Leadership Program Honors 13 Latinas

In a small but heartfelt graduation ceremony, the first 13 participants in a program that trains Latin women to become community leaders recently were recognized for their achievements at Fenton Avenue Charter School.

The Latinas Leadership Program was established by the nonprofit California Women’s Commission on Alcohol and Drug Dependencies in September to address some of the toughest issues facing parents in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

The graduates, many of them mothers of Fenton students, completed a nine-week course that touched on topics ranging from child abuse and domestic violence to alcohol- and drug-abuse prevention.

In addition to the graduation certificates presented to them Friday, the women received special civic commendations from City Councilman Richard Alarcon, who praised them for being “neighbors who take care of neighbors.”

“I came because I wanted to learn how to be a better mother,” said Adriana Quevedo, who credited the course with teaching her to be more patient with her 4-year-old daughter. “There’s a lot of drugs and violence in the streets, and I want to be prepared to teach her about life.”

Project coordinator Esther McDowell said the objective of the program is not only to provide information but to teach the women to educate others.

“The idea is to give them enough information so that they can be positive role models and help their families and the community,” McDowell said.

“A lot of people only want to begin teaching and giving responsibilities to kids when they are teenagers, and then it’s too late,” she said. “They have to begin earlier.”

Evidence that the program was already having an impact was visible in 18-year-old Daniel Aguilar, whose mother, Esther, was one of the graduates. Daniel admitted to experimenting with drugs and getting into trouble in the past but said he had taken to heart the lessons brought home by his mother.

“She’s helped me to think differently about my life,” he said. “I got up early today to come down here because I’m proud of what she’s done. I can see it in her eyes that she’s proud of me too.”