
On behalf of the Hermanitas Leadership Team, thank you for your time and dedication as a mentor to the Hermanitas Program! Together we will explore new areas of interest, reflect on life, develop friendships and guide our Hermanitas toward a path to academic and future professional success!
About the Hermanitas Program
Through its nationally recognized Hermanitas Youth Leadership Mentor Program, MANA de San Diego challenges Latina middle and high school students to reach beyond a high school diploma; to graduate from a higher education institution; enter the professional work force as Latina leaders empowered to affect positive change. MANA supports these young Latina students in their life-changing journey, by providing them with an exclusive and constant one-to-one Hermanitas Mentor – a woman who has walked down similar paths, has a similar life story or faced similar challenges and is now successful, responsible and empowered.
This year, we are excited to be able to bring you a meaningful and engaging virtual program. We will continue to assess the program as the year progresses.
Mentor Qualifications*
- Must be 21 years or older
- Must be a professional woman or current college student
- Pass a background check paid for by MANA de San Diego
- Become a MANA de San Diego Member
We’ve developed some tools for you to use to help you in the mentoring process. These tools, along with your own experience, will help you guide a Hermanita to many new possibilities. Read through our Tips for Mentors, which you can download below, to get an idea of possible directions you might take. You can use the Mentoring Tips as a guideline for establishing a set of goals. Or you can pick and choose various tips to discuss as you see fit. Whatever your mentoring style, our Tips are here to help you get started on the right track.
Below you can find everything you need to know about being a Mentor for the Hermanitas Program.
Questions?
Welcome Hermanitas Mentors
Applications have now closed.
Hermanitas Mentor Profile

Hermanita & Mentor
Alma and Ariana
Ariana is a rising senior, and the two have been a pair for two years. Alma Daneshi owns her own carpet cleaning company called Pink Sisters Carpet Cleaning Services. She is also the founder of Vamos a Chalar/ Lets Talk, which is a Spanish cancer support group.
Ariana and Alma both enjoy talking about school, family, friends, and food. They both love In n Out burgers, bonfires, animals, and doing community service. They are always able to talk about what makes them happy and what makes them sad. For Alma the best part of the Mentee/ Mentor relationship is that they can count on each other for emotional support, and they always have each other’s backs. Alma is excited for next year because Ariana will be a senior in high school. She wants to make her senior year an experience of a lifetime, and they will be focusing on getting her accepted to the college of her choice, which she is still deciding on. Ariana does know that her focus will be in education, as she wants to be a schoolteacher.
Ariana loves being in the Hermanitas program, and she has grown so much because of all the opportunities they have been given as a result of the Hermanitas program. They look forward to their final year as a mentor/mentee pair. It will be very emotional for them. This is their last adventure together in the MANA de San Diego Hermanitas program; however, their new adventure will begin as she starts college. We know that their support for each other will continue to grow even as Ariana begins college this next fall.
Help us help Latinas achieve success

Together, through our mentorship programs, scholarships and leadership events, we can make a positive difference in the Latino community.