1,000 Dreams Fund, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Other Partners Celebrate International Women's Day 2022 with Announcement of New Commitments to National Women's Mentoring Program "MentorHER"

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to fueling the dreams of talented young women in need, is celebrating Women's History Month with the return of a Year 2 partnership with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), America's premier civil rights legal organization fighting for racial justice, on their MentorHER Initiative.

Mentoring programs have been shown to have a positive impact on young people. According to The National Mentoring Partnership, those with mentors are 130% more likely to hold leadership positions. Also, according to 1DF's "State of the American Girl"™ research, 70 percent of young American women do not have a mentor. It was with these figures in mind that 1DF created MentorHER, aiming to accelerate growth in women's success in school and beyond.

MentorHER pairs students with professionals across a variety of industries and at all levels—including CEOs—with matches based on career goals and backgrounds. Since its launch in 2019, the program has generated over 500 hours of mentorship in collaboration with leading Fortune 100 companies, small businesses and nonprofits. Throughout the month of March, the partners will offer mentoring opportunities specifically for students interested in working for racial equality in the legal field. Students will be paired with attorneys at LDF for a 1:1, 60-minute session by video conference.

"We are thrilled to be partnering again with LDF to offer our students interested in legal careers the chance to be mentored by our nation's best and brightest attorneys working in the field of racial and social justice," said Christie Garton, founder and CEO of 1,000 Dreams Fund. "Through MentorHER, we have seen how mentorship can directly impact the lives of students, leading to new educational opportunities and even employment. We could not be doing the work we do without the support of incredible partners like LDF."

"Few things are more important to the future of this country than ensuring the next generation is provided with the kind of professional support and guidance that benefits everyone, but which all too often remains unavailable to young women," said LDF Associate Director-Counsel Janai S. Nelson. "We could not be more enthusiastic about this program, and we are excited to collaborate once more with our friends and partners at 1DF on behalf of the women who will one day take the mantle of mentorship on their own."

Also kicking off in March, Colgate-Palmolive, in continued partnership with 1DF as the title sponsor of the MentorHER Initiative, will have 70 professionals from the Colgate Women's Network mentor students throughout the month.

"We believe mentoring young women is important to Colgate's purpose – to reimagine a healthier future for all," said Paula S. Davis, Chief Communications Officer, Colgate-Palmolive. "By providing pathways and professional opportunities for students, we are preparing the next generation of female leaders for success. That's social impact! We are grateful to the 1000 Dreams Fund team for our partnership and for helping us ensure a brighter future for women in business."

The following companies are also joining 1DF in their commitment to supporting MentorHER during Women's History Month and throughout 2022:

• Kendra Scott, a lifestyle brand headquartered in Austin, TX, providing gemstone-inspired collections that include Fashion Jewelry, Fine Jewelry, Home Goods and Beauty. Following up on their 2021 commitment, which provided over 50 hours of mentorship to collegiate women through MentorHER, twelve executives from the company will be mentoring students on International Women's Day on March 8th.
• Ripple is a leading provider of crypto solutions for enterprises. Twenty-six Ripple professionals will provide 1:1 mentorship to students specifically interested in technology and the financial services industry throughout the month of March through MentorHER.

"Ripple is proud to be a part of the MentorHER initiative -- we have extended the opportunity for all of our employees, on a global scale, to take part and provide mentoring services. Supporting women doesn't start and stop with a single day -- it's about enabling a mindset based on inclusivity throughout the year, " said Alison Crawford, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Ripple.

1,000 Dreams Fund, with support from its partners, aims to generate over 1,000 hours of mentorship service over the next year. To reach its goal, 1DF will be adding more partners to the MentorHER Initiative throughout the year as well as encouraging individual professionals to sign up. Professionals at all levels, including the C-Suite, are encouraged to participate

How to Participate
Mentees: College and graduate-level students as well as recent graduates nationwide may apply. International students studying in the U.S. – even those who are based in their home countries due to COVID-19 – are invited to participate. To be connected with a professional in your desired industry, apply here.

Mentors: Corporations, small businesses and nonprofit organizations are invited to partner with 1DF in this extraordinary, high-impact, employee volunteer opportunity. Individual professionals with an interest in helping the next generation of female leaders are also encouraged to participate as well. Help change a life by signing up here or contact 1DF's team for more information: [email protected].

To learn more about 1DF's MentorHER Initiative, visit: https://1000dreamsfund.org/programs/mentorher-initiative/

Media contacts:1,000 Dreams Fund
[email protected]
LDF
[email protected]

About 1,000 Dreams Fund
1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF) is a national nonprofit that empowers the dreams of talented young women in need with scholarships, mentorship and other critical resources. 1DF believes that big obstacles should never stand in the way of big dreams. Since its launch in 2016, over $400,000 in funding has been granted to talented young women in need, helping them pay for the "extras" in school like study abroad, tech devices for the classroom and travel to conferences and seminars. 1DF has been featured in NBCNews.com, USA Today, MarketWatch, Forbes, Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Entrepreneur, TODAY and others. To learn more about 1DF, visit http://1000dreamsfund.org/ 

About NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation's first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Follow LDF on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, the Company sells its products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom's of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA Skin, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. The Company is recognized for its leadership and innovation in promoting environmental sustainability and community well-being, including its achievements in saving water, reducing waste, promoting recyclability and improving children's oral health through its Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, which has reached more than 1.3 billion children since 1991. For more information about Colgate's global business and how the Company is building a future to smile about, visit www.colgate-palmolive.com. CL-C

About Kendra Scott
Kendra Scott is a leading fashion accessories brand inspired by the personal experiences, travel, and sense of community of its founder and designer, Kendra Scott. With over 2,000 employees, Kendra Scott has over 100 standalone stores across the US and is sold in premiere retailers including Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, and 600 specialty boutiques worldwide and boasts a thriving web business. Kendra Scott is best known for its kaleidoscope of fashion jewelry accessories as well as the customizable Color Bar™ experience, and in recent years has expanded into the categories of fine jewelry, sterling silver, home décor, and beauty. As the brand continues to grow, the company remains true to its founding philosophy of "Family, Fashion, Philanthropy" and since 2010, the company has given back over $40 million to local, national, and international causes.

About Ripple
Ripple is the only enterprise blockchain company today with products in commercial use by hundreds of customers across 55+ countries. These businesses have access to alternative liquidity solutions through Ripple's global network, which uniquely uses the XRP Ledger and its native digital asset XRP to help improve payments services worldwide. Ripple's solutions unify the infrastructure underlying global payments and through the power of decentralized financial technology are bringing access to an open and inclusive system no matter where you are in the world. Ripple's global payment solutions are helping transform how vulnerable populations, remitters and small businesses worldwide, send and receive money across borders.

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SOURCE 1,000 Dreams Fund