Purpose Prize Fellow Ellen Silber

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By Guest Blogger and Purpose Prize fellow, Ellen Silber

Encore careers are motivated by passion! Look closely at your immediate world and the larger one around you, and you’re almost sure to find a problem, a cause, a group of people that need the kind of help that you can give. Take stock of your lifetime of experience and the skills you have developed. Then comes the most difficult part: taking action! Find some like-minded people or begin on your own; others will follow.

Prior to my encore career as the founder of Mentoring Latinas, a support program for local Latina students, I was teaching women’s studies, doing gender equity research and running a leadership workshop for adolescent girls. I was 63 and thought I was at the peak of my professional life. I witnessed strong connections between college women and girls in the workshop, and at the same time became aware of the plight of adolescent Latinas who have the highest school dropout rate in the country, double the national rate of teenage pregnancies and a 150 percent higher rate of attempted suicide than any other group.

In a moment of inspiration, I imagined the rich possibilities of matching Latinas in middle school with those in college in mentoring relationships. Suddenly adolescent Latinas became my daughters, and I was responsible for them.

Mentoring Latinas introduces college Latinas to middle and high school Latinas as mentors at the beginning of each academic year. They meet weekly—two adolescent Latinas and one college Latina—on the college campus of the mentor and talk about school, relationships, family and the special concerns of young Latinas living in the United States. Close bonds are formed and the younger girls begin to identify with their college role models. This relationship can transform a young Latina who has internalized a stereotype of Latinas as nonachievers and teenage mothers, into a person with goals, a plan for achieving them -- a proud Latina who, like her mentor, will attend college and contribute to society.

One Latina teen who touched all of us is Angelina. Angelina is very worried about her mother, who is an illegal immigrant and cannot speak English. Angelina told us in a focus group, “I really do my reading now. I’m reading a book about Germany and the Jews, and it reminded me that I’m afraid my mom will be deported. I want to continue my education so I can help my mom.”

Angelina learns from her mentor the importance and power of education. She begins to understand that if she goes to college, she will more likely have the ability to help her family. Angelina has met a young woman, a Latina, who has shown her that people like them can attain the American dream, obtain a college degree and lead a productive, meaningful life.

Directing Mentoring Latinas continues to be the most vital, exciting work I have ever done. I use all my prior skills and develop new ones all the time. At 71, I’m at the top of my game, energized, invigorated and looking forward to tomorrow.