The Unexpected Gift of Saying Yes: Inés García🌋
- Volcano Summit
- Jul 2
- 3 min read
Every story begins with someone willing to share it. This one belongs to Inés.
"I still remember the day I came across Volcano Summit's Instagram post looking for volunteers. I was looking for something that would move me. Something that would challenge me, introduce me to people I would have never met otherwise, and remind me that the world is much bigger than the little corner I knew.
Volunteering has always felt natural to me. I've always believed there is something beautiful about showing up simply because you can help. It's one of those rare places where generosity creates connection, and where giving your time somehow gives you so much more in return. So I applied without really knowing what Volcano Summit was. I just knew I wanted to be part of it.
The application asked questions about who I was, why I wanted to volunteer, and what I felt I could contribute. Days later, a Volcano team member reached out to me. She told me that all the volunteer spots had already been filled, but that after reading my application, she still wanted me on the team. She saw potential in me. I don't think she realizes how much that moment meant.
Sometimes, all it takes is one person believing in you before you've had the chance to prove yourself.
I joined the Concierge Team, and what I thought would be a few days of volunteering turned into one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I loved it so much that I came back the following year. Volcano quickly became much more than an event; it became a place where curiosity was contagious, where every conversation opened a new perspective, and where every person carried a story worth listening to.
As an artist, I spend a lot of time observing people. I love hearing their stories, noticing the little details, and understanding what moves them. Volcano reminded me why that matters. It brought together people from completely different backgrounds, all connected by the same desire to build, create, and leave the world a little better than they found it. Being surrounded by that kind of energy changes you in subtle ways.
One of my favorite memories from the Summit was painting an Ecofiltro. For me, painting has never been just a hobby. It is probably the closest thing I have to a first language. It is how I celebrate, how I process emotions, how I connect with people, and how I say thank you without needing many words. I poured my heart into that mural simply because that's how I create.
Months later, that same painting opened the door to one of my first professional opportunities. It reminded me of something I still carry with me today:
When you create with authenticity and generosity, opportunities have a beautiful way of finding you.
But if I'm honest, the greatest gift Volcano gave me wasn't a job. It was the people.
I met friends I still think about with so much affection, mentors who unknowingly shaped the way I see the world, and conversations that continue living in me long after the event ended. Those connections became part of my story in ways I never expected.
People often think volunteering is about giving. Volcano taught me that it is also about receiving. Receiving new perspectives. Receiving friendships. Receiving unexpected opportunities. Receiving little pieces of yourself that you didn't know were waiting to be discovered.
Looking back, I don't think Volcano changed who I was. The artist, the curiosity, the desire to serve others, those things were already part of me. What Volcano did was give those parts of me the space to grow.
It gave me the confidence to trust that kindness matters, that creativity has the power to open doors, and that showing up wholeheartedly is never a wasted effort.
Today, every mural I paint, every illustration I create, and every project I become part of carries a little piece of what I learned there. Because life rarely changes all at once. Sometimes it changes through a conversation, a shared meal, a painted wall, or a stranger who decides to believe in you.
I thought I was volunteering my time.
Looking back, I was collecting stories.
And somehow, those stories quietly changed the direction of my life".
Thank you, Inés, for sharing your light.
-The Volcano Team 🌋
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