Past Support: Honoring Those Who’ve Supported Us Along Our Path

Many of you have probably already heard by now of the passing of Jaime Escalante (he died last Tuesday of cancer at the age of 79), the teacher who was celebrated in the film “Stand and Deliver.”

If you recall, this teacher was one who pushed his students to excel, encouraging them to do things that many others had told them were impossible, and supporting them incredibly (including defending the students’ honor when they were accused of cheating).

Mr. Escalante, and his personal story, as well as those of his students, have been in the media over the last week. This is a great time to honor not only this incredible teacher, but also the teachers in our own lives that have played supportive, encouraging and motivating roles. [And if you haven’t already seen the movie, “Stand and Deliver,” go rent it this weekend!]

Many times, our greatest supporters are our teachers. Teachers have such an influence in our lives and yet are not often venerated in a public forum. Teachers work hard, have to find different ways to teach each one of us (since we all learn differently), have to keep our attention, and then, on top of all that, have to grade papers, too!

Several of our Powerful Latina interviewees said that, after their parents, teachers had THE MOST important role in their lives. So it makes sense to honor our teachers, thank them, and also continually find teachers who can inspire us to learn new things!

In the case of Jaime Escalante, here was a teacher who had a profound effect on Latino students, and was honored by having a movie made of his contributions!

And yet… there are many teachers who do not have their lives made into movies. Thank you (!) to the Latino and non-Latino teachers who are our champions, our heroes, and our support.

Learning Through Stories

This week I’ve been hanging out with Laura Contreras Rowe, author of the book, Aim High: Extraordinary Stories of Hispanic and Latina Women. It’s interesting, because we both have a love of stories — especially those of Latina women! — and how we can learn from these stories and share them with others.

We share powerful Latina stories to inspire and motivate, to incite movement and excitement, and to open minds and hearts. Stories speak to each of us in ways that are unique and important.

Laura spoke at an after school program to girls in grades 5 through 9, and their families. She talked about her own story, and why it’s important to learn from others the possibilities of what can be accomplished.

In a strange coincidence, I was also speaking this week, but at a college and to groups of students. I spoke about what a new Latino majority in the next few years means for California, and how the stories of the women I’ve spoken with can lead us to important leadership lessons, not just for Latinos but for the rest of the state. Along the same lines, I’ll be speaking next week in Michigan again about storytelling and its role in leadership.

As children, we learn from stories — bible stories, perhaps, or myths and legends, and certainly the stories of our families and our own personal histories. I remember, for example, my son asking over and over for me to tell him the story of his birth.

As we learn from stories that are related to us, we also learn from listening to stories of others we meet and get to know, and from sharing our own stories. With the telling of our own stories, we get a chance to reshape and reflect on that story.

As we hear others’ stories, we get to think about from whose perspective the story is told, and what other perspectives there might be.

What do YOU learn from sharing your own story, and listening to the stories of others? Are you paying attention to the point of view, the color and scope of the story, and what that story means both for the storyteller and the audience?

This month, as we reflect on the idea of LEARNING, think about the stories you tell over and over, and what they mean. Also consider why others tell their stories, and what you can learn from them.

Here’s to sharing all our wonderful, amazing and inspiring stories…

Themes for 2010

This year we’ll be focusing on certain key “power ideas” each month. These themes will be those around which our contributing bloggers will be writing (look for a full introduction of our contributing bloggers later this week!), and around which we’ll be centering our interviews, as well as the new Latina Power Program.

These themes have been repeated over and over by our Powerful Latinas interviewees, and we’re going to take time to explore them. For now, take a look at the themes and I’d love to hear your feedback on what resonates for YOU.

January - Know Yourself. It’s important to know who we are inside and out – our strengths, weaknesses, our history and our desires. Without knowing who we are and what drives us, how can we move forward? And, as we all know, who we are is ever evolving…

February - Find Your Passion. You were put here for a special reason, a purpose. Do you know what it is or are you still looking? And if still looking, some resources to help you figure out what it is.

March - Learning is Key. We learn in different ways, and are continuously building on the past. What’s next for you?

April - Get Support Around You. No one does it alone. We all need support and guidance, especially from our Latina sisters!

May - Your Culture Is An Asset. Our unique cultures and histories make us stronger and contribute an important piece to all we do.

June - All Experiences Bring You Something. Good or bad, we take something out of all our experiences and it’s up to us to make it the best we can.

July - Don’t Take It Personally. Everyone around us has their own stories and their own lens with which they view the world. It’s up to us to make sure we don’t get caught up in others’ “drama.”

August - Perseverance – There’s Nothing Like It. Good, old-fashioned hard work. It may not happen the first time, but if you keep moving, you WILL get to your goal.

September - Be Grateful; Focus on the Positive. An attitude of gratitude, and keeping your focus on the positive around us makes ALL the difference.

October - Guard Your Boundaries. Others may try to move you, or push you past your comfort zone (and not in a good way). As Latinas, we tend to be closely connected to others. At the same time, we need to learn when to push back and take care of ourselves.

November - Find Things That Motivate & Inspire You. Humor, music, exercise, friends? What is it that keeps you going when you need a bit of a boost? We’ll be sharing ideas and suggesting resources.

December - Give Back. It’s never to early to contribute what you know, what you’ve learned, your resources and your networks. We get back what we put out, and there are so many around us that need our help, too!

Hope these themes will give you something to think about, and keep in your mind all of YOUR possibility.

For example, this month Marcela’s Book Picks are around the theme of Know Yourself. Click here to see her recommendations. I’ve read Dancing with Butterflies myself, and would give it a two thumbs up.

Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to a FANTASTIC 2010.