Career Horizons Growth Celebration, 2022

The Glow Up Is Real!

A baby grand piano takes up one corner of Sue and Jay Lichtor’s formal living room.

“Who is the pianist?” Sue asks.

The pajama-clad young women who’ve congregated around Sue’s kitchen island for cereal and orange juice still have sleep in their eyes. They’ve been up late journaling, painting their nails, and preparing for the Career Horizon’s Growth Ceremony that’s set to take over the Lichtor’s backyard in just a few hours.

“Hanna was teaching Monica how to play Chopsticks,” says one of the girls.

“How great!” Says Sue, “That piano hasn’t been played in years!”

Sue and Jay Lichtor have two daughters of their own and are long-time supporters of Just in Time’s Career Horizons service, which is focused on empowering females and non-binary transition age foster youth – Pairing them with female coaches from the community; providing them with essential resources and education to promote personal and professional growth; creating access to mental wellness resources, and, of course, connecting them to meaningful relationships to sustain and support them.

In the hillside surrounding the Lichtor’s yard, Career Horizons participants and their coaches congregated beneath the fruit trees for portraits.

The Growth Ceremony presided over by Youth Services Coordinator Esme Muñoz, included a speech from Career Horizon participant Nancy Rodallegas and a gratitude meditation guided by Dr. Kelly Vincent.

Dr. Vincent invited all attendees to close their eyes, settle into the space and bring into their minds any part of the Career Horizons experience that they felt forever grateful for.

“Through Career Horizons, I was able to develop a relationship with myself and to rediscover my true identity. Most importantly, I had a community that made it possible. The workshops helped me identify my needs and my wants, but it especially helped me with asking for help. Through this journey I have discovered who I am and who I aspire to be. I am tenacious, a Latina, invincible and resilient.”

Nancy Rodallegas, JIT Career Horizons Participant

Career Horizon’s coaches received recognition from the young women of the cohort during a “Rose Ceremony.”

To close the celebration, Career Horizon’s participants received certificates signifying their completion of the cohort and also their commitment to personal growth and discovery.