Las Chicas del Barrio - Startup

Las Chicas del Barrio is a 501(c)3 nonprofit mentorship program located in Dallas, Texas. It was founded by first-generation Latinas who saw the need in their community. 

According to the CDC, the teenage Latina population has a notably high suicide rate close to double that of non-Hispanic youth and young adult females. Alarmingly, one in seven Hispanic girls living in the United States will attempt suicide after struggling with common factors, including culture, access to health care, family dynamics, language barriers, and poverty. With the political tension and climate this problem is growing as many Hispanics do not feel that they have a voice. There are other organizations in the United States that address this issue, but they are mostly located in cities such as New York and Los Angeles. There are a few organizations in Dallas that target the Latinx community but none that focus on girls and provide a complete mentorship program.

Our solution is to provide a safe community for Latina youth between the ages of 15-25 and adress the common factors in suicide attempts.  This will be achieved through mentorship and professional partnerships to provide the necessary tools and resources required. The five areas that will be addressed are higher education, women’s health, mental/emotional health, financial literacy, and generosity/community service. 

Our target market are Highschool and College aged Latinas in Dallas, TX. Preferably in the public school system and coming from low-income households. We want to focus on Highschool freshman students as most programs focus on juniors and seniors to assist them in the college application process leaving freshmen and sophomores unattended. Our target is not only made up of Latinas who want to pursue a higher education but also those who want to pursue a career straight out of Highschool.

We are currently a team of 10 young women who are passionate about serving our community and empowering the next generation of Latinas. We are raising funds to be able to launch our mentorship program at the end of September.  Donations will cover website costs, marketing and administrative costs, supplies for our mentees and other expenses related to the mentorship program. 

Any amount is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support!