Worcester Business Journal

36 Worcester Business Journal | August 19, 2024 | wbjournal.com 4 0 U N D E R F O R T Y Worcester Historical Museum PHOTO | MATT WRIGHT Not only did Castro-Corazzini found Worcester's Division of Youth Opportunities, she herself grew the depart- ment's team from a staff from one in 2016 to more than 100 in less than a decade. Today, her division serves more than 3,000 youth annually through initiatives includ- ing Recreation Worcester, a free, year-round out-of-school program, the Worcester Youth Council, and internship opportu- nities. As co-founder and board president of Casita Cultura Latina, Castro-Corazzini volunteers working to highlight societal issues affecting the Latino/a/e/x community while bringing cultural and artistic events to Central Massachusetts, including the nonprofit's Dia de los Muertos festival. The annual event, which began in 2021, serves more than 1,000 attendees each year with cultural food, local dance performances, and art installations. For the past 10 years, Castro-Corazzini has been a consultant on anti-racist organizational practices with a concentration in leadership development. Seeing the young as not only the future but the present, she co-founded Youth Empowerment & Activism in 2013, a youth group focused on anti-racist education and activism, running educational workshops for high-school-aged youth on the impacts of systemic racism in their everyday lives. – M.K.M. For an entire year, would you rather give up access to your cell phone or to your favorite food? I have 23-year-old twins. Without my cellphone, I would never hear from them again. Favorite place you visited? The Galápagos Islands Class of 2024 Raquel Castro-Corazzini, 40 Director of the Division of Youth Opportunities, City of Worcester Co-founder and board president, Casita Cultura Latina, in Worcester Residence: Worcester Birthplace: Ecuador Colleges: Worcester State University, Boston University Managing more than 1,000 volunteers completing unfinished projects throughout Central Massachusetts may seem like a daunting task for some, but it's all in a day's work for Medina. In her position at United Way, Medina plans and oversees the nonprofit's volunteer initiatives, including WooServes Summer Youth Service Institute, a six-week youth development program for children ages 13 to 17. Under Medina's leadership, WooServes has increased its enrollment from 32 graduates in 2023 to 52 students enrolled in 2024. She has played an instrumental role in expanding United Way's Dollar $cholar initiative, a financial literacy program for mid- dle school girls, helping increase its participants by 63% to serve 650 students during the academic year. As the owner of Pastry Chef Medina, Medina has won first place awards in the Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts' Fork It Over Worcester culinary competition four years in a row. Medina volunteers on the board of Worcester nonprofits Inner Voice Outer Change and Adelante Worcester, supporting their missions of empowering mar- ginalized communities. She previously worked as a career counselor for the Boston-based nonprofit Bottom Line, supporting 90 college students in planning and achieving their career goals. - M.K.M. Who's career would you like to emulate? Yuisa Pérez Chionchio. Someone I have seen go from a teacher to a chief people officer, all while being a mother, a student, and community member. Class of 2024 Idaliana Medina, 32 Director of community engagement, United Way of Central Massachusetts, in Worcester Professional pastry chef, Pastry Chef Medina, in Worcester Residence: Worcester Birthplace: Worcester Colleges: Point Park University, Springfield College, Worcester State University, Johnson & Wales University

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