Courtney Wong was trying to figure out what she’d do after graduating in 2009 from Brown University. She knew she wanted meaningful work that helped improve the world but was otherwise flexible. In a seminar that spring on nonprofits, Courtney had learned about Limitless Horizons Ixil from Lindsey Musen, who’d shared about her work starting the board of this growing organization. Their focus on indigenous youth in a marginalized community aligned with Courtney’s passion for working with under-resourced kids, so she applied for their International Coordinator role. Through the year she spent working with students, families, and the team in Chajul, she came to deeply respect the organization’s approach.
Courtney reflects, “What impresses me most about Limitless Horizons Ixil is how integrated community input is and how responsive and receptive they are to community needs. I worked side by side with then–Program Director Verónica Yat, who persevered to stay in school and become the first woman from Chajul to earn a master’s degree. Verónica was able to relate to and inspire youth and families with ease. Being from the community herself allowed families to communicate openly about their needs, and thus the organization could evolve based on this valuable input. For example, when the team heard that parents (many of whom were illiterate) were concerned that they couldn’t help with schoolwork and since we knew books didn’t exist outside schools, we found the resources to open the town’s first Community Library in 2010—a bright, welcoming space where children could read and do homework with librarians who were well equipped to support. Since its opening, the library continues to meet local needs by adding popular books, literacy and STEM activities, and educational programs after school and during breaks.”
After such a formative time working closely with Limitless Horizons Ixil and its stakeholders, Courtney still wanted to support after moving back to the US. She’d also been inspired by the commitment of the Board of Directors, who volunteer their skills from afar to strengthen the organization. When invited to join the board, Courtney eagerly accepted, thrilled to continue to make an impact and maintain relationships with colleagues and students in Chajul.
“The board’s culture is extremely reflective and thoughtful. It’s important to us that we’re not telling staff what to do or imposing our values on Chajul, but rather that we ask for team feedback and if it’s feasible then find the resources required for what the community identifies they most need.” Board members like Lindsey who bring extensive professional experience from her nonprofit and organizational development work have been invaluable in supporting Limitless Horizons Ixil to step back, ask ourselves hard questions, and think strategically about our focus and next steps. The board also benefits from accountants, lawyers, communications experts, education and international development consultants and others who all employ their expertise to ensure the organization’s strength and sustainability.
For Courtney and others, the most rewarding time to be a board member started in 2018 when the Guatemalan staff presented their assessment that secondary education in Chajul was so bleak that they felt that to do right by our students and families, it was critical that we start our own high-quality school. “It was a great honor to be able to say ‘YES’ and agree to take on the organizational growth and fundraising that this required to support our colleagues to open the incredible school that would become Colegio Horizontes,” Courtney says. “It’s been so gratifying to see the impact of our efforts these last several years as our once-timid 7th graders grew into poised, well-spoken middle school graduates thanks to the transformative education they accessed at Colegio Horizontes.”
Since 2009, Courtney has seen the wonderful and growing community of supporters—from donors and sponsors to the board to volunteers like the coaches who support our teachers’ content development—be critical to Limitless Horizons Ixil’s success. Because of the organization’s specific focus and small size, Courtney feels that she as an individual can actually make an impact as a volunteer, board member, and donor, and she can see the reward in the student successes and as the high school walls go up. She notes, “I can tell that Limitless Horizons Ixil’s work is truly bettering individual lives and thus the community at large, and I’m thrilled to play a small part in this impact.”
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