Mónica Marín
Mónica Marín is a 25 year-old student at the University of Rafael Landivar in Guatemala City. While she is studying international affairs, her passion is defending life and human dignity. She has founded a youth-focused organization in in Guatemala, works with other family values-affirming organizations, and does undercover work into the pro-abortion movement in Latin America so that she can better counter their message and agenda.
What inspired you to get involved in the pro-life movement?
I realized that the youth don’t know what is happening, and that there are organizations promoting the culture of death, and lying specifically to the young adults about sexual education, contraception, and sexuality.
What do you do to support life and defend the pre-born?
I founded Generación Vida (Generation Life) with other young 
friends to promote the dignity of the person, freedom, chastity, and sexuality. Our goal is to spread the truth to the teenagers by giving talks to schools and using social media and educational programs to prepare the next generation to be pro-life leaders.
Besides that, I collaborate in the Family Matters organization, coordinating the youth area. Our work is to influence on policy-making so the government develops person- and family-centered laws and projects always respecting human dignity.
(Editor’s note: See below for links to these great Spanish-language resources!)
What is your favorite tool to communicate the pro-life stance?
I think social media right now is the best way to communicate the pro-life stance. There are always new tools and innovations that reach young people.
What are some ways students can be active in their pro-life work during school breaks?
I think the best way is always to respect human dignity, never to speak poorly about your friends – to be coherent with your words and with your actions.
Sometimes it is hard for people to listen to you if they know that you are pro-life, so you can show them videos or pictures, as the truth speaks for itself.
Share with us an encouraging event or a success story from your work.
The students at the chastity talk.
Once I gave a chastity talk in a girls school. At the end of the talk I told them they could ask me anything, and I received tons of questions. After that several girls approached to me and ask me more personal questions and one girl opened her heart to me and told me she was very hurt because of her relationship, and that she wanted to break up with her boyfriend and start living pure.
Share with us an encounter with pro-abortion opposition and how you faced it.
I often attend pro-abortion conferences, so I can understand their positions and arguments. When I go, I attend posing as a pro-abortion advocate so that I can talk to more people and gather more information. I listen and always respect their right to free speech, but sometimes I ask specific questions, with answers that I know are on my side, so the public can hear a life-affirming answer and can think more about what the pro-abortion group is telling them.
What keeps you going through the tough times?
I remember that this is my vocation – that even if it’s hard, this is what I have to do, and that no one else can do exactly what I am doing, because we are unique, and we all have different ideas. Besides that, I know I have the truth on my side, and all I have to do is keep fighting so others have the opportunity to know the truth.
What advice would you give to your peers?
Coordinators and teenagers of “Generación Vida” in their pro-life training day in January 2014.
Be organized. Work with people who have your same vision and values. Learn from other organizations that have more experience. Don’t think that you can do it alone; ask for help and advice from others.
Name a hero or role model of yours and explain why he or she inspires you.
I recently learned about Anna Halpine. She is the founder of the World Youth Alliance. In 1999, Anna attended the conference on Population and Development, run by a group of thirty-two young people who claimed they represented all three billion of the world’s youth, and demanded abortion as a human right, sexual rights for children, and a deletion of parents’ rights. Anna went back into the assembly after the first day and distributed flyers that stated that these young people did not represent all the youth of the world. Because of that courageous act, right now, thousands of young people know the real meaning of human dignity and defend the real rights of the youth.
What is your favorite pro-life quote?
The author is not actually pro-life, but the quote applies exactly to our pro-life movement:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
Connect with Monica via Twitter at @MonikMarin.
You can also follow Generación Vida (Facebook, Twitter) and Family Matters (Facebook, Twitter).
Do you know a student whose pro-life work should be recognized? Nominate him or her for a Live Action Student spotlight here.
