LA Mag: The Breakfast Conversation Series

Photographer: Jeff Drongowski

By Hannah Kim ‘15

Los Angeles Magazine recently hosted a panel where women leaders came together to talk about the importance of mentorship. Though they work in different fields and come from disparate backgrounds, these women all share the quality of being a *~badass~*. Whether they’re facilitating youth outreach programs in South Central LA or giving women the perfect blowout, they are empowered leaders who are making a tangible impact in their communities.

Who’s who: (From left to right)

• LA Magazine editor-in-chief: Mary Melton (moderator)
  
• Ford Motor Company Communications executive: Debra Hotaling
  
• DryBar Founder: Alli Webb
  
• LAPD Sergeant: Emada Tingirides
  
• Step Up CEO: Jenni Luke
  

A major takeaway from this panel was that mentorships can often be organic and unintentional. These days, when buzzwords like “networking” and “synergy” fill our minds with alarming frequency, it can be easy to view mentorship as a conscious decision. You pick someone at your workplace, approach them cautiously, ask them to be your mentor, and then commence meeting them for coffee once a month.

There’s nothing wrong with being straightforward and structured, in fact, if there’s someone you admire, seize the day and ask them to be a mentor! The opportunity won’t exist forever and having clear mentors in your life can be an incredibly beneficial and uplifting experience.

Be that as it may, keep in mind that your mentors don’t always have to hold an official title. Inspirations and leaders surround us always. Even if they aren’t your “mentor”, you can learn from them.  Keep your eyes peeled! Pay attention to the people around you and learn from them. Case in point, none of these women at the panel were my mentors (in fact I had never seen any of them) but I walked away from the event inspired and refreshed.

Here are some lessons I took away:

1. Someone is always watching you
Hopefully not because they’re a stalker. Not only can anyone around you be a mentor, you can be someone’s mentor without even realizing it. People (both above and below you, younger and older than you) are watching you. They’re watching you lead a meeting, order an intern around, panic because of a deadline, try a vegan diet… They’re watching you to see how you live your life, and they’re learning from it (good or bad!). Be aware of your actions and be a part of a circle of inspiration that never stops giving back.

2. Stay afraid, keep taking risks.
Debra Hotaling works for Ford Motors and is over 50 years old - which of course means that it’s the perfect time to pick up the new hobby of surfing. As a successful and established executive, some might be content to rest on their laurels. Hotaling, however, isn’t afraid to shake it up and do something new. It keeps her on her toes (even though she says she’s really bad at it). Whether you’re old or young, rich or poor, a CEO or a college student- Never stop learning!

3. Find your passion, it might take a while (but that’s okay).
StepUp CEO, Jenni Luke, is no stranger to change. Before she created the successful mentorship company for under-resourced communities, she went through some major career shifts. First, she started out as a lawyer. She hated it, but it was hard for her to leave it after investing a great deal of time and money into law school. But she eventually quit law and dived into entertainment. She worked at it for FIVE years, all the while knowing it still wasn’t her true passion. After all of this, she started StepUp an organization she is clearly passionate about.  However, if she had been too scared to pivot throughout her career, she may have never found her dream job. As a college senior, this gives me hope that I will be able to find my true passion, even if it takes me 10 years.

Lastly, I want to bring up something Sergeant Tingirides told us. She works with youths in the community to build trust between them and the LAPD. She wants them to know that they have the potential to pursue a better life and escape the cycle of poverty and gang violence.  She then told a story of a 13 year old who told her that he didn’t expect to live past the age of 15. He’d seen other males in his life killed young, and said his mother would be lucky to see him alive.

This was a shocking moment for all of the panelists and attendees. We had been filling ourselves with bacon & eggs, sunshine & smiles and a heavy dose of empowerment. It can be incredibly sobering to realize how much harder it is for some to rise above their circumstances. How can you motivate someone who views themselves as a ticking time bomb?

I think this moment served as a learning moment on privilege. As a (soon to be) college graduate, I am sure that I will face obstacles. But how do the obstacles that get in the way of finding a self-actualizing career compare to those of a child who expects death in a few years? I think this is something we should all keep in mind. We need to serve our communities more.

To end,

WOMEN! WOMEN! WOMEN! WOMEN!