NONPROFIT
Students and families attend Con Mi Madre’s Balanced Living Conference. Con Mi Madre is a nonpro t that helps young Latinas navigate the path to college.
Gabriella Lee and Paola Rojas tour Texas State University as part of the program at Con Mi Madre.
COURTESY CON MI MADRE
COURTESY OF PAOLA ROJAS
Con Mi Madre Central Texas nonpro t aims to build con dence in Latina students C on Mi Madre, meaning “with my mother” “We start in sixth grade, talking about identity, self-esteem. Then when a young student becomes more comfortable in who they are and that con - dence builds up, then they can focus on, ‘What do I want to achieve now, and what tools do I need?’’’ Fábregas said. BY LUCERO PONCE
BUILDING SUPPORT The nonpro t aims to build con dence in future Latina college students by helping them navigate college with the support of their families.
96% of the 449 students who participated in the program graduate high school.
in Spanish, is a nonpro t organization in Central Texas and Fort Worth that primarily supports Latinas on their journey to college by incorporating family. “Culturally, Latinas come from a background where family is really important. So if we’re going to support a student navigat[ing] that process, bringing in the family, such as the mom, is key for that success, not just to get to college, but to get through college,” said Johanna Moya Fábregas, executive director of Con Mi Madre. Though the organization primarily serves young Latinas and their mothers, it is open to all female-identifying students and their guardians, such as an aunt, uncle or grandparent. The organization recruits fth-graders to start the program in sixth grade, but other students can still sign up on the Con Mi Madre website. Con Mi Madre created a social and emotional curriculum and uses it in local school districts, including Austin ISD and Hays CISD. The organi- zation seeks to invest in Latinas’ social, emotional and academic well-being as Latinas make up a large population of Texas.
76% enroll in college.
93% of those who enroll in college stay in college.
Con Mi Madre does this through in-school meet- ings, conferences and workshops, where students learn about how to build up their con dence. The organization connects students who need extra academic support with their community partners. The organization has helped over 4,000 mothers and daughters since 1992, including Gabriella Lee, a junior at Johnson High School in Buda. She said the bond with her mom has grown since joining Con Mi Madre. Through the nonpro t, they have volunteered at a local animal shelter, toured universities and attended conferences. “Eventually, when we would go on the college tours, we both started to actually plan my future,” Lee said. Lucero Ponce is a reporting fellow for a Commu- nity Impact and The University of Texas partnership with a focus on growing, diverse neighborhoods. The project is supported by the UT School of Journalism’s Dallas Morning News Innovation Endowment.
More than 4,000 mothers and daughters have been helped.
Con Mi Madre 1825 Fort View Road, Ste. 114, Austin 512-467-4483 www.conmimadre.org Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Sat.-Sun.
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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION • APRIL 2023
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