Connie & Friends

For the past 24 years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of Friends for Youth — first as a mentor, then as a board member. Most importantly, I’ve always been and will forever be an advocate for the incredible work this organization does. I’ve mentored three remarkable young people and witnessed firsthand how mentoring can change lives.

My childhood was marked by challenges, particularly with my parents’ divorce, which ended up taking a toll on my academics. I felt isolated, small – like I was facing all of this on my own. My senior year, I dropped out of class and became a teacher's aide. That teacher took a special interest in me, and for the first time in my life, I felt seen and valuable because he genuinely cared about what I had to say and provided a safe space for me to express myself. I don’t think he knew the extent of what I was going through at home, but his kindness and encouragement became a lifeline for me when I moved out at 18 and well into my 20s. This teacher, my first mentor, helped me get into college, something I never imagined happening and changed the course of the rest of my life.

In 2000, I was introduced to Friends for Youth’s 1-to-1 mentoring program and matched with Ben, a 10-year-old boy who had a tough home life and later joined the Navy. Ben and I are still in contact today; I even met his kids! They’re now the same age as Ben when we first met over two decades ago. After Ben, I was matched with Lizbet, who quickly became like family. Lizbeth played a parental role at an early age, being first generation and a translator for her family. Because of my own childhood experiences, we connected through this and our relationship became a safe space where she didn’t need to take care of someone else. To this day we are still a part of each other’s lives. My third mentorship was with Jenni, who I had met through the group mentorship program and later took on as my 1-to-1 mentee. I wasn’t sure about the impact I was making, until recently, when Jenni expressed how much I meant to her and how grateful she was to have me in her life. Jenni graduated against all odds, and is now serving youth at the same high school she graduated from. Each mentorship has been unique, with their own stories, difficulties, and triumphs. However, they all share one thing in common: they’ve truly been transformative for both of us and taught me the profound impact of giving back.

The true gift of mentorship is not in grand gestures but in being that someone many of our kids desperately need in their corner. Over the years, I’ve seen youth transform through the simple act of having a trusted adult to talk to, laugh with, and learn from. My dream for Friends for Youth is to continue building on foundations of trust and support, to foster connections within our communities, and grow to reach more youth and create more lasting mentorships. 

“The character of my relationship with each of my mentees is considerably different and they are all special to me.”

-Mentor Connie