Latino kids helped by mentoring program

Mentoring program helps Latino students
By Rodrigo Muzell, Inquirer Staff Writer

Wender Ozuma, 18, is prepared to face the world and his future.

"I want to manage a company," Ozuma said recently, attired in blue shirt and a black tie. "I feel comfortable in an office environment, dressed up professionally."

Ozuma and others recently attended a celebration on the 43d floor of the Comcast Center marking the third anniversary of the Professional Mentoring Network run by the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

It is a venture that Ozuma and others described as allowing Latino youths to believe in their dreams.

"It's just up to you," said Ozuma, who recently graduated from Thomas Edison High School and will begin studies in business administration this fall at East Stroudsburg University. "I could have just given up and dropped out, but I opted to become top of my class."

The program connects students with Latino business people and executives from large corporations, such as Bank of America and Comcast, who serve as mentors. The youths attend seminars and other activities that stress career goals. The program also mentors Latino business professionals, who are advised by other high-level corporate executives.

Varsovia Fernandez, president of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the youth program stresses the message that it's "OK to be Hispanic and be successful."

Nearly 200 students have been mentored by the business community. Fernandez estimated that from 35 to 60 youths will participate in the program this year.

Fernandez said successful role models are important to fight the perception that a Latino heritage can be a disadvantage in the quest for a career.

"Some Latino girls say they were told by people that they are not college material," said Fernandez. "But in fact, I've seen many of them going to college."

Clarissa Velazquez, 18, who just graduated from Edison, joined the mentoring program last year and is headed to Holy Family University in the fall.

In high school, she considered becoming a doctor. After attending career seminars offered by the mentoring network, she said, she sees other opportunities.

"The business classes opened my eyes to different things I can do and the variety of successful positions I can have," she said. "There are so many things going on, and you just have to say yes. You can't close the doors and just lock yourself out of things just because where you came from."

At the recent anniversary celebration, David L. Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast, was honored for his work with the Professional Mentoring Network.

He said companies that "truly represent the cultural diversity of America" will be the successful ones in the future, and embracing programs like the mentoring network is "the right thing to do."

"The kids blow me away every time. This program shows what they can be if they work hard and finish school. They can end up working in a building like this," Cohen said.

Ozuma, preparing for a business career, agreed. And his dreams go even further.

"My dream would be to become an executive like David Cohen. I want to be at where he is now - or higher."