By Gustavo Castillo Cruz, Founder of Acción Inspira

I come from a country that many skip over in the news—Nicaragua, a land of volcanoes, poetry, and quiet resilience. A country where joy and struggle often walk hand in hand. And yet, for me, it’s more than a place on a map. It’s where I first learned that powerful things can grow from the cracks—like hope, like courage, like change.

I grew up as the middle child, rarely the center of attention, often the one listening when others spoke. I wasn’t the loudest. I wasn’t the boldest. But I was always watching, always dreaming. I saw the injustices around me—not just poverty or inequality, but something deeper: invisibility. So many young people, full of potential, were being overlooked simply because of where they were born, the language they spoke, or the silence that surrounded them.

I wanted to change that.

So I created Acción Inspira—a youth-led movement born not from privilege, but from purpose. Our mission is simple: take action where most people see none. In my hometown, that meant planting trees where there was only dust. It meant donating books to children who had never held one. It meant organizing our first community events with nothing but passion and a few borrowed chairs. What began as small acts of service grew into a movement that now crosses borders.

Today, young people in other countries are joining Acción Inspira International, launching chapters in their schools and communities. Together, we are proving that leadership is not defined by money or fame—it’s defined by impact, by empathy, and by the decision to care.

But as we made change happen, I realized something was missing: the world wasn’t seeing us. The stories of young leaders—of girls building tech solutions in rural towns, of teens planting forests, of kids speaking out for mental health—were going untold. So I started Voces que Inspiran, an international journal that shares their journeys. Every article we publish is a reminder that young people aren’t waiting for permission to lead—we’re already doing it.

Through this work, I’ve met changemakers from over 20 countries, and each one teaches me something new about courage. About conviction. About the power of believing in yourself even when no one else does.

What drives me isn’t fame or recognition—it’s the quiet belief that the world changes one voice at a time. That leadership is about presence, not perfection. That real power comes from lifting others, not standing above them. I think often about the boy I once was—the one who stayed quiet in the back of the room—and I work every day to show him that his voice matters. That he matters.

There are still moments of doubt. There are still closed doors. But when that happens, I remember the words of Sheynnis Palacios, Miss Universe 2023, a fellow Nicaraguan who broke barriers:
“If someone tells you no, let it go. Because when you feel it in your heart, that’s where your dream lives.”

And I feel it every single day.

So if you’re reading this, wondering whether your actions make a difference, wondering whether anyone sees your light—this is your sign. You are not invisible. You are the story the world has been waiting to hear.

And now is your time to tell it.