In a world that may seem scary, nerve racking, or uneasy, it is important for people to find their happy place. It is important that we have a safe space to be ourselves whatever that may look like. Estela Rivas Bryant is someone who has been able to offer this to young female hockey players through a local non-profit program. Estela is an El Segundo native who has been coaching youth hockey for 25 years. She is also a first generation Mexican American and takes pride in always wanting too always better herself and those around her. As for her hockey experience she was able to play club hockey for local school, West LA College and still finds time to get on the ice and play today. I had the opportunity to meet with Estela and it was amazing to hear about the good things that are being put on in our community by even better people.

Estela mentioned in an interview that "it’s a huge moment when a girl can stand in a room and raise her hand saying I play hockey". I found this to be one of my favorite quotes from our interview because it shows the impact that we can have on people, and it demonstrates the way this non-profit program impacts the younger generation of female hockey players. Estela may be a youth hockey coach, but she herself did not start playing the sport until she was 19 years old. As a former athlete I love to hear where and when someone found their athletic passion and Estela's was just as interesting as I imagined. She had said that her spark came from her friend's toddler wanting to learn the sport and so she decided to learn with him. This was a defining moment in her life as it had led to an amazing non-profit called The Empowerment Effect.

There is something incredibly special about someone who can take their passion and turn that in the direction of finding a way to give back to others. The Empowerment Effect is a program that is put on by strong mentors from southern California and its female hockey community. It is stated that the mission is to create a safe space where girls can and will be empowered to grow and flourish as confident, engaged, young adults. This program is also supported through amazing partnerships such as our local Los Angeles NHL team, The Kings. These young girls also have access to ice time, gear, and even lessons that can be taken from the ice and implemented into their daily lives. The program meets three times a month whether that be on the ice as well as giving the girls the opportunity to learn something outside of hockey. An example of this was when a local banker came out to speak to the girls about budgeting and credit. There are also moments where the girls can see other women in their respected line of work and Estela mentioned that this is important because "if the girls can actively see it, then that means it can happen for them too." It is comments like this that make people reflect on how special and beneficial this program is for young female athletes in today's world.

This non-profit program also consists of nothing but volunteers who continue to have day jobs but still find time to give back to the youth in their community. When interviewing Estela, I asked her about how this idea came to be and she mentioned wanting to give young girls a place that just belongs to them and a place that is all about their development and passions. So, when she told me about pitching the idea of this non-profit to her friends it made complete sense. There is no way you would be able to have a functional program that is supposed to motivate, empower, and push for change if it were not created by someone who is a mirror image of the mission statement itself. Estela mentioned to me that pitching The Empowerment Effect to her friends, and now fellow volunteers and board members, was the scariest presentation she has ever had to give. It made her realize that she has a group of people who are just as passionate about this as she is and that is evident in the way this program has been able to give back to the girls who step foot on the ice with them every month.

It is noticeably clear that this program is not just about hockey. Estela and her volunteers make sure that it is strict about these girls being able to call this place home away from home. We a lot of the time do not get to see or hear about the amazing, dedicated, hard-working people in our own community and it is something so beautiful to witness and be aware of. Lastly, Estela told me that this is about "giving people a reason to come together and it just so happened to be hockey". It is very evident that The Empowerment Effect can bring more than a few people together, but it has the power to bring together an entire community and I really hope that for people who read this feel the deep love and passion that comes from this local non-profit wonder. With people like Estela Rivas Byrant and her volunteers, it gives me, and I am sure countless others, clarity, and joy that there are amazing people out there just wanting to help make our home a better place for everyone.

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Bio:

Maileena Faaita is a south bay native who grew up in Torrance and is currently finishing her bachelor's degree in multidisciplinary studies with honors and will pursue graduate school. She grew up playing soccer and is now a collegiate and semi-professional athlete. Aside from sports Maileena has recognized her passion for writing and storytelling. Being able to capture and share stories for the world to experience is Maileena's ultimate career goal.