Organization Reaches Out To Hispanic Girls, Mentors Them To Becomes Successful Leaders

Started as an after-school activity in 2006 by Alexandra Richards and Paula Barrenechea, then 14 and 13, respectively, Moda Real has grown into an organization that has more than 100 girls who became a part of the its mission to help girls between 8-18 in the Hispanic community become leaders who look good on the outside, while feeling good on the inside.

“Moda Real began as a way to teach young Hispanic girls about inner beauty as well as outer beauty,” said Barrenchea, now 18, who attends Holy Spirit Preparatory School in Atlanta. This became a necessity for young girls who were easily receiving negative messages on how to dress and behave ultimately attracting negative attention. “These girls face a culture clash between the American and Hispanic cultures, and with their parents working all of the time, the adaptation becomes difficult so the social messages they receive about how to dress or act can have a negative impact ,” added Richards, now 19.

When the two teenagers set off this idea, their mothers got involved with their daughters and volunteers to work with the young girls who joined the program. “It is important that our kids go out and give back to the community,” said Ilse Barrenechea, who is a director for Moda Real. “[Our girls] are receiving great information but they won’t know the value of it unless they pay it forward.”