theculturalconnect.com | Olga Talamante

Non-Profit

The Chicana Latina Foundation

Website

www.chicanalatina.org

Name

Olga Talamante, Executive Director

Hometown

Gilroy, California

City & State of current residence

Pacifica, California

Education

B.A. in Latin American Studies, UC Santa Cruz

Past jobs

INROADS, YWCA, Head Start

Ethnicity

Chicana

About the Non-profit

The Chicana/Latina Foundation (CLF) is a non-profit organization with a volunteer board of directors, which promotes professional and leadership development of Latinas. One of the principal objectives of the foundation is to provide scholarships to Latinas enrolled in college and to encourage participation of Latinas in the professional and educational sectors, thus creating and promoting a high-quality life. CLF has also initiated a Latina Leadership Institute.

Most notable achievements

Starting in the mid 80's with a handful of scholarships of $200 each, CLF now has a very successful and well-run scholarship program. Last year, the foundation awarded 22 scholarships of $1500 each to talented, well-deserving Latina college students. This year, CLF will award a minimum of 20 scholarships at $1500 each. The scholarship awardees represent students from community colleges, four-year institutions and graduate programs throughout Northern California. They are pursuing careers in Art, Education, Health, Business, Law, etc. Most importantly, they are chosen for their community service commitment and leadership potential.

What's the niche?

Skill-Building
CLF has been conducting skill-building workshops, which prepare students to apply to scholarships, to write their essays and learn how to interview. These workshops are presented in partnership with various colleges and universities throughout the Northern California area. Already this year, CLF has doubled the number of skill building workshops presented (from four to eight) and almost tripled the number of students reached (from 60 to 170) in comparison to last year.

Health
For the past two years, CLF has established the health education series in partnership with Canada College. This series serves the San Mateo County area in particular due to the needs that have been identified by the community. Specifically, the series covers the topics that affect Latinas and Latino families in particular, such as chronic diseases, reproductive issues and mental health. This health series has received a second year grant from the California Endowment to continue this work.

The most recent workshop, for women and men, covered the cycles of domestic violence and its effects on the whole family. Over 50 people participated in this educational activity, which was conducted in Spanish.

Financial Literacy
CLF inaugurated its Financial Literacy series in partnership with UC Berkeley on March 7, 2005. CLF presented a workshop on Latinas' relationship to money, their family history and their role in decision-making around money. Students gave high marks to the presentation on credit, debt, credit card security and credit card management.

What's in store for the future?

This year, CLF will expand its skill-building workshop to a very focused leadership training program for its scholarship awardees. Based on feedback received through focus groups and survey, CLF is developing a year-round curriculum and training module to address the leadership training needs faced by Latinas.

Who would you like to be contacted by?

We welcome all individuals and companies who recognize the tremendous potential of Latinas. In California alone, 50% of all the girls in kindergarten are Latinas. That is a powerful demographic fact that will shape the future of this state.

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Guiding principle of the organization

The Chicana/Latina Foundation's Mission is to Empower Chicanas/Latinas Through Personal, Educational and Professional Advancement.

Our Heritage
We Latinas have ancient, diverse and unique cultural histories. Our cultures have influenced the entire world through our music, dance, art, food, literature, architecture and spirituality.

While we respect our Latino culture and honor the nurturing of our families, we are both carriers and breakers of tradition. We recognize that we still have many areas to explore, including the changing relationship between Latino men and women.

Our Strength And Power
As Latinas we are women who have survived centuries of oppression by developing attributes and skills: our Latina values guide us in establishing and maintaining relationships that reflect respect, fairness, cooperation and pride in our culture and heritage. Drawing on our cultural roots, we learned to create harmony to survive the changes, challenges and conflicts we have faced. Our Contributions

Our strengths make us powerful and influential in the workplace, community and socio-economic environments. We are ambassadors who form alliances among diverse communities for the advancement and betterment of all.

Yardstick of success

The number of Latinas that graduate from college and who become involved as change agents in the community.

Goal yet to be achieved

To bring back all the past scholarship recipients and have them join the Scholarship alumni organization so that they can become the trainers and mentors of the new generation of scholarship awardees.

Best practical advice

Learn, learn, learn; from your accomplishments, from your mistakes, from your strengths, from your weaknesses, from despair, from hope.

Supportive words from a family member or friend on your venture

There is nothing quite like the Chican/Latina Foundation. We need this kind of organization in order to create change in our community.

Mentor

Elizabeth "Betita" Martinez

What motivated the people who started the organization

In 1977 three Latinas found themselves among a society that did not recognize or promote their cultural and individual contributions. They decided to organize the Foundation in order to support and assist Latinas in the development of both their personal and professional abilities.

What keeps your organization motivated?

Knowing that we ae making a difference in the lives of Latina students, that we are part of keeping them in college and that their success will ultimately benefit the whole community.

What do people in the organization like best about it?

The comadreo, the support we give each other.

What do people in the organization like least about it?

The fact that we always feel like we don't have enough resources to do all the things that need to be done.

Biggest pastime outside of work for most people in your organization

Mexican food and music

Person most interested in meeting that would be beneficial for your organization

The author, Isabel Allende, because through her writing she has been able to educate readers about the realities of Latin America. I think she would be interested in knowing about the Chicana/Latina Foundation and our work on behalf of Latinas in the US.

Leader in business most interested in meeting that would be beneficial

Bill Gates, because he shoul dbe interested in knowing about the difficulties

Three interesting facts about the organization

Our board of directors include past scholarship recipients.
We practice a form of shared leadership. Very collective and supportive in nature
Until January of 2003, (for 26 years) CLF ran all its programs with no paid staff, only volunteers.

Three characteristics that best describe the organization

Passionate about social justice
Work Hard, Play Hard
Committed to developing young Latina leaders

Favorite cause (outside of yours)

Making sure that latino students succeed in math and science courses, as they are the gate keeping courses that can help you or prevent you from succeeding in school.

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The Chicana Latina Foundation

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