Our Mission, Values, and Guiding Beliefs August 5, 2011
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Our Mission
Circle de Luz radically empowers young Latinas by supporting their transformation through extensive, mentoring, holistic programming and scholarship funds for further education.
Our Vision
Immersed in an experiential culture of learning, Latinas served by Circle de Luz demonstrate resilience, confidence and authenticity as they complete high school & pursue further education.
Our Guiding Beliefs
Go to Circle de Luz _Mission Visions and beliefs for easy printing.
Run Big Dream Big II November 1, 2010
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Every month, we offer 3-5 programs for each of our Circle de Luz classes (and they are constantly asking for more!). But to make these events happen, we need funds. Every single dollar from your annual commitment as a M’ija goes directly to scholarships. Programming dollars come from sales of our Circle de Luz necklace, grants, and any other fundraising or sponsorships we are able to secure. We have big plans for our girls, but we need the funds to back up those dreams. Won’t you join us by going the distance for Circle de Luz?
On March 12, 2011, our goal is to have at least 30 M’ijas and friends (they don’t have to be M’ijas and they do not have to be women) run and/or walk the Corporate Cup 5k race in downtown Charlotte as a celebration of raising funds for Circle de Luz. If you aren’t in Charlotte or can’t travel to Charlotte, keep reading because we have an option for you, too. Here is how it will work:
The Corporate Cup has a 5k (3.1 miles) distance and you can run or walk (or run/walk) the course. We are looking for at least 30 people to commit to participating in the Corporate Cup and using it as an impetus to raise funds for Circle de Luz. We’re calling it Run Big, Dream Big II. Your goal? $380. Why $380? There are 19 Hijas in Circle de Luz, and we are asking each participant to raise $20 for each girl. By raising $380, you will provide 3 programs for the girls sometime in the following year.
If you decide to go for it, what happens? Well, first, you’ll receive a packet from us of information on training for the event, registration for the event, and how to set up your fundraising web-site. Want to check one out from last year? Look at Rosie’s here. You will also get a sample letter to send to your friends and family to begin your solicitation for the run. Finally, as things get underway officially in January, we will organize group runs for the Hijas and M’ijas who can participate on Saturdays in January and February and provide any additional help you might need leading up to race day.
What we need right now is to know who is in. Send an email to circledeluz@gmail.com as soon as possible to let us know if you’d like to do it and if you have anyone who also wants to do this with you. Once we have our team, we’ll send the welcome email with all the details you need.
Don’t live in Charlotte but would like to participate? We’d love to have you. Last year, more than 10 women traveled to Charlotte for the run. We’re looking to organize a dinner event on the eve of the race and can help you find accommodations, too.
If you aren’t able to travel here but would like to do a run or walk in your community to raise money for Circle de Luz, just let us know via email and we’ll help you work out the details and find a race that works for you in your area!
Thanks so much for considering this great opportunity to enhance our program offerings!
An update on our Class of 2016 efforts! June 25, 2010
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Circle De Luz radically empowers young Latinas by supporting and inspiring them in the pursuit of their possibilities through extensive mentoring, programming, and scholarship funds for further education. You can help us achieve our goals.
In fact, you can help reach your own goals of reaching out to others and self-fulfillment; one of our recent M’ijas commented that even though she had been in tune with the mission of Circle de Luz since its inception, she finally felt secure enough in her own career to make the monetary commitment. It was her belief in herself that made her want to give back by committing to the giving circle. Isha Ashan Lee said: “Making a six-year commitment made me nervous because I’m early in my career and times are uncertain. I did it because I know I work hard and will always have enough to share with the next generation of women. There were women who always had enough time and treasure to share with me as a girl, so I can’t shy away from doing the same.” Please join our giving circle today.
In late August, we will select the Circle de Luz Class of 2016 from the current seventh graders at Albermarle Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina to begin the program. From now until the girls reach high school graduation, we will support them with mentoring and comprehensive programming to help them achieve their goal of graduating from high school and pursuing further education. When they graduate from high school and enroll in the educational opportunity of their choice, we will support them with a minimum of a $5,000 scholarship provided to them by women, we call them M’ijas, from all over the country that pool their resources in a giving circle for the six years the girls are finishing their secondary education. This class will be led by three captains, Rosemary Klein, Jenny Purtill, and Cristina Shaul, who will work on selection of the class and programming for the girls for the next six years.
We need your help in radically empowering these young women to live the lives they have imagined. So far, we have enough M’ijas to select two girls into the program and we’re hoping to have at least five more. M’ijas can have any background and can live anywhere. As a M’ija, you make a commitment to donate a minimum of $90 a year for six years to the scholarship fund that will support the Class of 2016’s Hijas (our scholarship recipients who are selected as seventh graders). You do not need to make your donation for the 2010-2011 school year at this time. In fact, all we need right now is your Letter of Commitment. We then ask that ½ of your year’s commitment be paid by September 15 and the other half by March 15, 2011 (don’t worry, we’ll send you a reminder when the time comes!). All scholarship donations are placed in a CD or money market account designated for our Class of 2016 Hijas so interest can begin to accrue and provide them with an even more robust scholarship by the time they graduate. The Letter of Commitment is attached, and you are welcome to mail, scan and email, or fax it by following the directions on the form. Please take a look at our video at www.circledeluz.org to understand why this effort is so important. Please join our team and giving circle!
Important statistics:
Latinos have the highest dropout rate of all racial and ethnic groups.
Adolescent girls who had a serious school failure- like dropping out- are significantly more likely to suffer a severe bout of depression. In fact, thirty-three percent of girls who drop out later become depressed. Researchers believe this might be because girls more acutely suffer the worst consequences after dropping out like higher poverty levels, higher dependence on public assistance, and lower rates of job stability.
A third of Latinas who dropped out cited marriage or pregnancy as the reason.
Fifty-three percent of Latinas will become pregnant at least once before the age of 20.
Thank you for helping us radically empower the lives of girls!
A Call to Support the Circle de Luz Class of 2016 May 19, 2010
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Latinos have the highest dropout rate of all racial and ethnic groups.
Adolescent girls who had a serious school failure- like dropping out- are significantly more likely to suffer a severe bout of depression. In fact, thirty-three percent of girls who drop out later become depressed. Researchers believe this might be because girls more acutely suffer the worst consequences after dropping out like higher poverty levels, higher dependence on public assistance, and lower rates of job stability.
A third of Latinas who dropped out cited marriage or pregnancy as the reason.
Fifty-three percent of Latinas will become pregnant at least once before the age of 20.
Circle De Luz radically empowers young Latinas by supporting and inspiring them in the pursuit of their possibilities through extensive mentoring, programming, and scholarship funds for further education.
This fall, we will select the Circle de Luz Class of 2016 from the rising seventh graders at Albemarle Road Middle School in Charlotte, North Carolina. From now until the girls reach high school graduation, we will support them with mentoring and comprehensive programming to help them achieve their goal of graduating from high school and pursuing further education. When they graduate from high school and enroll in the educational opportunity of their choice, we will support them with a minimum of a $5,000 scholarship provided to them by women, we call them M’ijas, from all over the country that pool their resources in a giving circle for the six years the girls are finishing their secondary education. Our goal this year is to have at least 50 women enrolled as M’ijas in the Class of 2016 by August 15, yielding a minimum of 5 scholarships.
We need your help in radically empowering these young women to live the lives they have imagined. M’ijas can have any background and can live anywhere. As a M’ija, you make a commitment to donate a minimum of $90 a year for six years to the scholarship fund that will support the Class of 2015’s Hijas (our scholarship recipients who are selected as seventh graders). You do not need to make your donation for the 2010-2011 school year at this time. In fact, all we need right now is your Letter of Commitment. We then ask that ½ of your year’s commitment be paid by September 15 and the other half by March 15, 2010 (don’t worry, we’ll send you a reminder when the time comes!). All scholarship donations are placed in a CD or money market account designated for our Class of 2016 Hijas so interest can begin to accrue and provide them with an even more robust scholarship by the time they graduate.
Thank you for helping us radically empower the lives of girls!
