Empowering Latinas Leadership Academy is a five-month program that brings together Latinas in a variety of career stages for a unique professional development experience, combining professional mentorship with culturally relevant workshops and civic engagement.

Annually, approximately 10 individuals are selected from a competitive pool of applicants. The result is a class of Latina professionals who are ready to hone their leadership skills and talents and become active and influential leaders within the Latino community and beyond.

Now in its 15th cycle, ELLA is the only program of its kind in the state of Ohio. Corporations and organizations at the state and local levels have recognized LMA as a leading resource for the development of Latina talent.

The program has four major components:

Mentorship: Each participant is paired with a professional mentor for the duration of the program. Mentee-mentor pairings are made on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the needs of the mentee as expressed through the application, shared personality traits, mutual background experiences, mentoring style of the mentor, and shared interests.

The goal of the mentor relationship is for it to be successful and beneficial to both the mentee and the mentor. Each mentoring relationship will establish the goal for their relationship. Ideally, each participant will achieve one or two short-term career goals during the program with guidance from a seasoned professional.

Overnight Retreat: In June, after a mentor-mentee mixer to kick off the program, participants attend a mandatory overnight retreat. The retreat helps participants get to know each other, develop a cycle identity, and begin their journey of personal and professional growth.

Workshops/Sessions: The overnight retreat is complemented by nine bi-weekly evening workshops. Workshops are led by field experts. Session topics have evolved over the years to truly reflect the mission and vision of ELLA, but topics have included public speaking, personal branding, money management, personal leadership styles, and community stewardship.

Community Impact Project: The final component of the program is the community impact project. Participants are split into smaller groups based on a shared passion or interest. Each group works to develop a project that will positively impact the Latino community. Each group presents its project at an open-to-the-public event in September.

The goals of the community impact project are to expand our participants’ knowledge of our community’s services/resources and their respective needs/challenges, and for the participant to hone her leadership, management, and team-building skills in addressing a need or formulating a solution to a challenge.

Program Time Commitment

This year's program will run from May – October 2024.

All sessions including the overnight retreat are MANDATORY. Participants who miss more than one workshop/session may be asked to leave the program. Any participant who arrives after 6:30 pm or leaves before 8:00 pm is absent for that respective workshop/session.

In addition to the bi-weekly workshops/sessions, participants are involved in a community impact project and monthly mentor meetings. Time devoted to the project is outside of the regular curriculum and varies according to the project scope. Participants can expect to spend a minimum of 2-4 hours per week on average, with the majority of project work occurring from mid-July to late September. Monthly mentor meetings are also outside of the regular curriculum and vary depending on the nature of the relationship.

Mentee & Mentor Mixer:

Thursday, May 9, 2024 | 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Mentee & Mentor Retreat:

Saturday, May 18, 2024 | all-day
MENTEES ONLY

Sunday, May 19, 2024 - all-day

Session 1:

Thursday, May 30, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Session 2:

Thursday, June 13, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Session 3:

Thursday, June 27, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Session 4:

Thursday, July 11, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Session 5: Styling Event

Saturday, July 20, 2024 | TBD

Session 6:

Thursday, July 25, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Summer Mixer (not required):

Thursday, August 1, 2024 | 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Session 7:

Thursday, August 8, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Session 8:

Thursday, August 22, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Session 9:

Thursday, September 5, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Community Impact Project:

Thursday, September 19, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Reflection:

Thursday, October 3, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Graduation:

Thursday, October 17, 2024 | 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

The ideal mentee has at least five years of professional experience, has an interest in her own professional development, and has the availability to attend all the required sessions as outlined in the mentee application.