Tag Archives: Mentorship

Voices

OPINION | How Youth Mentorship Nurtures Academic, Professional, and Emotional Success

by Raul Melgarejo

Mentorship can uplift confidence and open limitless opportunities for success. As a teenager, I attended St. Andrew Nativity School in Portland where their Graduate Support Program matched me with a mentor to help me navigate the ins and outs of my higher education journey. 

Being part of the first generation in my family to benefit from higher education in the United States, I needed a mentor to provide support in areas that the adults in my life weren’t able to provide, which is why I’m so passionate about advocating for youth mentorship, hence my role as the director of Graduate Support at Seattle Nativity School. The following are three examples of how youth mentorship has impacted the lives of local youth and Seattle Nativity School students.

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News

NEWS GLEAMS: Vaccines, South King Co. Link Station Survey, Internship for Black Youth

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curated by Emerald Staff

A round-up of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle! 

COVID-19 Vaccination Locations & Access Options

King County Fire District #20 Vaccine Pop-Up in Skyway — King County Fire District #20 is hosting weekly walk-up vaccine clinics in Skyway from May 19 to June 23. Beginning today, Wednesday, May 19, at 9 a.m. at the KC Fire District #20 Administration Office, individuals ages 12 and up can receive doses of the Pfizer vaccine!

The second pop-up has been rescheduled from Wednesday, May 26 to Tuesday, May 25.

For more information, check out the flyer above!

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Community

Academy for Creating Excellence Supports Young Black Men and Black Teachers

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by Chamidae Ford

On Wednesday evening, Feb. 17, the Academy for Creating Excellence (ACE) hosted their second installment of the Black Educators Cafe, a series dedicated to helping Black people in the education field find community and support.

In August of 2020, ACE received a grant from the City of Seattle as part of an initiative to invest in youth mentorship and diversity programs. By partnering with the City’s Department of Education and Early Learning, ACE has been able to expand its reach beyond students and has begun working with Black educators as well. 

These events were created to provide a safe space for Black educators, providing a virtual place where they can discuss issues that their Black students face and also their experiences working in a predominantly white field. 

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Community

Rainier Scholars Welcomes New Executive Director Rafael del Castillo

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by Mark Van Streefkerk 

At a time when social and racial inequities require urgent action, many are asking the question — how can we make a more just world? For the last 20 years, Rainier Scholars has offered answers to that question through education, providing academic access and leadership development to BIPOC and underserved youth. Now with newly-selected Executive Director Rafael del Castillo, Rainier Scholars looks to expand their impact with a greater emphasis on racial justice. 

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Community

In Memory of Constance Blakeley: A Transcestor Too Soon

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by Jasmine M. Pulido

She was my mentor.

Not in an ethereal, vague way. But in a literal way. She was assigned to me through the Alphabet Alliance of Color’s summer institute where experienced local QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community organizers pass down their skills to newer ones. We were prompted to pick our top three choices for mentors and, I’ll be honest, Constance Blakeley wasn’t in my top three. My top pick — an Asian American columnist writing about social justice, culture, and equity with a focus on marginalized communities. I thought the best pick for me would be someone with a similar background, in profession or in identity, or both.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

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