2021 Annual Report
Inez González Perezchica, Ed.D.
A Note from the Executive Director
An organization reaches its 35th anniversary only with a solid foundation. Throughout the years, our committed community of volunteers and donors have had the foresight to focus on the impact and sustainability of MANA de San Diego (MANASD). MANASD has grown to become a staff team of six full-time employees running four programs, with over 400 paid members, and a budget of one million dollars. This year we’ve focused on our infrastructure — to build an even stronger team. Thanks to the countless of pro bono hours dedicated by a handful of volunteer leaders, HR experts in their field, we completed Strategic Plan Goal #1 “to improve staff structure and systems…” This work sets us up into the next decade to sustain our deep impact on Latinas, their families, and our community. Though our goal has been accomplished ahead of schedule, our strategic plan is a living document that we will continue to update and work on to strengthen MANASD.
I know we are stronger when we work together. My focus is to grow smart alliances that will increase our impact and influence. I borrow from Martin Luther King’s vision and words when I say that MANA de San Diego is a “beloved community,” one in which people come together to uplift each other.
Thank you for being part of our beloved community.
We couldn't do it without our amazing MANASD Staff!
Valerie A. Gómez
Program ManagerFernanda Canchola
Membership & Event CoordinatorJohanna Lara
Communications & Program CoordinatorChristine Roberts
Operations Coordinator/SchedulerBianca Arellano
LSLP Fellow
For 35 years MANASD has worked on building a beloved community of support to empower Latinas through education, leadership development, community service, and advocacy.
MANASD COMMUNITY
"2021 by the Numbers"
Our 35th year was a banner year
Latina STEM Pathways Initiative
Our decades of work to move youth into professional careers has become an all the more pressing priority for us as we witnessed the high number of Latinas in the service industry contribute to disproportionately high rates of COVID-19 deaths and high unemployment rates among Latinas. This year, MANASD created the Latina STEM Pathways Initiative (STEM Initiative) to addresses both the overrepresentation of Latinas in low-wage jobs and the underrepresentation of Latinas in STEM careers that can provide them increased economic and social mobility.
Through the leadership of our Programs Manager, Valerie Gomez, our STEM Initiative provides STEM career awareness and access to Latinas, building in strong STEM components within our existing continuum of successful programs.
Hermanitas Program
our initiative provides STEM focused career exploration activities, as well as skill development through a partnership with the Girl Scouts in which Hermanitas can earn STEM badges.
Tias & Scholarship Programs
the STEM Initiative offers career relevant work opportunities, such as internships, to help Latinas gain the experience they need to leverage their degrees for successful careers STEM.
Latina Success Leadershp Program (LSLP)
the STEM Initiative supports the career advancement of Latinas in STEM, increasing not only their representation in STEM careers but also in leadership roles within their fields.
Hermanitas Program
our initiative provides STEM focused career exploration activities, as well as skill development through a partnership with the Girl Scouts in which Hermanitas can earn STEM badges.
Tias & Scholarship Programs
the STEM Initiative offers career relevant work opportunities, such as internships, to help Latinas gain the experience they need to leverage their degrees for successful careers STEM.
Latina Success Leadershp Program (LSLP)
the STEM Initiative supports the career advancement of Latinas in STEM, increasing not only their representation in STEM careers but also in leadership roles within their fields.
Our 35th year was a banner year!
A Message from Valerie Gómez, MANASD Program Manager
Latina Success Spotlight
Kimberly Meraz
Kimberly Meraz is a MANASD superstar with a long-time connection to several programs within our continuum. Kimberly participated in our Hermanitas and Tias program on her path to completing her Bachelor’s in Chemistry in the midst of the pandemic, the first in her family to earn a college degree. Kimberly credits the Hermanitas program with not only exposing her to careers in STEM and guiding her through the college preparation process but also with helping her develop the confidence she needed to pursue her goals. While in college at U.C. Merced, Kimberly further benefitted from MANASD through the ongoing mentorship she received through the Tias program. The encouragement she received helped her stay focused on completing her degree and the connections she made through Tias helped her obtain a gainful employment as a Chemist after graduation.
To read more about Kimberly in her own words, please click on the link to this local news story:
Andrea Saucedo
Andrea began in the Hermanitas program as a 10th grader in 2014 where she was paired with Sophia Castelo for one-on-one mentorship. When she entered U.C. Irvine in 2017, she felt the support of her MANA community through the care packages and ongoing mentorship from Sophia and other volunteers with the Tias program, like Norma Jasso. As her graduation with a degree in Civil Engineering neared, Andrea received invaluable information about such important issues as pay structures, benefits, retirement plans, and employer options that she, like many first generation college students, had not considered. The critical guidance MANA mentors provided Andrea, helped her secure her first post-graduation job as an Associate Engineer at SDG&E within months of graduation, a job with pay and benefits that will put her on track for successful career with greater pay equity.
In Andrea’s own words “ Sophia was there for every part of the journey: since high school with college applications, throughout college by helping me choose a major, and even now with my current career. I would like to emphasize that Sophia also played a major role in the interview and resume process for SDGE after connecting me with someone who previously worked for Sempra. MANA de San Diego has amazing volunteers that did an amazing job helping me create such a strong and supportive networking system that I am forever grateful for.
Amanda Corona
Amanda is a woman with a vision and the drive to achieve it. Amanda harnesses her experiences as a non-traditional; first-generation, Latinx/Chicanx, woman to help others achieve excellence in academia. Driven to increase representation of Latinas in higher education and serve as a model for others, as well as her own children, Amanda pushes herself to further develop her skills and knowledge. In 2020, she participated in the Latina Success Leadership Program (LSLP). Benefitting from new relationships forged with LSLP peers, Amanda decided to take her learning and service to new levels. She began a joint Ed.D program through UCSD and CSU San Marcos and took on a board seat with USD’s Alumni Association as the Chair of the Inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion task force. Despite the hardships of the pandemic, she persevered to complete the LSLP, is currently in her second year of the doctorate and is thriving both personally and professionally. Amanda took on new responsibilities at work and in 2021 was promoted to Director of Development at UCSD, a position from which she can continue to increase her impact. For more on Amanda’s story, read:
Amanda is a woman with a vision and the drive to achieve it. Amanda harnesses her experiences as a non-traditional; first-generation, Latinx/Chicanx, woman to help others achieve excellence in academia. Driven to increase representation of Latinas in higher education and serve as a model for others, as well as her own children, Amanda pushes herself to further develop her skills and knowledge. In 2020, she participated in the Latina Success Leadership Program (LSLP). Benefitting from new relationships forged with LSLP peers, Amanda decided to take her learning and service to new levels. She began a joint Ed.D program through UCSD and CSU San Marcos and took on a board seat with USD’s Alumni Association as the Chair of the Inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion task force. Despite the hardships of the pandemic, she persevered to complete the LSLP, is currently in her second year of the doctorate and is thriving both personally and professionally. Amanda took on new responsibilities at work and in 2021 was promoted to Director of Development at UCSD, a position from which she can continue to increase her impact. For more on Amanda’s story, read:
Advocacy
Advocacy has always been at the heart of MANA de San Diego. Since our founding in 1986, we have strived to create systemic change to support the success and well-being of Latinas through relationships with community partners and elected officials. This year, our advocacy efforts focused around supporting Latina economic well-being as critical strategy for improving the overall well-being of Latinas.
For More on Inez's Vision
Latina Pay Gap
Latina Pay Gap
Our programs would not be possible without the support of our community partners, funders, and volunteers. A special thank you to
MAAC
For hosting our Hermanitas seminars this year.
Center for Creative Leadership
For their world-class leadership training program for our 6th LSLP cohort.
Girl Scouts of San Diego & Imperial Counties
for providing our Hermanitas with an opportunity to earn their STEM Badges
Thank You to our Supporters!
A Note from our Outgoing President
As President of MANA de San Diego for the past five years, I’ve had the opportunity to see this organization grow to be the premier organization for Latinas. During my tenure, I have worked to expand our infrastructure to include more staff to provide more support for our programs and committees. Together we have increased this organization’s budget to over a million dollars. We have voted in our first Hermanita representative to the board. We have expanded our programs to provide leadership training to nearly 300 Latina professionals. We have guided and supported hundreds of Latina youth to begin and complete higher education. I am grateful to my amazing board members, staff, and volunteers that have made it all happen, proving that from the classroom to the boardroom, anything is possible.
Venus Molina, Outgoing President
Thank you to our Outgoing Board Members
Meybol Guerrero
Patricia Alvarez
Norma Colunga
Adriana Mendoza
Sandra Villareal
Thank you to our Advisory Council and Commitees for their hard work and dedication
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Co-Chair
Marcella D. Robles –
Advocacy Co-Chairs
Hermanitas Chair
Katrina Wong –
Scholarships Co-Chairs
Sandra Villareal –
Membership Co-Chairs
& Lizbeth Lopez –
Health Co-Chair
Dr. Lupe H Buell, &
Aixa Morales-Calleros –
Latina Success Co-Chairs
David Mier –
Marketing Co-Chairs
Sandra Villareal –
Tias Co-Chairs
Annual Report by:
