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[ MUSIC ]
>> DAVE KELLY: HELLO AND WELCOME TO TALKING POINTS.
I'M DAVE KELLY DIRECTOR OF ADVANCED MEDIA PRODUCTION
AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH.
MY GUEST TODAY ON TALKING POINTS IS PILAR PINEL.
PILAR IS THE FOUNDER OF AN ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS ELLAS.
ELLAS IS THE SPANISH PRONUNCIATION
FOR THE ACRONYM ELLAS, THAT ACRONYM STANDS
FOR EMBRACING LATINA LEADERSHIP ALLIANCES.
PILAR THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON TALKING POINTS.
>> PILAR PINEL: MY PLEASURE.
>> DAVE: BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT WHY YOU DECIDED
TO CREATE THIS PROGRAM IN 2003, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME
OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE PROGRAM ELLAS.
NOW I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MENTORED SOMETHING
LIKE 280 YOUNG WOMEN IN THIS PROGRAM OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS
WHICH IS A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE STATISTIC ACTUALLY AND WE WANT
TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS THAT THESE YOUNG WOMEN HAVE DONE
OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS.
THESE ARE ALL GIRLS IN THE SEVENTH GRADE
THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
SO TELL US ABOUT THAT PROGRAM.
>> PILAR: THANK YOU.
ELLAS IS A CURRICULUM BASED PROGRAM AND WE DO FALL IN LINE
WITH WHAT THE A THROUGH G REQUIREMENTS ARE
THROUGH THE HIGH SCHOOL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL AND ELLAS BRINGS
TO THE HIGH SCHOOL A COHORT OF YOUNG WOMEN WHO ARE ALREADY
IN UNIVERSITY, OR HAVE GRADUATED AND THEY ACCOMPANY ME
TO THE VARIOUS CAMPUSES.
WHAT WE BRING IS WORKSHOPS TO THE YOUNG WOMEN AND IT STARTS
WITH AN INTRODUCTION ABOUT WHAT ELLAS IS ALL ABOUT,
THAT IT IS A PROGRAM TO LEAD YOU INTO LEADERSHIP,
ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND TO HELP THEM TO INTEGRATE
INTO COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERISM.
ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS COMBINED ARE PART OF THE ELLAS CURRICULUM
AND ONCE WE HAVE ACHIEVED A RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL, WE TAKE ON YOUNG WOMEN
ABOUT TEN PER HIGH SCHOOL IS OUR MAX THE MAXIMUM WE CAN TAKE
AND WE WILL TAKE THEM UNDER OUR WING AS PART OF THE PROGRAM.
WHAT THE GIRLS WILL BENEFIT FROM AGAIN ARE ANNUAL WORKSHOPS,
AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE, FIELDTRIPS, WE TAKE THEM
INTO THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD SO THEY GET AN EXPOSURE OF CAREERS,
THEY MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT BECAUSE THERE IS A STUDY SHOWN
THAT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS LACK OF ROLE MODELS AND JUST EXPOSURE
FOR YOUNG LATINO WOMEN.
>> DAVE: AND IN REGARD TO YOUR CONNECTION
WITH CAL STATE LONG BEACH, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT
FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM THAT WE'RE AIRING ON TALKING POINTS.
TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING ASPECT IN CONJUNCTION
WITH CAL STATE LONG BEACH.
>> PILAR: YES IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT
OF ELLAS PROGRAM DEVELOPING COLLABORATIVES AND IN PARTICULAR
WITH HIGH EDUCATION IS KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR MISSION
TO LEAD YOUNG WOMEN INTO HIGHER EDUCATION.
THE SPECIFIC RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE HERE
AT CAL STATE LONG BEACH IS THAT THERE ARE PARTICULAR DEPARTMENTS
THAT ARE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING.
AND IT ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO COME TO CAMPUS FOR AN EVENT
OR TO ENGAGE IN A PROJECT
IN WHICH THE GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY TEACHING,
OR SPEARHEADING THE PARTICULAR PROJECT.
AND SO THAT'S A BIG GIFT TO US AS A PROGRAM AND TO THE YOUTH.
IT CREATES AN IN KIND RELATIONSHIP THAT ELLAS REALLY
WITHOUT THAT KIND OF SUPPORT WOULD BE REALLY STRUGGLING
FOR THAT KIND OF AN EXPOSURE.
>> DAVE: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING.
WHAT ARE THE PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES ALL
ABOUT WITH ELLAS?
>> PILAR: THE PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING WE DO
WITH THE PROGRAM GIVES THE GIRLS THE EXPOSURE THAT WE FOCUS
ON FOR THEM TO IDENTIFY CAREERS.
AS WE MENTIONED THE GIRLS IN THE PROGRAM COME
FROM LIMITED DEMOGRAPHICS
IN WHICH THERE'S A LIMITED EXPOSURE, SO ASKING THE GIRLS
ON AVERAGE BUT THEY HAVE A MILE TO MILE AND A HALF RADIUS
OF FREEDOM WITH IN THAT COMMUNITY OF ENVIRONMENT.
SO ELLAS TAKES THEM ON WHAT WE REFER TO VIRTUAL TOURS
OF WHAT CORPORATE AMERICA IS LIKE.
AND IT GIVES THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY
TO MEET SUCCESSFUL WOMEN CULTURALLY
THAT THEY CAN CONNECT TO, ASIDE FROM SEEING WOMEN
ACROSS ALL VARIOUS CULTURES.
BUT TO SEE THAT THEY'RE RUNNING CORPORATE AMERICAN THAT THEY ARE
IN MEDIA THAT THEY ARE IN LAW FIRMS
AND MEDICAL YOU KNOW FACILITIES AT ADMINISTRATIVE LEVELS,
IT REALLY GIVES THEM A HIGHER EXPOSURE TO BEGIN EARLY
ON SETTING THE TONE FOR SETTING THEMSELVES
FOR HIGHER EXPECTATION.
>> DAVE: WELL, I CAN CERTAINLY SEE WHY A YOUNG LATINO WOMAN
WOULD WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN THE ELLAS PROGRAM.
BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME RULES AND SOME CODE OF CONDUCT ISSUES
THAT THEY HAVE TO COMMIT TO IN ORDER TO JOIN THIS PROGRAM.
LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT OR CODE OF ETHICS
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THIS PROGRAM.
>> PILAR: YES, ELLAS HAS A VERY SPECIFIC SET OF MANNERISMS,
CODE OF CONDUCTS AS YOU REFER BECAUSE I WANT THE GIRLS
TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S OK TO CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT,
IT'S OK TO LET GO OF WHAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH
AND TO STEP INTO A NEW REALM.
A LOT OF THE GIRLS WANT TO,
MAYBE WE HAVE A PROFESSIONAL EVENT
AND THEY'RE NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO DRESS
FOR A PROFESSIONAL EVENT,
SO THROUGH ELLAS WE'RE ALREADY TEACHING THEM
THAT FOR PARTICULAR EVENTS, THERE'S A PARTICULAR DRESS CODE.
THERE'S A DIALOGUE CODE.
WE DO NOT ALLOW ANY BAD WHAT WE REFER TO AS BAD LANGUAGE,
PROFANITY AMONGST THE GIRLS.
THERE'S A EQUAL RELATIONSHIP OF RESPECT.
THOUGH GIRLS ARE COMING FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS,
PERHAPS EVEN WITHIN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY THERE'S A CULTURAL
DIFFERENCE THAT WE ALL RESPECT ONE ANOTHER EQUALLY AND WITH
THAT AGAIN HOW THEY ARE DRESSING, THEY CANNOT COME
IN WITH SWEATSHIRTS OR HOODIES, THEY ARE NOT TO COME
IN WITH A TIRE THAT IS PERHAPS A LITTLE REVEALING.
THESE ARE AND WE TEACH THEM
THROUGH THE PROGRAM HOW THEY'RE DRESSING FOR THE OCCASION
TO DRESS AGAIN FOR THAT SUCCESS OR IF WE'RE GOING
ON A FIELD TRIP HOW THAT IS.
>> DAVE: AND WHAT ABOUT THE PARENTS OF THESE YOUNG WOMEN,
WHAT SHOULD THE PARENTS EXPECT TO OCCUR
IF THEIR DAUGHTERS ARE PARTICIPATING
IN THE ELLAS PROGRAM?
>> PILAR: THEY CAN BE ASSURED
THAT THEIR DAUGHTERS ARE INVOLVED IN A PROGRAM
THAT IS A SOLID, MEANINGFUL PROGRAM THAT IS SYSTEMIC,
THAT WE ARE INVOLVED IN THEIR DAUGHTER'S LIVES
FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF HELPING HER
TO DEVELOP HER INTERNAL STRENGTH ACADEMICALLY
AND TO GIVE HER A BROADER VISION OF A POTENTIAL
THAT SHE CAN REACH IN HER CAREER.
>> DAVE: OK AND WE CAN NOW START TALKING
ABOUT WHY YOU PERSONALLY GOT SO INVOLVED
IN THE ELLAS PROGRAM AS THE FOUNDER.
WHAT WAS IT THAT MADE YOU THINK
ABOUT STARTING THIS PROGRAM BACK IN 2003?
>> PILAR: NOW THAT I HAVE A TIME TO LOOK BACK
AT I'VE BEEN ASKED THIS QUESTION A NUMBER OF TIMES
AND EVERY TIME I TELL THE REASON WHY IT SEEMS
LIKE I CAN DIG EVEN FURTHER BACK.
IT I THINK I WAS BORN TO DO WHAT I'M DOING
BECAUSE THERE'S THIS PARTICULAR UNIQUE NATURE
AS TO HOW I STARTED THE PROGRAM BUT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A DOER,
HELPING TO CHANGE SOMETHING, TO CREATE A MORE POSITIVE CAUSE
FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE.
SO BRINGING IT TO CURRENT IS THAT EVERYTHING
IN MY LIFE HAS BUILT UP TO THIS, NEVER REALLY KNOWING
THAT THIS WOULD BE IT BUT IT'S REALLY PUT ME ON THE PATH
OF KNOWING THAT I HAVE A LEADERSHIP SKILL
AND PEOPLE REALLY LEND THEMSELVES
TO WHAT IT IS I AM DOING AND WHETHER IT'S A PROJECT
OR ASKING FOR VOLUNTEERS.
AND SO WITH THAT I WAS PART OF A GROUP THAT GOT INVOLVED
WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION LEVEL, CITIZENSHIP,
AMNESTY, YOU KNOW PARENTS COMING BACK TO ADULT ED
AND THERE WAS ONE COMMON VOICE IN ALL OF THESE PATHS
AND THAT IS THAT EVERY PARENT THERE,
REGARDLESS OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL LEVEL THAT THEY HAVE COMPLETED,
ASPIRE THAT THEIR CHILD HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY BEING HERE
IN THE UNITED STATES IF THEY GOT A BETTER EDUCATION.
AND SO I LOOKED AT MY OWN LIFE AND COMING FROM A FAMILY
OF TEN FOUR BOYS, FOUR SISTERS, VERY DIFFERENT DYNAMICS
AT THAT TIME, I WASN'T ENCOURAGED
TO GO BEYOND SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE DOMESTICATED,
WHETHER IT WAS THE CULINARY SECRETARY, YOU KNOW ASSISTANT
TO THE DENTAL ASSISTANT.
SO I JUST KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE IN ME
AND IT TOOK LIFE AND BECOMING A YOUNG DIVORCEE
WITH A THREE-YEAR-OLD SON, THAT I WENT BACK
FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION THROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND THAT COMMUNITY COLLEGE DOOR, THAT REVOLVING DOOR
BECAUSE MIND YOU I'M ON A CAMPUS WHERE THERE'S A LOT
OF YOUNGER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT HAVE JUST COME
OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND ARE A RETURNING SINGLE PARENT QUITE
DIFFERENT THE DYNAMIC EFFECTS OF THAT.
SO I REALIZE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES
THAT AS A LATINA PAST ME, OR WERE NOT PRESENTED TO ME
AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN FOR A NUMBER OF FACTORS.
SO NOT TO HIGHLIGHT ON THOSE PERSONAL FACTORS, IT DID BRING
TO THE FOREFRONT THAT THERE IS A NEED,
A NEED TO PROVIDE ROLE MODELS TO INVOLVE LATINAS REGARDLESS
OF WHATEVER CHALLENGE THEY MAY HAVE IN LIFE,
OR WHAT THEIR ENVIRONMENT BRINGS TO THEM
TO GIVE THEM AN EXPOSURE, A POSITIVE EXPOSURE, TO ELEVATE.
I WAS FORTUNATE THAT MY BACKGROUND
AND MY UPBRINGING HAD A VERY ELEVATED ENVIRONMENT FOR ME
AS IT RELATES TO SOCIALNESS AND FINANCE.
HOWEVER, WHEN I MARRIED
AND I LEFT IT GAVE ME A WHOLE OTHER TYPE OF LIFE.
I DIDN'T MARRY A WEALTHY YOUNG MAN, I MARRIED AN IMMIGRANT
FROM MEXICO AND SO IT CHANGED.
SO I WAS ABLE TO MERGE ALL OF THOSE EXPERIENCES TO SAY I'M ONE
OF MILLIONS OF YOUNG WOMEN, IN PARTICULAR LATINA WOMEN,
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT I CAN PUT SOMETHING FORWARD TO THE TABLE.
AND THAT'S HOW I STARTED ELLAS TO BRING ALL
OF THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT I'VE HAD OVER A LIFETIME OF MY CAREER
FROM ACADEMIC, TO CORPORATE, TO EDUCATION,
TO COMMUNITY GRASS ROOTS.
I'VE TAKEN THE GIRLS ON A CIVIC ENGAGEMENT,
GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGNING, PHONE BANKING,
THEY'VE GONE TO SACRAMENTO.
WE WERE HOPING TO GO TO DC
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDRAISED FOR THAT.
SO THIS IS A BROAD EXPOSURE AGAIN FOR THEM TO KNOW
THAT THERE IS MORE OUT THERE.
>> DAVE: AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME FOR THIS SEGMENT
BUT I JUST WANT TO ADD ALSO THAT IT'S BEEN QUITE A JOURNEY
FOR YOU IN TERMS OF THE ACCOLADES YOU'VE RECEIVED
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE THE RECIPIENT
OF AN AWARD CALLED WOW, WHICH MEANS WOMEN OF WORTH
AND THIS WAS PART OF GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH,
GEORGE BUSH THE FIRST AND HIS THOUSAND POINTS OF LIGHT PROGRAM
AND YOU WERE HONORED AS ONE OF TEN
OUT OF TWO MILLION APPLICANTS IN THIS PROGRAM.
TELL US ABOUT THAT HONOR IF YOU WOULD
BUT WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE.
>> PILAR: OK YES, I WAS VERY HONORED TO RECEIVE THAT CALL.
I WAS IN SHOCK ACTUALLY WHEN I RECEIVED THAT CALL.
I HAD NO IDEA I WAS ONE IN TEN OUT OF SUCH A VOLUME
OF APPLICANTS THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE FACT BUT JUST THE IDEA
THAT I WAS BEING CALLED ON FROM L'OREAL
AND THEN THE CONNECTION OF POINTS OF LIGHT.
IT'S AN AWARD THAT IS GIVEN TO PEOPLE
WHO THROUGH THEIR LEADERSHIP AND THROUGH THEIR VOLUNTEERISM
OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY ARE BEING IDENTIFIED
AS FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
>> DAVE: WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK NOW BUT WE'LL PICK
UP THAT THOUGHT IN A MOMENT.
AND WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL ALSO BE JOINED BY TWO MORE GUESTS,
YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE PARTICIPANTS
IN THE ELLAS PROGRAM AND THEY WILL TELL US
ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.
STAY WITH US.
[ BACKGROUND MUSIC ]
>> WE HAVE A JOB TO DO OUT HERE TODAY.
>> TO BE A WINNING TEAM YOU HAVE TO WORK LIKE A WINNING TEAM.
>> MY TEAM DEPENDS ON ME.
>> AND MY TEAM IS FIFTY THOUSAND STRONG.
>> LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF WORK IS GOING INTO THIS.
>> THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE A PART OF A TEAM,
>> A WINNING TEAM.
>> THE ACTION TEAM.
>> ARE YOU IN?
>> ACTION TEAM.
>> GET IN ON THE ACTION AT ACTIONTEAM.ORG.
ARE YOU IN?
>> TRAINING IS ABOUT MORE THAN MUSCLE.
IT'S ABOUT INNER STRENGTH.
SO I PUSH MYSELF.
THAT'S WHY I SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD.
I TRAINED WITH THE BEST.
A TEAM THAT SHARES MY DRIVE AND COMMITMENT.
WE COLLECT INTELLIGENCE, GUARD OUR SHORES
AGAINST DRUG SMUGGLERS, AND KEEP OUR WATERWAYS SAFE
BECAUSE OUR NATION EXPECTS MORE.
>> IF YOU EXPECT MORE, MAYBE YOU WERE BORN READY.
FIND OUT AT GOCOASTGUARD.COM.
>> DAVE: HELLO AND WELCOME BACK TO TALKING POINTS
FOR THE SECOND SEGMENT OF OUR PROGRAM ON ELLAS.
ELLAS AGAIN IS THE SPANISH PRONUNCIATION FOR ELLAS,
OR EMBRACING LATINA LEADERSHIP ALLIANCES.
MY GUEST TODAY IS PILAR PINEL BUT ALONG
WITH PILAR WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE
OF FORMER PARTICIPANTS IN THE ELLAS PROGRAM.
AND WE HAVE WITH US ON THE FAR END FOR ME AT LEAST
ON THE FAR END ITS CAROLINA VALLEJO
AND CAROLINA'S FAMILY EMIGRATED FROM MEXICO
TO LONG BEACH IN 1993.
SHE ATTENDED LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN LATER WENT
ON TO ATTEND DICKENSON COLLEGE IN PENNSYLVANIA, GRADUATED
AND HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER
OF VARIOUS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, MOSTLY INVOLVED
WITH THE LATINO OR HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
AND ALSO WE HAVE WITH US BRENDA GARCIA.
BRENDA GARCIA IS THE OLDEST DAUGHTER IN A FAMILY OF FIVE.
SHE ALSO ATTENDED LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL AND SHE IS SOON
TO BE A FIRST GENERATION GRADUATE OF CSULB
AND SHE ALSO WORKS AT A LOCAL YMCA PRESCHOOL PROGRAM.
WE'LL BE TALKING TO THE BOTH OF YOU IN JUST A MOMENT
BUT BEFORE WE START ASKING YOU SOME QUESTIONS
ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH ELLAS, I WANT TO FIRST GO BACK
TO PILAR AND ALLOW YOU TO FINISH THE ANECDOTE YOU WERE TELLING US
BEFORE THE BREAK ABOUT BEING SELECTED AS ONE
OF THE WOMEN OF WORTH.
AGAIN, THAT'S TEN OUT OF TWO MILLION.
I LIKE THOSE ODDS.
TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT PROGRAM AND HOW YOU WERE SELECTED.
>> PILAR: IT'S A VERY HUMBLING
AND A VERY HONORING AWARD TO RECEIVE.
IT'S BASED ON THE VOLUNTEER SHIP THAT A WOMAN IS GIVING BACK
TO HER COMMUNITY AND IT'S THROUGH A NON-PROFIT.
I JUST HAPPEN TO BE THE FOUNDER OF MY NON-PROFIT
AND IT'S MY PERSONAL INVESTMENT IN THE NON-PROFIT
AND I DON'T I HAVEN'T TAKEN SALARY FOR IT
TO BENEFIT THE YOUTH COMING IN THE PROGRAM
TO PROVIDE THEM SERVICES.
SO I AM CONSIDERED VOLUNTEER, EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY NON-PROFIT.
SO L'OREAL SELECTS AND THEY CELEBRATE TEN WOMEN,
THEY FLY YOU UP TO NEW YORK AND THEY CATER TO YOU
AT EVERY ASPECT TO MAKE YOU FEEL VERY PAMPERED AND VERY SPECIAL,
WHICH YOU ARE FOR THIS GIVEN AWARD
AND FOR WHAT YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY.
FROM THAT EXPERIENCE IT IS VERY SURREAL.
YOU'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT
THAT YOU ONLY SEE REALLY IN TELEVISION.
SO TO GET THAT KIND OF A WONDERFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
FOR THE WORK DONE FOR ELLAS FOR WOMEN
TO MOVE YOUNG WOMEN FORWARD IN THEIR LIVES WAS
TO ME A VERY REWARDING AND A VERY HUMBLING EXPERIENCE.
FROM THAT PARTICULAR AWARD TWO YEARS LATER I WAS THEN
RE-ELECTED OUT OF THEIR EIGHT YEARS OF HONOREES TO BE ONE
OUT OF EIGHTY TO REPRESENT THEM
IN MIAMI FLORIDA JUST THIS PAST MONTH IN OCTOBER TO THE PEOPLE
IN ESPANOL AWARDS THAT IS ANOTHER PLATFORM OF AWARDING
THROUGH THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY
THAT BRINGS HISPANIC PHILANTHROPIC WOMEN,
WOMEN IN MEDIA AND IN TELEVISION WHO TAKE ON A NON-PROFIT
IN THAT PARTICULAR REGION.
AND I WAS THE PRESENTER FOR THAT AWARD ON BEHALF OF L'OREAL.
THE SLOGAN OF L'OREAL IS WOW, WOMEN OF WORTH BUT WHAT
THAT REALLY MEANS IS THAT IT'S A WOMAN
WHO HAS GIVEN UNCONDITIONALLY OF HERSELF
TO HER COMMUNITY AND TO A CAUSE.
AND THAT THE PHRASE WHICH IS THE SLOGAN OF L'OREAL
"BECAUSE I AM WORTH IT" IS ALL A PART OF THAT.
AND THEY CERTAINLY TREAT YOU AT THAT LEVEL.
>> DAVE: ALRIGHT AND I KNOW THAT IN THE COURSE OF BEING INVOLVED
IN THE ELLAS PROGRAM YOU RAN INTO BRENDA AND CAROLINA
WHO ARE JOINING US TODAY.
HOW DID YOU ACTUALLY MEET THEM AND HOW DID YOU ENCOURAGE THEM
OR INTEREST THEM IN JOINING THE ELLAS PROGRAM?
>> PILAR: I MET BOTH OF THESE WONDERFUL YOUNG WOMEN WHILE THEY
WERE SENIORS AT LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
AGAIN ELLAS PROGRAM VISITS HIGH SCHOOLS BASED
ON INVITATION BASIS FROM THE PRINCIPAL,
THEY HEARD ABOUT ELLAS AND THIS IS HOW WE GOT THERE.
I WAS GIVING AN OPEN HOUSE WELCOME INTRODUCTION TO ELLAS
AND THE YOUNG WOMEN HEARD ABOUT IT THROUGH THEIR COUNSELOR
AND THEY SAID HMM A LATINO ORGANIZATION ON CAMPUS,
LET'S FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE ALL ABOUT AND THEY WALKED
THROUGH THE DOOR AND I THINK IT WAS A PRETTY AESTHETIC MOMENT
THERE THEY FELT A SLIGHT CONNECTION BUT WEREN'T SURE
BUT THE MORE THEY ENGAGE
IN ELLAS THE MORE I THINK THEY FELT A CONNECTION
OF NOT ONLY THE BENEFIT FOR THEMSELVES
BUT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE.
BECAUSE ONE THING I DO DO
AND GIRLS HAVE MENTIONED IT'S NOT EVERY DAY YOU'RE GOING
TO BE SITTING NEXT TO AND WORKING ON PROJECTS
WITH A PRESIDENT OF AN ORGANIZATION AND SO
BY ME BEING INVOLVED AT THAT LEVEL WITH ALL OF THE GIRLS,
THEY FEEL THAT SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT.
SO BOTH HAVE EMPOWERMENT WITHIN THEMSELVES.
THEY HAVE LEADERSHIP WITHIN THEMSELVES AND I FELT BLESSED
TO HAVE THEM ABOARD AND THEY'RE STILL A PARTICIPANT SUPPORTER
OF ELLAS AT A UNIVERSITY LEVEL AND NOW
AS GRADUATES THEY'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO GIVE BACK
AND THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO ELLAS TO DO EXACTLY THAT.
>> DAVE: AND BRENDA TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE WAS
LIKE IN THE ELLAS PROGRAM?
>> BRENDA: OK FOR ME ELLAS GAVE ME THE MOTIVATION TO REALLY GO
AFTER MY GOALS AND NOT TO SET MYSELF NOT
TO HAVE LOW STANDARDS OF MYSELF.
IT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO DO WHAT I WANT I GUESS,
PURSUE MY DREAMS.
>> DAVE: BRENDA WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE LIKE PARTICIPATING
IN ELLAS IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR AT LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL?
>> BRENDA: IT WAS FOR ME VERY MOTIVATING.
BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO SEE A LOT OF LATINAS
IN INFLUENTIAL POSITIONS AND I WAS ALSO ABLE
TO BE MORE CONFIDENT AND TO BE
IN LIKE A PROFESSIONAL ATMOSPHERE
AND WHICH WAS SOMETHING I DIDN'T DO BEFORE I HAD NEVER BEEN
EXPOSED TO BEFORE SO NOW I'M MORE COMFORTABLE BEING
IN THOSE SETTINGS.
>> DAVE: AND SO OTHER
THAN MEETING PILAR YOU'VE NEVER HAD ANY SORT
OF PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING TYPE
OF EXPERIENCES PRIOR TO THIS RIGHT?
>> BRENDA: YES.
>> DAVE: AND HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU FEEL
WHEN YOU REALIZED YOU COULD ACTUALLY PULL THIS OFF,
YOU COULD ACTUALLY INTERFACE WITH PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE?
>> BRENDA: IT WAS REALLY I MEAN FOR ME IT WAS REALLY GOOD
BECAUSE I HAD NEVER DONE IT BEFORE
AND THAT EXPOSURE JUST MADE ME MORE IT MADE ME KNOW
THAT I HAD THOSE SKILLS WITHIN ME, I JUST NEEDED TO BE EXPOSED
TO THESE DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERES.
>> DAVE: OK AND CAROLINA TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN ELLAS
IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR AT LAKEWOOD HIGH WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU?
>> CAROLINA: WELL, I WAS ALSO REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT MEETING PILAR, KNOWING THAT SHE WAS THE FOUNDER
AND SHE WAS COMING TO CAMPUS AND HELPING US OUT
AND TALKING TO US DIRECTLY.
SO THAT WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
IT ALSO HELPED ME [INAUDIBLE] TO BE MORE CONFIDENT
IN AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE OFTEN I WASN'T REALLY A PART OF
AND IT ALSO GAVE ME THE COURAGE TO FELL IMPORTANT AND OWNING
THAT IMPORTANCE AND FEELING THAT LATINA I BELONG THERE.
AND SO IT REALLY HELPED BEING PART OF AN ORGANIZATION
THAT MADE YOUR LATINIDAD AN ASSET
TO WHATEVER PLACE YOU WERE GOING TO.
>> DAVE: VERY GOOD AND I KNOW THAT YOU WENT
TO DICKENSON COLLEGE AS WE MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION
IN PENNSYLVANIA, THAT'S A LONG WAY FROM LONG BEACH AND LAKEWOOD
AND SO YOU HAD THE CONFIDENCE TO GO TO DICKENSON COLLEGE.
HOW DID YOUR EXPERIENCE IN ELLAS PREPARE YOU
TO BE EVEN MORE CONFIDENT WHEN YOU ARRIVED IN PENNSYLVANIA?
>> CAROLINA: I HAD MY FAMILY, MY TEACHERS
BUT I THINK HAVING A PERSON LIKE PILAR ROOTING FOR YOU TO SUCCEED
AS A YOUNG WOMAN HOLDS YOU ACCOUNTABLE
TO SOMEBODY ELSE OTHER THAN PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALL
OF YOUR LIFE HELD YOU ACCOUNTABLE
AND MEETING HER EVEN OUR LAST YEAR
IN HIGH SCHOOL IS REALLY SOMETHING
THAT I REALLY REALLY ENJOYED AND APPRECIATED
BECAUSE SHE I KNEW EVEN FROM FAR AWAY WAS ROOTING FOR ME
TO SUCCEED AND I KNEW THAT I COULD COUNT ON HER, OR CALL HER,
EMAIL HER, OR ANYTHING OF THE LIKE.
>> DAVE: SO THESE ARE SOME PRETTY TERRIFIC NETWORKING
OPPORTUNITIES AND THE ABILITY TO STAY CONNECTED WITH YOU PILAR
BUT AS YOU MENTIONED IT'S UNUSUAL FOR YOU
TO ACQUIRE NEW PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM
AS SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
>> PILAR: YES BECAUSE THE PROGRAM REALLY INITIATES
AT THE EIGHTH GRADE SO WE HAVE THEM THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL
AND THEN HELP THEM THROUGH AT LEAST TWO TO THREE YEARS
OF UNIVERSITY AND WE'RE CONNECTED AT UNIVERSITY IS
THAT WE HELP THEM TO LEARN THE ART OF NETWORKING
IN A PROFESSIONAL SETTING AT A HIGHER LEVEL
THAN WE DID AT HIGH SCHOOL.
SO DEFINITELY BECAUSE BUT I CAN HELP WHEN I SEE YOUNG WOMEN
LIKE CAROLINA AND BRENDA TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY SOME WILL
BENEFIT FROM A YEAR, OTHERS NEED THAT SYSTEMIC PUSH THROUGHOUT
BUT IT'S AS YOU'RE HEARING FROM THEM IT REALLY MADE AN IMPACT
AND A DIFFERENCE IN THE CHOICES THEY HAVE MADE,
OR SETTING LARGER EXPECTATIONS IN THEIR CAREER PATH
FOR THEMSELVES OR EVEN I KNOW SOME OF THE GIRLS HAVE GONE
ONTO INTERNATIONAL INTERNSHIPS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
COMING FROM A POPULATION WHICH YOUR PARENTS DON'T EVEN WANT YOU
TO LEAVE THE CITY TO GO ONTO A UNIVERSITY THEY WANT YOU
TO STAY LOCAL, LIVE AT HOME, I KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING
AND PARENTS ARE CATCHING ON TO THE URGENT NEED
FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS TO BE THE GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN
WHO ARE GOING TO NOT ONLY BE PREPARED BUT ARE GOING TO HAVE
THAT SELF-ASSUREDNESS WITHIN THEMSELVES TO REACH
FOR HIGHER GROUND ACROSS ALL LEVELS, WHETHER IT'S GOVERNMENT,
WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW A MAGAZINE JUST CAME OUT OF ALL
OF THE WOMEN AND GOVERNMENT WITH IT'S A LATINA STYLE MAGAZINE.
AND SO THROUGH THAT WE SEE THAT PORTRAIT.
I TRY TO EXPAND THESE PORTRAITS TO THE YOUNG WOMEN
TO SAY THIS COULD BE YOU, EVERYTHING IS
ABOUT YOU KNOW EVOLUTION AND THIS IS GOING TO BE IN YOUR TIME
AND IN CORPORATE AMERICAN THE SAME.
SO IT'S I'M HAPPY THAT I DID.
IF I WOULD HAVE SAID NO WE WOULDN'T BE HEARING THIS
TESTIMONY TODAY.
>> DAVE: WE'RE ALMOST RUNNING OUT OF TIME
FOR THIS SEGMENT UNFORTUNATELY BUT I KNOW THE MANTRA
FOR ELLAS IS THE JOURNEY FROM GOOD TO GREATNESS AND I WANT
TO ASK BRENDA AND CAROLINA WHAT YOUR THOUGHT IS
ABOUT THAT MANTRA.
WHAT DOES GOING FROM GOOD TO GREATNESS MEAN FOR YOU BRENDA?
>> BRENDA: FOR ME IT'S BEING ON A PATH
TO ALWAYS BEING A BETTER VERSION OF YOURSELF AND NOT STOPPING
WHERE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE BUT REALLY GOING.
MAYBE IT MIGHT BE LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE IN AN AREA
WHERE YOU'RE NOT REALLY COMFORTABLE BUT JUST GOING AFTER
>> DAVE: A HIGHER GOAL.
>> BRENDA: YEAH A HIGHER GOAL.
>> DAVE: CAROLINA HOW ABOUT YOU?
WHAT DOES THE JOURNEY FROM GOOD TO GREATNESS MEAN TO YOU?
>> CAROLINA: VERY SIMILAR.
I THINK BECOMING A VERY WELL-ROUNDED HUMAN BEING
IN ALL ASPECTS, WHETHER IT'S GOING
AND FINDING WHAT YOUR MISSION IN LIFE IS,
OR MAYBE JUST GIVING BACK TO PEOPLE
THAT HAVE HELPED YOU ALONG THE WAY IS JUST A JOURNEY
THAT IS ALWAYS EVOLVING AND SO I THINK THAT BECOMING
THAT VERY WELL ROUNDED PERSON THAT YOU'RE MEANT TO BE
AND THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS WISHED FOR IS I THINK A JOURNEY.
FROM GOOD TO GREATNESS IT'S CONSTANTLY.
>> DAVE: AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD.
PILAR WHAT DOES IT MEAN VERY QUICKLY THE JOURNEY FROM GOOD
TO GREATNESS SINCE YOU CREATED
THAT PHRASE WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
>> PILAR: WELL, I'D LOVE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP
OF THE ENTIRE ENTITLEMENT OF THE JOURNEY FROM GOOD TO GREATNESS
BUT IT WAS A COLLABORATIVE OF THOUGHT
BETWEEN MY FOUNDING BOARD,
IN PARTICULAR ROBERT KINTERA [ASSUMED SPELLING]
WHO AT THE TIME WAS WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON
AND HE KEPT DRAWING BACK TO, I KEPT SAYING BUT THERE'S GOOD
WITHIN THESE YOUTH, EVERYONE HAS A GOOD INTENTION.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE WAS BORN TO SAY I'M GOING TO BE BORN
TO DO BAD SO HE SAYS WELL THEN HOW ABOUT GOOD
ON THEIR JOURNEY RIGHT?
YOU'RE TAKING THEM ON A JOURNEY PILAR?
I SAID ABSOLUTELY.
FOR FOUR YEARS THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON THIS JOURNEY.
HE SAYS THEN WE TAKE THEM FROM GOOD TO GREATNESS.
>> DAVE: VERY GOOD.
AND WE HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF YOU
FOR BEING HERE TODAY, ESPECIALLY YOU PILAR
FOR CREATING THE PROGRAM ELLAS AND THE IMPACT YOU'VE HAD.
[ BACKGROUND MUSIC ]
SO CONTINUE TO DO THAT GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S REALLY MAKING AN IMPORTANT IMPACT AND THANK YOU
FOR JOINING US ON TALKING POINTS.
JOIN US AGAIN FOR ANOTHER EPISODE SOON.
UNTIL THEN, I'M DAVE KELLY HAVE A NICE DAY.
[ MUSIC ]