Meet Delani Delgado | Development Coordinator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Delani Delgado and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Delani, how does your business help the community?
Friends LA provides long-term, salaried, professional mentors who walk alongside children in Los Angeles County impacted by foster care for 4 hours each week from kindergarten through high school graduation — a 12+ year commitment, no matter what. We don’t stop there. Our two-generation approach includes not only the children, but also addresses the needs of their parents as well. Our work is focused on prevention because at our core we believe in keeping families together and ending multigenerational poverty.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As the Development Coordinator for Friends LA, my job is to support and execute fundraising and development operations that will sustain our ability to carry out our mission. What sets me apart from other professionals in my field is I actually started my position with only 3 months worth of fundraising experience under my belt! I transitioned to this role after being a professional mentor with Friends of the Children and fell absolutely in love with the organization and its value​s.

A challenge I struggle with to this day is believing in myself and my capabilities. As a woman and a person of color, I have been repeatedly exposed to the idea that my potential in life has limits. It wasn’t until I arrived at Friends LA that I gave myself permission to erase those limits and let my innate talents and abilities be boundless.

The culture of Friends LA has played a prominent part in this process, largely due to the organization’s Core Assets. Core Assets are specific qualities we focus on to ensure the social and emotional development of our youth. Our nine Core Assets are Growth Mindset, Belonging, Hope, Problem Solving, Perseverance & Grit, Self Management, Self Determination, Find Your Spark, and Positive Relationship Building.

Personally, the Core Assets that most motivate me to develop professionally are Growth Mindset, Perseverance & Grit, and Self Determination.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The first stop on my list would be to visit Griffith Park and the Griffith Observatory. My best friend adores space and anything related to the cosmos, so I know she would get an absolutely kick out of the Observatory and the planetarium. Next, we’d wander down Third Street Promenade to see street performers and do some shopping and people watching. Last but not least, we would we would make our way to Little Tokyo to find a mom-and-pop hole in wall for sushi!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Our Founder Duncan Campbell deserves a huge shoutout! Friends of the Children was originally established in 1993 by entrepreneur Duncan Campbell and his wife, Cindy Campbell, in Portland, OR. After finding business success, Duncan wanted to help kids who suffered from challenging childhoods like his. In 1992, the Campbell Institute for Children, conducted extensive research to determine the most effective program model to help young children overcome adversity and realize their inherent resilience and potential. The research clearly indicated that the strongest protective factor a child can have is a long-term, nurturing relationship with a consistent and caring adult. Fast forward to 2021, and Friends of the Children – Los Angeles is serving over 200 children and families through the power of long-term professional mentorship. Without Duncan’s vision and commitment to putting children first, dozens of children in Los Angeles County would not have a Friend in their life.

Website: friendsla.org

Instagram: @friendsla

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delani-delgado/

Twitter: @FriendsSoCal

Facebook: FriendsLA

Other: Email: ddelgado@friendsla.org