “Chase Your Dreams: From Traveling the World to Entrepreneurship,” will take place virtually on Thursday, October 10 at 6 p.m. The event is open to the public at no cost.
Agüero is a world traveler and entrepreneur with a passion for nature, languages, and empowering young people. She believes that a true explorer is never lost, and that life is richer when approached with curiosity and an adventurous spirit.
An award-winning journalism educator, publisher, and mentor, Agüero is the founder and CEO of Motivos magazine, the largest bilingual publication in the U.S. featuring teen-generated content, with 90,000 readers and subscribing schools and libraries in 43 states and four countries. Her organization made history as the only media outlet that included high school students to gain accreditation to cover the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
With a heart for youth, Agüero’s speaking and mentorship have impacted over 35,000 students. She has led service-learning trips in Latin America, presented at journalism and leadership conferences in major cities like New York, Chicago, San Antonio and Miami, and facilitates in-person retreats and weekly virtual trainings. Her mentees have gone on to become Gates Millennium Scholars, attend Ivy League universities, and pursue advanced degrees in their fields.
As founder and chief mentor of Motivos, Agüero has been featured on NBC, ABC, and Univision in both the U.S. and Mexico. ABC’s Walter Pérez dubbed her the “Dreamweaver” during a national special on influential Hispanic professionals.
Agüero grew up in a small town of less than 1,000 people and used the same drive and determination she instills in students to become an internationally competitive gold medal winning gymnast, become the first in her family to attend an Ivy League university, launch a business, and travel the world. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree from La Salle University.
Agüero’s love for adventure extends beyond her professional life. Despite doctors’ warnings following multiple knee surgeries and a back injury, she completed the NYC Marathon and continues to take on fitness challenges like zip lining, kayaking, and scuba diving. She’s currently adventuring in Hawai’i with her family and will be joining us virtually as our closing Hispanic Heritage Month Keynote Speaker.
To participate via zoom, log in to https://esu-online.zoom.us/j/92491709878.
For more information about this event contact Ly Fleming, director of ESU’s Center for Multicultural Affairs and Inclusive Education, at (570) 422-3896 or lfleming@esu.edu.