Meet the Club Director: Dyna Amaya-Lainez 
“I see myself in the kids every day.”
Meet Dyna Amaya-Lainez, Club Director at Montview Boys & Girls Club! Dyna started her career with Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver five years ago as a part-time Youth Development Specialist (YDS) at Force Boys & Girls Club, before taking a full-time YDS position at Johnson Elementary Boys & Girls Club. Dyna also held leadership roles at Cole Boys & Girls Club and Vickers Boys & Girls Club before her time as Club Director at Montview Boys & Girls Club. Keep reading to learn more about Dyna!
What is your favorite part about working at the Club?
“I have found such a passion for working with kids. When I first started it was all about them, because I see myself in these kids. I come from where they come from. I understand their struggles, wants, and desires and I am proud to give them an experience I wish I had had when I was a kid. I wish I had had a Club where I could play sports and play with other kids outside of my siblings
There is nothing comparable that I’ve done in my life. It means a lot to me to be able to affect change on a personal level, helping a kid who had a rough start to the school year learn how to maintain a schedule and do their homework, or building a relationship with a child who struggled with authority figures who now gives me hugs when they see me in the hallway.
Montview is like the community I grew up in and it means a lot to me to build that trust with kids, to show them know their voice is valid, they are heard, and I will meet them where they are.
As I step further from the frontline role at the Club, I see the bigger picture. Now, working to build relationships between schools, partners, and Club Directors in Aurora is what gets me excited. Those partnerships will lead to community change.
“Community is where you serve. It’s where you feel most comfortable and where you feel that urge to help. And, it’s about the partnerships you build along the way – with families, teachers, admin, and other sites. If we work together, we can create a wonderful experience for our kids.”
Who inspires you?
“That one’s easy. The women in my family. I come from such a strong lineage of women. My grandmother is 86 years old and raised eight children almost by herself in El Salvador with a 2nd grade education. War pushed my family to emigrate to the United States from El Salvador when my mother was 15. She became a mother at 16 and worked three jobs to keep us afloat while navigating her own trauma. Then, she completed a dental assistant program at night and was able to buy our family a home. Thanks to her hard work we went from experiencing homelessness to living comfortably in the suburbs. She sacrificed a lot to give us stability.
I see so much resiliency in my family. My mother was focused on getting our basic needs met and my sister was focused on taking care of us. Woman after woman in my family has pushed me to do my best. It’s an empowering thing to have and look up to.”
When you’re not at the Club what do you do for fun?
“I love to dance and I go almost every weekend. On a day-to-day basis, I love nothing more than to get food and watch trash television.”
Share a fun fact
“I double-majored in anthropology/sociology and fine arts. I am a silversmith and make jewelry on the side. I also enjoy painting.”
One thing you can’t live without
“I don’t think I could ever live without a pet! I have a one-eyed cat named Renley.”
Dyna is just one of our amazing Club Directors creating opportunities for kids across Metro Denver! Interested in working at one of our Clubs and opening doors for kids with passionate, inspired community leaders like Dyna? Check out open positions now.
Or, join the Club today. Membership is open to school-aged kids ages 5 – 18. Click here to find your Club!