Otavaleñas presented their experiences at Harvard

Leticia Tituaña and Sydney Males are two Otavaleña leaders who were part of the Ecuador in Perspective symposium, an event that was carried out by the Ecuadorian student organization of Harvard.

Tituaña and Males told their life stories, gaining valuable perspectives and learning crucial lessons for the future development of Ecuador.

Topics such as gender equality, education, health, government and business were also addressed. By engaging in dialogue with guest speakers, they explored how young people can contribute to improving Ecuador’s democracy, fostering stronger global relationships, and creating a more equitable society.

Tituaña is an indigenous woman from the Kichwa-Otavalo community of Ecuador . She obtained her Chemical Engineering degree from the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL). She is also founder and former director of Warmi Stem, co-founder of the Kichwa Institute of Science, Technology and Humanities – KISTH, Finalist of the Ibero-American Social Leadership Award 2022, Future Rising Fellow 2021-2022 and One Young World Ambassador 2021. Warmi Stem seeks to encourage, guide and help more Kichwa women who are or are on their way to being part of some discipline of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Otavalo exhibitors

For her part, Sydney Males, who is a Kichwa-Otavalo activist, is committed to racial and climate justice and human rights, with an outstanding career in academic research, territorial activism and community leadership.

With a master’s degree in Flacso and experience in the Kichwa Cabildo of Otavalo, he has worked on environmental projects and participated in international organizations such as the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.