Community Leader Provides Intentional Leadership with Nonprofit

Community Leader Provides Intentional Leadership with Nonprofit

By: Ari Christine

To assume that girls receive all the mentorship they need at home and at school would be an incredible disservice to young people. The truth is, there can never be enough compassionate figures and “good examples” in the life of a developing mind.

Cynthia Rogers recognized this need when she was just a little girl, longing for guidance and support. She came from a good home and a loving family, but she couldn’t quite shake the desire for inspiration and mentorship in her community.

“The sense of community and feeling that I had a village truly shaped my perception of the world,” she explains. “I didn’t even realize it was my village at the time, but I know that my adolescence and youth benefited from the women who took an interest in my positive growth.”

Rogers, a Dallas native, takes particular interest in the growth and success of inner-city girls. Her vision for mentorship became clearer the more she would work with her nieces. She found joy in teaching them various skills.

Divas DFW, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that is the brainchild of Rogers.

The membership-based program currently consists of girls ages 12 - 18 in the Greater Dallas area. The membership spans the length of an academic school year, easily becoming part of the members’ weekly routine. Divas DFW, Inc ensures that girls are well-equipped with life skills and exposed to confidence building practices, leadership, healthy cooking, sustainability and more.

The organization became active in January of 2010, serving as an independent nonprofit. In late 2023, Divas DFW, Inc. would go on to operate as a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization. Over the years, the group has partnered with various recreation centers to host consistent events.

Rogers, along with seven mentors serve as positive role models who work diligently to plan meaningful events and to engage the members in weekly calls.

“We meet once per month, but the mentors reach out to the mentees every week for check ins,” Rogers explains. “The girls are very receptive of the phone calls.”

Mya Montelongo and Tenea White are two of the younger mentors for Divas DFW, Inc. Both were part of Rogers’ initial group when she began the organization several years ago. For Rogers and the organizational board, it means the world to see members grow up and return to be mentors. She feels that her work is not in vain when the girls grow up and want to return as mentors.

“It was important for me to return to Divas DFW Inc, as a mentor because I remember how loved and secure I felt within the sisterhood,” mentor Tenea White shares. “Divas DFW ultimately transformed me into the woman that I am today, and I would love to help other young ladies to have that same positive outcome.”

Like so many nonprofit organizations – Divas DFW, Inc is run by dedicated mentors who are also professionals. Running the nonprofit has been a true labor of love for Rogers, as she does have a full-time career. The 53-year-old mother and grandmother of three is a Trademark and Contract Business Law paralegal, a cooking instructor and a plant-based lifestyle cook. Instead of reflecting on the business demands of her life, she constantly looks for ways to lend her expertise to the girls in her organization.

The goal for Rogers is to one day run her organization full-time, as she believes there will always be young girls in need of sincere mentors. Most immediately, the plan is to expand to mentoring girls as young as seven years old. During recruiting efforts at various recreation centers and throughout the Dallas metroplex, several community members have urged Rogers to expand her age range.

“My niche has always been working with high school girls, but I now have mentors who are more than capable of working with younger girls,” Rogers explains.

There are several misconceptions about what a DIVA is, but Rogers is ever-so-excited to share her definition and the inspiration for naming the organization Divas DFW, Inc.

“Being a diva is not necessarily about dressing up and wearing makeup. I want my girls to identify their natural beauty and what makes them unique,” Rogers shares. “This

experience is about self-discovery and feeling good about oneself.”