August, 2023

Dear Friends of Liga MAC

What’s Happening at Liga MAC:



As a followup to an interview with mentors Lisa Heid and Eric Parizek done by guest contributor Karen Woodard Chávez for our May update, Karen reports on the 3 Liga MAC mentees who have benefitted from Lisa and Eric’s tutelage.

Relationships, can be a source of support and a bridge to the future. Thanks to Liga MAC’s connections and mentorship program, 3 Liga MAC students will be entering an employment internship to complete their education.

The Learning Centre continues on an amazingly fast pace to completion. During a pause in construction, the unfinished multipurpose room witnessed its first event!

The 2023/2024 school year starts today August 28, and Liga MAC’s student support scholars prepare for the coming year, some under difficult circumstances.

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with and interviewing Lisa Heid and Eric Parizek regarding the Liga MAC mentor program.  You may have read the article titled Mentor Mavericks. During those conversations, we discussed how it would be interesting to do a follow up meeting/article on the kids being mentored.

In July, I had the lovely experience of a virtual meeting with Linda Anahy Montaño Manríquez (18 years old), Patty Estrada (17 years old) and Lorenzo Arnaldos Angulo Cempoal (17 years old). Lorenzo was my contact in coordinating the meeting with Patty, Linda and himself. Pre-arranged questions sent to the students and Lorenzo also facilitated that process.

Although an in person meeting turned into a virtual meeting, it was a pleasure to meet these three young adults. Their efforts to communicate throughout this meeting in a second language was impressive. Their excitement about the Liga MAC program and working with Lisa and Eric shone through the screen. I found myself smiling all throughout and after this very inspirational meeting.

Our conversation covered the length of time they had been in the mentor program which ranged from 6 to 7 months. We also talked about what they have learned in the mentor program. There was a common thread with all three which included defining their values, discipline, setting goals in life and achieving them, and making choices that will fulfill them personally as well as professionally.

With regard to goal setting, we discussed their bigger picture goals the program has helped to define: Patty’s goal is to finish her schooling and become a math teacher.

Linda’s goal, a work in progress, is to finish school, be someone in life, be happy, work at something she loves and be stable. Lorenzo’s goal is to finish school, become an electro mechanical engineer and help people with his knowledge.  

Pretty impressive articulation of goals for such young adults. Bravo!

We also discussed what they value most about the relationship with Lisa and Eric. Their responses were very touching:

Lorenzo: “I really appreciate how they care about us without even knowing us, how they support us and push us in our studies, as well as how they give us advice to do things in the best way and achieve our dreams.”

Patty: “(Speaking about Eric and Lisa) Your love, your commitment to teach us new things be it sports, academics, emotionally or culturally.”

Linda: “All the love and dedication they give us.”

This short meeting with Lorenzo, Linda and Patty made it abundantly clear how valuable the Liga MAC mentor program is to young lives. It is not just the mentees that find value but also Lisa and Eric as mentors have also found tremendous value in this process…a process that Liga MAC is replicating as much as possible.

Norma Bracamontes - In December 2021, we highlighted the blossoming mentorship between Norma Bracamontes and Tania Suástegui. Norma, now in her 9th and final semester and the co-op phase of ITES University chef’s program, has, thanks to Tania, turned her life around. 

There were many ups and downs along the way but with Tania’s guidance Norma has overcome her emotional, financial and professional challenges. Norma has gone from a young, single woman struggling to live on her own to an independent young professional able to balance her personal and professional lives with aplomb. 

A year ago Norma was able to negotiate a cook’s helper position for herself at Cabo Azul and within 3 months was promoted to “B Cook”.  Now she is holding down a full time paid position at Cabo Azul, while earning credits for her 9th semester. A proud “big sister”, Tania is grateful for the opportunity to help “save a life” through her mentorship and friendship with Norma.

Paola Hernandez - Another student profiled in our updates (September 2022), Paola who at the time had just graduated from high school and was accepted by Liga MAC into the university student support program, is now in her 3rd semester of the accounting program at ITES. 

From the age of 12 when her mother took her 4 children and left an abusive situation, Paola has accepted the responsibility of looking after her family. Recently, with Liga MAC’s help Paola was hired by Tatiana Madrid Marcos of Liga MAC’s accounting firm. Not only is Paola being mentored by professionals while going to school but she is also able to continue supporting her family.

Thanks to Liga MAC’s connections and high recommendation, she will be interning under chef Edgar Roman at Don Sanchez Restaurant. Because of the positive experience with Ana Julia, Chef Roman has indicated his willingness to mentor future Liga MAC interns.

And One More Mentorship Story… Liga MAC Executive Director, Elva Haro, happened to be driving with her IT expert husband, Fausto, when she received a call from one of Liga MAC’s students. Anahi de la Cruz was looking for help finding a paid internship for her 9th semester at ITES in IT systems. It did not take Fausto long to hire Anahi through the internship program at his employer, Querencia. The serendipitous moment could not be better timed as Anahi helps to support her family and two siblings who have a rare congenital disease. 

With only six weeks to go before formal occupancy, the Learning Centre’s roughly finished multi-purpose room was the scene of a short ceremony to welcome new students to Liga MAC’s educational support program. Melissa Gonzalez, a surprise guest and former student support program alumnus from 2005 to 2012, was on hand to assist. 

In 2005, at age 14, Melissa was a participant in the very first Alas Program. She went on to become an accountant and is now studying psychology. Currently employed by Cabo Development, a design and architecture firm, Melissa acted as their representative in the distribution of the company’s 45 donated new backpacks at the event. 

She also shared an insight into her Liga MAC experience with the new students. She told them, “Liga MAC helped me through difficult times. I lost my parents at an early age. I was raised by my grandmother. Liga MAC held my hand all the way; they never let me down. The Alas program showed me that there was a different way to live life…be smart, take the best out of the opportunity that Liga MAC gives you and keep on studying hard, and…take English seriously!”

On September 30, Liga MAC’s staff will relocate from their temporary offices to their new offices in the Learning Centre. The move will be facilitated by Arnian Group transportation services who were responsible for the initial move into the rented premises. Arnian has also offered their cartage and importation services for the transportation of donated new furnishings from San Diego.  

In preparation for the start on August 28th of all three education levels supported by Liga MAC - secundaria (junior high school), preparatoria (senior high school), and universidad (university) - Liga MAC staff have dispersed vouchers for uniforms and conducted orientation classes for the 301 students enrolled in the program.  

High school and university tuition fees are in the process of being paid however, problems have arisen where there are not sufficient classrooms for the numbers of preparatoria students. Two high schools, Conalep (located on Blvd. Valerio Gonzalez) and Cecyt 07 (located near the airport) are each adding two new classrooms. In the case of Cecyt 07, there is a waitlist of 200 students for the additional 80 seats in the 2 classrooms being created. 

According to local government officials, 26 people a day are relocating to Los Cabos from other parts of Mexico. One new fix known as “Telebachillerato” offers academic classes in borrowed premises such as community centres. Los Cabos has also seen a resurgence in private schools that were forced to close during the pandemic.

This November 2nd to 5th will mark the first time World Wide Technologies will be hosting their golf championship in Los Cabos. The tournament will take place at Diamante Golf Course and Liga MAC has been asked to provide volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering for the PGA sanctioned event please email sjdmena@gmail.com. There are a variety of volunteer roles from which to choose.

The annual Knick Nac Tournament at Querencia Golf Course benefitting Liga MAC takes place November 30. Entry fees include a round of golf at the private Tom Fazio designed course, a buffet dinner, silent auction and an afternoon of fun all in aid of a good cause! For more information contact Linda Myers at lindalgklas@aol.com.

Due to conflicting event timing, the Tacos, Tostadas and Tequila event hosted by Tadd Chapman at his special event location, Baja Luna, must be rescheduled. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.

Annual Volunteer activities including operating booths at both the San Jose and Palmilla Organic Markets and maintaining the Donation Centre on Marino Boulevard will resume in November and continue until May, 2024. The Donation Centre receives donations of gently used clothing and household goods as well as books and makes them available in the same location for a modest donation. In addition, English as a Second Language co-ordinators will be reaching out to volunteers in the fall in preparation for the fall classes.

Students whose support systems are either non-existent or lack expertise to negotiate experiences relating to post secondary careers receive the kind of help that will not only see them through their education but, as in the case of Tania and Norma, will carry them on through life’s challenges. Liga MAC is indebted to our volunteer mentors like Eric, Lisa and Tania who understand the challenges facing our students and the importance of sharing their own life experiences. 

With gratitude,

Maria Lindenberg, President

Liga MAC Board of Directors

To help a student

To volunteer or become a mentor