Creating Connection

Sonia L., Co-President of the Bard High School Early College Queens chapter, shares how GlamourGals has inspired her to take initiative and build stronger connections within her personal life.

My parents always struggled to connect with my extended family, so I longed for moments of story-telling and closeness. It wasn’t until I started working with older adults through GlamourGals that I finally experienced what I was missing. As we were surrounded by seniors singing karaoke and dancing to the rhythms, I painted Jameilla’s nails a bright shade of cherry red. Jameilla shared stories about her immigration from the Philippines alone, seeking a fresh start. It was difficult for her, but little by little, she made a life here. And she told me: “I met good people who weren’t family, but they were there for me.” She didn’t wait for connections, instead she built them.  

It gave me the courage to reach out to my cousin, who had always felt like a stranger. Slowly, she opened up to me: “Here’s my first tattoo. The aunts never liked it, but I did it anyway.” For the first time, I felt a real familial connection. A connection I created, not waited for. Through GlamourGals, I created my own sense of family. I interacted with older adults, learning from their wisdom and laughing at jokes. Jameilla taught me that building relationships could go beyond the boundaries created by age and background. So, I began to connect more with my chapter’s volunteers. We supported each other through school, motivating each other during walks to the community center, and found mutual comfort in the work we were doing.