I have a college-bound 10th grader. We're obsessing over college. So guess how excited I am to have just found out about Flight of the Quetzal Mama: How to Raise Latino Superstars and Get Them Into the Best Colleges (aff). I have not read it, yet, but here is the book description:
Move over, Tiger Mom! Latinos now have Quetzal Mama.
A book for Latino parents of college-bound students
Author Roxanne Ocampo – aka “Quetzal Mama” – is a proud Latina mom who has demystified the complex college admissions process for Latino students. After strategizing her own children’s pathway to Harvard and USC, Quetzal Mama shares her strategies. She created the term, “Quetzal Mama” to refer to any person (male or female) who takes a leadership role in nurturing future Latino Superstars.
She provides a 3-prong approach to raising Latino Superstars that ensures Latino parents are focused and informed to prepare their students for success in academia.
First, she provides parental guiding principles to nurture future Latino scholars. She calls them the “10 Quetzal Mama Principles.” Her Principles are more than philosophical ideas. She provides tactical, hands-on activities that she employed as a parent with remarkable success.
Second, she shows parents how to “Work the System,” the intricate, inside track of K-12 public school systems that elude most Latino parents. She provides a step-by-step guide covering K-5, middle school, and high school – all geared toward maximizing college success.
Lastly, she explains the nitty-gritty of the “College Admissions Process,” including how to strategize extracurricular activities, manage timelines, write an effective personal statement, create a Cyber Profile, and focus on each component of the college application process. No Hype. She informs students and parents with what they need to do, when they need to do it, and how they can achieve it.
College-bound Latino students
Her book provides resources, tips, strategies, and practical wisdom. Her book was written with the conviction that Latino parents are not looking to understand why their children should go to college but how to get them there. The content appeals to Latino students as each chapter includes culturally-authentic language and examples, recognizable colloquialisms, personal and relatable stories, and addresses our specific needs and challenges. Her writing comes from working directly with Latino students including traditional, non-traditional, first-generation, migrant, as well as undocumented students.
This book will empower Latino parents so their children can achieve academic excellence, become the leaders they were intended to be, and make a valuable contribution to humanity. Become a Quetzal Mama!