Your Story Matters
Join us for this research study!
We’re inviting you to participate in a research study exploring the impact of the Girasol program, a culturally rooted rite-of-passage experience, on young Brown women’s personal growth, identity, and resilience.
This study seeks to understand how Girasol has shaped your journey; your sense of self, your strength, and your connections to your community and culture. By sharing your experiences, you’ll contribute to a deeper understanding of the program’s impact and help shape opportunities for future participants.
Your voice is powerful. Your story is important.
Are you interested in being part of this study? Keep reading for more information
What We’re Asking For
If you choose to join this study, you’ll take part in a 60- to 90-minute individual interview where you’ll share your experiences in the Girasol program. This can be done via Zoom or in person, whichever works best for you. You’ll also participate in a 1-hour focus group session with other Girasol participants to reflect together on your journeys and the program’s impact.
Why is this study being done?
This study plans to learn more about how the Girasol program impacts young Brown women’s personal growth, identity, and resilience.
You are being asked to be in this research study because you are a graduate of the Girasol program and meet the inclusion criteria for participation.
This research is being led by Amanda J. Vigil-Gonzales, a doctoral candidate at the University of Colorado, Denver, in partial fulfillment of the degree of Doctorate of Education. The study is supported by Dr. Margarita Bianco, CU Denver.
Will I be paid for being in the study? Will I have to pay for anything?
It will not cost you anything to be in the study and you will not be paid to be in the study. Taking part in this study is voluntary. You have the right to choose not to take part, and you can stop at any time without any penalties or loss of benefits.
Who Will See My Responses?
Everything you share will be kept confidential. Your name or any identifying details will not be used in any reports or presentations. Your story will be shared for this study, in meetings, and may be in published articles or future research. Your data may be used for future research or distributed to other researchers for future study without additional consent if information that identifies you is removed from the data.
Your name will be kept private when information is presented. The interviews will be recorded for accuracy, but the recording will be stored securely and deleted after transcription and analysis. For more information, please see the study consent form here: https://tinyurl.com/GirasolConsentForm
However, some things we cannot keep private. If you give us any information about child abuse or neglect or if you tell us you are going to physically hurt yourself or someone else, we have to report that to the Colorado Department of Human Services or the local police department.
Ready to Sign Up?
Follow these steps to join the study!
If you’re under 18
- Read the study consent form and have your parent/guardian read it too. You’ll need their permission to participate (we’ll send the signature page later).
- Read the Assent form (this is to make sure that your parents aren’t forcing you to participate).
- Complete the sign-up sheet. After you sign up, Amanda will send a link for you and your parent/guardian to sign the forms electronically. Once all the forms are signed, we will set up a time to meet.
If you’re 18 or older
- Read the study consent form.
- Complete the sign-up sheet. When asked for parental/guardian consent, just enter your own information. Amanda will then send you the consent form to sign electronically. Once all the forms are signed, we will set up a time to meet.
Have Questions?
The researcher carrying out this study is Amanda J. Vigil-Gonzales. You may ask any questions by calling or texting her at 720-296-5209 or emailing at Amanda.J.Gonzales@ucdenver.edu.
About Amanda
Amanda J. Gonzales, an Indigenous Chicana from Denver’s Westside, has dedicated 27 years to youth advocacy and social change in education and community organizing. Guided by the Nahuatl word tiahui—meaning to move, change, or go forward—her work is rooted in the belief that education can transform lives, with a focus on empowering Black and Indigenous youth in Denver and Adams counties. Her epistemological stance is shaped by Indigenous Ways of Knowing, blending lived experience with ancestral wisdom. As a mother, partner, eldest child, first-generation college graduate, former secondary teacher, high school principal, and school founder, she brings a deeply personal and multifaceted perspective to her scholarship and research. A child of a Displaced Aurarian, Amanda earned a B.A. from Metropolitan State University of Denver in Special Education and Linguistically Diverse Education and an M.A. from the University of Northern Colorado in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and Special Education Administration. Her ongoing doctoral research explores Grow Your Own teacher preparation programs for BIPOC teens and the impact of culturally rooted rites of passage programs, positioning her work within Latina/o Critical Theory (LatCrit), Chicana feminism, and Tribal Crit. She is the founder of Ollin Educational Consulting, serves on the Board of Directors for the Denver Healing Generations Network, and is an adjunct faculty member and Special Education Advisor at the University of Northern Colorado. As the Managing Director of Schools and Programs for Moonshot, she leads the School Launcher Track and the Innovation Space for youth-serving solutions. Recognized as the 2022 Educational Leader of the Year by the Colorado Association of Bilingual Educators, she remains a fierce advocate for bilingual students and families. Amanda and her husband have seven children, a 12-year-old tarantula, and a mischievous puppy with a taste for baseboards. She finds peace in reconnecting with the ways of her ancestors.
Ollin Educational Consulting 