Girl Advocates & Mentors!

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Comment by Nancy R Johnson on March 19, 2009 at 9:06pm

The Latina A.R.M.Y., Inc. (Accomplished Role-models Motivating Young Latinas) is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization of Latina women whose mission is to empower young Latinas through a series of workshops. We teach the girls four life tools they can use to create the life they deserve: Journaling for self reflection, creating Positive Affirmations from negative messages, setting Personal Rules, and Goal Setting and Achieving.

Young Latinas hold the highest rate of attempted suicide: 1 in 6 or 16% tries to kill herself

53% of all Latinas become pregnant or mothers at least once before the age of 20

Only 58% of Latinas graduate from high school

To get involved or to learn more about our movement: visit us at www.theLatinaarmy.org.

Here is an introductory video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9sT_G7VZeo

Comment by charna on July 23, 2008 at 12:50pm

I lead a rites of passage group for 11 year-old girls through Stepping Stones Project. The group runs for 3 years and offers them life skills: tools in how to relate to themselves, their peers and nature.

I also get the opportunity to work with the very young parts of adult women in my private practice. We empower them to listen to their bodies as sites of wisdom rather than something to distrust. We help them develop boundaries and clarity around what they want and the ability to move towards it from a centered place.

Comment by Tina Patterson on May 29, 2008 at 5:26pm

I'm glad to see that this group is present. I was recently elected to the UNIFEM USA National board and welcome the opportunity to connect and partner with like minded individuals.

Comment by Robin on May 28, 2008 at 9:21pm

I serve on the board for our local Planned Parenthood affiliate and for the past two years, I have chaired the Education committee. Recently, we surveyed some of the clients to learn more about what they would like to have learned as adolescents. One topic that came through loud and clear was learning how to talk to others (parents, partners, doctors) about their relationships. I think helping young girls learn how to talk about what's important to them and what they value and modeling that type of behavior for them is such an important step toward growing their self esteem. Too often, I see people avoiding uncomfortable conversations; we need to teach our girls to be bold and stand strong on what they believe.

Comment by Myrdin Thompson on May 27, 2008 at 11:49am

I appreciate all of your efforts-There are too many girls who feel that competition with one another is the staus quo and there is too little collaboration. A young lady I know just graduated hs and she said that she was proud to be different-not to be considered one of the pretty girls-I thought and said-but you are beautiful-and focused on your future-so much more than many young women can say today, yet she still felt out of place in a culture that promotes physical above intellectual. I worry that no matter what I teach and model to my daughter that society will undermine it all. At 2 1/2 she is constantly being told that she is pretty. Yet, she has an incredible vocabulary, is reading some, learning the alphabet and numbers, but rarely is that commented on. Instead it is how nice her dress is, shoes, haircut. And I think-great, now I have to balance all that with but she is smart and funny, etc. How do we do it? How do I raise my sons to respect women, when all they see are women/girls disrespecting themselves?

Comment by Niki Wiggins-Sital on May 18, 2008 at 11:07am

Delete Comment I am so happy to be part of the White House Project... I'm the mother of 4 biological and 2 step children and I have a total of 5 grandchildren and one on the way (Due 1/09). Mother's are often the only role model for young girls. I want the young women of tomorrow to have greater oppertunities than we had. I work FT in accounting and I have my "Pampered Chef" business that I love to use to raise money for good causes... Breast Cancer, Diabetis, Homelessness, Art/Dance/Music/Sports, and much more...I will support your causes as well.

Comment by Corinne Gregory on May 13, 2008 at 5:06pm

I agree with the discussion about girls lacking a healthy self-esteem and self-respect. That is part of the larger problem of kids not knowing what is acceptable behavior anymore and what kind of behavior will make them successful.

While my business focuses on developing good social skills in all children, we see a special need for it in today's young women. When you consider that the fastest increasing segment of society that is involved in bullying and school violence is female (and, sadly, getting younger and younger), you know that these girls are in trouble! We need to show them a better way...one in which they learn alternatives to what they are learing now -- a way that gets them more of what they want, less of what they don't want, and empowers them to be successful, both now and in the future!

I'm a mom of three little girls myself, and if I can leave them THIS legacy -- that of a kinder, gentler, more civil society -- and I've taught them the social skills they need to succeed in life, then I've done a good job. THAT's what I'd like to pass on to every little girl and young woman out there.

Comment by Marine J. Caleb on May 13, 2008 at 2:24pm

There is a growing need for positive female role models. I am the mother of two daughters and a son. In the past my daughters and I went through some real difficult times. But as we have gotten older we have learned to deal with each other.
Their father and I were involved in a messy divorce and he was awarded the custody of the children. My daughters were angry with me for a long time. I felt guilty, frustrated and did not know how to handle their problems. I found that the healing began with forgiveness. I had to first forgive myself for mistakes that I made. Then I had to forgive their father for his blunders. I had to take it one step at a time with the girls. Next month one of them will be forty and the other will be thirty-six years old. Our relationship is better than most of the children who grew up with a mother in the home. We have learned to respect each other and accept each other. We no longer have verbal fights. As we all have matured we have gained the greatest love for one another.
So if you are having a problem with your mother or the other women in your life, give it time. Learn to accept each other's faults and forgive one another. Forgiving takes a lot of letting go. sometimes you have to take down a little in order to have the relationship you desire.
I was blessed to have a mother that I loved and adored more than any woman on earth. She forsook me for the grave more than twenty years ago. I still feel close to her. To me she never died. I had two grandmothers and a great grandmother who influenced my life. Women always played a positive role in my life. I believe that my survival as an adult was a result of the positive influence that women played in my life.

Comment by Marsha Barnett on May 12, 2008 at 5:50pm

Growing up I neer had a real female role model. My relationship with my Mom now is cordial but we have never been close. I have seen my Mother smile in another woman's face then my Mom would cut her down the second she turned away. I had alot of bad female relationships when I was growing up. No real lasting bonds. When I started working for our local Curves I went into it as just another paycheck. It turned out to be so much more for me. I have totally changed my opinion of women. I have built some strong bonds that I never thought would be possible. eing around women each and every day pretty much forced me to let my guard down around women. I now realize it isn't women in general that are the enemy. I just made some bad choices when it came to women I let into my life. I have a strong desire to show younger females that there is such a thing as a true "sister". And that women can be trusted. I don't want girls to block out the possiblities of lasting and true friendships. And I want them to know that not all women are catty and distrustful. I would like to start some type of mentorship where I live for young girls. Just not sure how to get started. Men can come and go but a true "sister" lasts a lifetime. Maybe if they realize it at a young age they may not make some of the same mistakes I have made.

Comment by Myrdin Thompson on May 8, 2008 at 7:35pm

I agree with Crystal about self-esteem/respect. I just spent the weekend with my 12 yr old niece who is often mistaken for a high school student! I worry that she will grow up too fast to fit the perception that many men have of her-she is going through a difficult time (parents divorce) and seems adrift. I spend time at my son's school and see all these children wanting to emulate the stars of high school musical. First graders wanting to purchase posters of Troy! What ever happened to geranimals? I worry that my 2 1/2 yr old daughter will soon stop liking Dora and start singing April levine songs! How do we fight this when celebs like LL and BS have become even more famous by crashing and burning-how do we conteract this when people exploit themselves for their 30 sec. of fame on shows that have them admit they don't know who the father of their child is? Let's work together to find a solution!

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