As you’re sitting with your friends in the auditorium, you start wondering what this presentation is going to be about. The lights start to dim and everybody becomes quiet. You hear footsteps and you see sophomore Valentina Molina walk up on stage as the words “Feminism, Rape Culture and Slutshaming” flash behind her. This is Gen Lx.

This is the second year for Gen Lx at Miami High. FEA Advisor Ms. Berrios says, “It stands for generation leaders. It’s a platform that enables students to spread a message that will influence the student body. It gives students a voice and opportunity to express their ideas and make what they’re passionate about be heard to empower others. Gen Lx helps these students with public speaking and develops them to become confident and be leaders. Presenting at Gen Lx helps them understand that their voice is powerful, and what they have to say is important.”

Junior Ailema Perdomo, who spoke last year about bullying, talked about how great it felt to go up on stage and share her stories and talk about possible solutions to stop bullying and how people can seek out others when they find themselves in these situations.

This year’s presentation, which took place in the auditorium on December 9, 2015, educated about 400 students in the audience on issues affecting females.

Valentina Molina picked her topic about feminism, rape culture, and slutshaming. If you don’t know what feminism is, here’s a definition: the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism).

Senior Melissa Carcamo and junior Laura Palomino talked about arranged marriages and how young girls can’t get an education because they’re too busy working and how the world could change if they were able to go to school and make a difference.

Reactions from the audience were positive. “This event gave GenLx the opportunity to inform students on how women are treated differently and how we are thought so little of,” says sophomore Lidia Leal.

“The speakers spoke very well. I loved how Valentina didn’t only address how women go through these struggles like rape but men could go through them too,” says junior Karol Orellana.

Junior Louis Hernandez believes the Gen Lx presentations could also help guys at Miami High- stop things such as slutshaming at a time where everyone is being called a slut.

“There should be more shows like this because it can really help shape up Miami High and help students feel more comfortable and safe,” says junior Rebecka Soto.

Gen Lx speakers had different reactions to being in front of a large audience. “I’m pretty used to it by now because of my three years in office. However, this time was the first time I had to talk off the top of my head and not from a script,” says senior Melissa Carcamo.

“Speaking in front of the school was nerve wracking,” says sophomore Valentina Molina. “I repeated a word twice on stage and didn’t even notice! But once you’re up there, nothing else matters.”