The city of Austin honored Con Mi MADRE, an Austin-based non-profit, with its own day. Proposed by Councilwoman Vanessa Fuentes, the Sept. 26 designation honors the organization’s dedication to helping thousands of young Latinas and their mothers through high school and college forover three decades. 

The organization, which started in the basement of UT’s now demolished social work building, works with girls starting in sixth grade all the way through high school and college. With their school’s cohort, the girls learn self-efficacy and develop a support network of other girls who are in the program. Mothers have the chance to attend workshops and conferences teaching them methods for supporting their daughters as they grow up. 

Dr. Johanna Fábregas, executive director of the non-profit, said because mother-daughter relationships are crucial to supporting young women as they move into adulthood, Con Mi MADRE prioritizes a holistic approach to supporting the mother-daughter bond.

“The students are more likely to complete high school and college if they have their family’s emotional support,” Fábregas said. “A lot of the workshops we do are not just education on different topics, but we also do mother-daughter bonding workshops.” 

Fábregas, speaking from personal experience, said that as a first-generation college graduate herself, she always worried about making sure her family was taken care of even though she herself was navigating post-secondary education.   

“I had one foot at the university, one foot back at home, and always felt emotionally divided because I was worried about my family,” Fábregas said. “It’s not uncommon to hear students having to use their financial aid to solve a family crisis.” 

Joslyn Riojas, a marketing junior who started working with the program this semester, said Con Mi MADRE supported her by raising money to pay for textbooks.

“I was selling these goody bags for my small business,” Riojas said. “I stumbled on a staff member from Con Mi MADRE, and she actually supported me … I feel like not a lot of Hispanic girls like me have that support system, so it’s nice to have someone that is able to relate to you culturally and as a woman too.”

Riojas said the guidance she gained through the non-profit gave her hope that she could graduate from college. She said she felt pressure as the oldest daughter to be a good role model for her family and community. 

“I lost my scholarship … it was looking a little tough for me,” Riojas said. “I was even debating dropping out. That’s how bad it got, because I know my family can’t afford it. [Con Mi MADRE] brought a little light.” 

Emily Aranda, college success coordinator for Con Mi MADRE, meets with the program’s college-aged students monthly and offers academic and emotional support as they navigate college. Aranda said that working with Con Mi MADRE provides a full-circle experience. As a student who went through the entire program, she said the support network made getting through college more accessible. 

“That made a difference knowing that there was at least somebody there I could count on,” Aranda said. “It feels beautiful to be in this position where I can pay
forward what was given to me.”