UPMentoring, Power, Potential WRITTEN BY ALISSA ZITO PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARTHA GALVAN STYLING BY VAN VAN ALONSO HAIR BY MARINA MIGLIACCIO USING T3 MICRO

Transcription

1 ISSU E No. 15

2 STEP Power, UPMentoring, Potential WRITTEN BY ALISSA ZITO PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARTHA GALVAN STYLING BY VAN VAN ALONSO HAIR BY MARINA MIGLIACCIO USING T3 MICRO MAKEUP BY FRANCESCA GIAIMO USING NARS

3 It s not fair. You can t be what you can t see. These are two thoughts that frequently come up for the women involved as mentors with Step Up. IT S NOT FAIR For many of us, we grow up surrounded by what seems like success: Family members have interesting careers. Parents bring us along and introduce us to their colleagues and families. Our neighborhoods are safe, encouraging children to play outside and parents to host barbecues. We have at least a few opportunities to attend cultural experiences like the opera, ballet and professional sporting contests. As a result of these environments, we grow up enthusiastic and hopeful. We make connections and secure internships. We attend respected universities. But at Step Up we ask, what would the future look like for us if things had been different in those early years? What if we didn t know anyone who had a career that inspired them. at the end of a long shift, Mom scurried home to take care of us instead of having the opportunity to attend professional and social events because she had the resources for trusted childcare. it was too dangerous to be outside after dark or to reach out and get to know the neighbors. In other words, what if there was never time or extra funds to expose us to anything outside of our community. What would we see? What would we miss? Step Up began as a social gathering of young professional women in Kaye Popofsky Kramer s living room in At the time, Kramer worked in entertainment first as an agent and later as a producer. As she looked around, she saw that her friends and colleagues had tremendous access to celebrities, to brands and to entertainment and media companies. She saw that she was surrounded by those with all the potential to make a difference in the community, but their leverage had to be harnessed for good. Kramer and her friends came up with the concept of a network of professional women who would ask respected individuals and brands to donate their time, talent and treasure to raise funds and create buzz that would drive awareness of the new organization. The idea was to give women a clear pathway to help younger ones who, in the emerging generation, just needed opportunities to grow into. Beyond the after-school programs that would be open to all girls enrolled in the organization s partner high schools, the organization would also focus on connecting the girls to professional women who would serve as career role models at one-day mentorship programs throughout the school year. The professionals, hailing from various industries, could then help the girls identify their values, skills and passions and inspire them to dream big when it came to considering their future careers. They called it Step Up, referring to the idea that women could literally take steps to help others. They believed that the movement would catch on like wildfire because of the buzz-worthy names and brands involved. It worked. What launched in Los Angeles from that living room gathering quickly expanded to New York in 2002 and to Chicago in Now, Step Up reaches 130,000 supporters and mentors. There are more than 1,000 girls enrolled in its after-school programs across 16 participating high schools. And the organization plans to expand to Dallas and Atlanta in the coming years. YOU CAN T BE WHAT YOU CAN T SEE We constantly ask, what if Step Up could help girls to see? Water conservation activist. Aerospace engineer. Interior designer. Music producer. Cartoon artist. Transplant nurse. You name it, and we can now find a woman working in this space who is willing to serve as a mentor to a girl. At a recent Step Up mentorship event that the organization calls its I Dream To Mentor Day, girls from Step Up s various partner high schools had the opportunity to work alongside career women just like those mentioned. The women shared a little about their journeys decisions, regrets, life lessons and asked the girls about their hopes, aspirations and fears. There s more to these events than just mere impartation of information. Mentors often say that participating in the programs with the girls reignites their passion for their own work. They learn about social media and new trends that teens know infinitely more about. And they learn of a childhood and community experience that is likely different than their own experience. In other words, mentorship enables both the mentor and the mentee to acknowledge and appreciate the experiences that each brings to the relationship and to become infinitely wiser because of those shared experiences. REAL LIVES CHANGED Step Up uses a group mentorship model, which exposes girls to the experiences of many different mentors and makes it a more accessible commitment for busy, professional women. Frequently, mentorship programs are hosted by corporate sponsors, engaging the employees with the program without them even leaving the office. During one such example, a visit to the Dermalogica corporate headquarters in Carson, Calif., made quite the impression on a Step Up teen named Yosselin. Prior to joining Step Up as a high school sophomore, Yosselin was facing tough circumstances in her neighborhood. While in middle school, several of her friends became pregnant and were dropping out of school to care for their infants. In search of a community where she belonged, Yosselin joined a gang and began carrying a weapon. She began to dress like her peers in baggy pants and tees. One afternoon in high school, Yosselin sat in the waiting room of a doctor s office and flipped through a magazine. The aspirational, high-end clothing worn by the models in the magazine caught her eye. She loved the look of the styles, but couldn t relate to the women she saw in the magazine. Nothing seemed attainable, and it certainly wasn t like anything she and her peers were wearing. Soon after, she learned that a Step Up, after-school program, was being offered at her high school. She joined, met new friends, and began to question decisions she had been making, including membership in the gang. As she separated herself from the gang, she became more and more invested in her Step Up program attending as many after-school and mentorship times as possible. One such opportunity took her and her Step Up classmates to Dermalogica to hear about various careers available in the industry and to get a behindthe-scenes look at office life. There, as she met professional women in various roles at the skincare giant, it struck her: The women at Dermalogica dressed like the women she had admired in the magazine. She believed that if she could remain committed to Step Up and to her pursuit to be confident, college-bound and career-ready, she could become one of these well-heeled, professional women. As her senior year came to a close, Yosselin was named valedictorian of her high school. She earned a full scholarship to college. And she is no doubt well on her way to creating that professional life she envisioned for herself. There are many stories like Yosselin s, both for mentees and mentors. Step Up is always looking for women who share its belief that all girls should have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. By becoming a member, women have the option of serving as mentors in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and, soon, Dallas and Atlanta. Join Step Up at suwn.org! 165

4 Model: Rocio Robledo Coat: Maryley Top: Acne Studios Earrings and Necklace: Uma K Ring: The 2 Bandits 166

5 Model: Abril Lopez Model: Jessica Howard Dress: ABS by Allen Schwartz Dress: Single Vest: Korovilas Jewelry: Model s Own Ring and Bracelet: Uma K Necklace: Model s Own Model: Jannely Marin Model: Julia Dupps Dress: Korovilas Dress: ABS by Allen Schwartz Necklace and Earrings: Uma K 167

6 180 Hand Lettering by Angela Duncan Southern