Latina Mentoring Initiative
Connecting and empowering young Latinas with Latina mentors.
Overview
On October 21, 2021, Latina Equal Pay Day, Governor Hochul announced the launch of the Latina Mentoring Initiative to support young Latinas and begin leveling the playing field via mentoring. The New York State Mentoring Program (a program under CCF) in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Office of Women’s Affairs, and Latina government, community and corporate leaders, came together to build LMI for the young Latinas of New York.
By connecting positive, caring Latina mentors with Latina youth, LMI empowers, uplifts and shapes future Latina leaders, ages 8 to 24, by building soft skills, confidence and nurturing aspirations via personal and professional development. In the last three years, LMI has created a culturally responsive and safe space that builds community where youth are affirmed, inspired by Latinx representation, and encouraged to expand their possibilities.
Committee Leaders
Samantha Callaghan
LMI Committee Member NYC
Director of Adoption and Kinship Support Programs
New Alternatives for Children, Inc.
Maria Margarita Cruz
LMI Committee Member Buffalo
AVP Employee Engagement Evergreen Health
Jessica Garcia
LMI Committee Member NYC
Head of Sales
Grafica Trends & Threads
Vanessa Lockel
LMI Committee Member Long Island
Executive Director
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County
Clarissa Rodriguez
LMI Committee Member NYC & Mid-Hudson
Chair NYS Workers’ Compensation Board
Office of the Chair
Wendoline Vargas
LMI Committee Member NYC
Founder and President
Her Vaga Bound Roots
Fanny Villarreal, JD
LMI Committee Member Syracuse
Executive Director
YWCA Syracuse & Onondaga County
Founding Committee Members
- Fleriser Bello, Founder & CEO of Fleriser Bello, Inc. & Bellas Fashionistas, Inc.
- Lusy A. Candelario, Executive Director, The Belle Center
- Erika Flores, MPA, Senior Program Associate, Cause Strategy Partners
- Bethaida "Bea" Gonzalez, Former Special Assistant to the Chancellor at Syracuse University/Vice President for Community Engagement
- Rita Paniagua, Syracuse City Councilor At-Large
- Dr. Yomaris Peña, MD, Chief Medical Officer, SOMOS COMMUNITY CARE & CEO/Medical Director, YPP New Modern Medicine PLLC
- Tayrin Tapia, Director of Operations at Capital Management
Webinars
January 2023
January 2023
January 2023: Life is Precious - Suicide Prevention for Latina Teens
During 2023’s National Mentoring Month, the New York State Mentoring Program teamed up with Life is Precious to present a valuable training for all mentors participating in the Latina Mentoring Initiative.
Young Latinas have become the teen population with the highest rate of suicide attempt in the country. In New York State, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Latina teens and in NYC 18.5% of Latina teens seriously considered suicide in 2019, a percentage higher than their peers.
Understanding that mentors can play a huge part in supporting mental health, we want to provide additional tools to equip our volunteers. This hour-long training gives mentors an overview of suicide prevention, specific to Latina teens, and offers additional resources as well.
More on Life is Precious:
Established in 2008 by Dr. Rosa Gil, the Life is Precious™ (LIP) Latina Girls Club & Suicide Prevention program is a project of Comunilife, a leading nonprofit housing, health and human services agency serving NYC’s Hispanic community since 1989. We are grateful to partner with them to offer this opportunity.
To learn more go to: www.comunilifelip.org
February 2023
February 2023
February 2023: Pouring Into Ourselves - Modeling Self-Care for the Next Generation
The Latina Mentoring Initiative’s focus for February was “Self-care/Self-love.” To further support our mentors in their journey, we hosted the “Pouring into Ourselves: Modeling Self-Care for The Next Generation of Latinas” webinar.
A stellar panel of Latina experts from the mental health space and the self-care realm shared wisdom, tips and tools on how to model self-care for their mentees. Dr. Mariel Buque, Psychologist and Intergenerational Trauma Expert, Amanda Vacca, EMDR Therapist, and Cindy. Y. Rodriguez, CEO & Founder of Reclama (a Spiritual Hiking and Journaling Community for Women of Color) joined us to share how mentors, who give so much of themselves, can personally benefit from practicing self-care and positively impact the youth they serve.
March 2023
March 2023
March 2023: Latinas Leading the Way - Celebrating Latina Excellence
In honor of Women’s History Month, the New York State Mentoring Program’s Latina Mentoring Initiative hosted a very special webinar celebrating Latina excellence.
On March 28th we celebrated four powerhouses who are giving back to their communities through their work and service. Founder and CEO, Fleriser Bello, Honorable Wilma Guzman, New York State Chief Diversity Officer, Julissa Gutierrez and CEO and Founder and CEO of Encounter Your Potential, Sandra Garcia. They shared their inspiring stories and advice as women making a difference in their fields and their communities.
In the News
Contact
Samantha McQuibban, Deputy Director,
NYS Mentoring Program
Council on Children and Families
