Latin America Leadership Program

by Guadalupe Ramirez

The journey and motivation of each GCL mentor are unique. In Orly’s case, her calling to contribute to the lives of others began organically during her childhood. Her mother is Bolivian, her father is American, and she was born in Mexico. From a very young age, Orly and her sister witnessed their parents volunteering and supporting the causes of various nonprofit organizations, whether in education, community development, or as members of boards of directors.

For Orly, the importance of building community and helping others was not a theoretical lesson, but something she learned through her parents’ example. She grew up watching them put these values into practice and understood that contributing to the well-being of others could be part of everyday life.

“I am very grateful for life and, because of that, I feel the need to help others. The more genuine and positive human connections we have, the better the world will be. I deeply believe in the value of building community and supporting one another; to me, that is what a fulfilling life is all about,” Orly Goldsmith (GCL 2015, Mexico)

Later, throughout her academic and professional education, as well as her career as a social entrepreneur in Mexico, Orly had the opportunity to live in Israel, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. These experiences allowed her to interact with people from highly diverse cultural backgrounds and broaden her perspective on the different ways of understanding and addressing challenges.

Drawing on this combination of experiences and lessons, she has developed a mentoring approach based on genuine connection, taking a holistic view, helping develop soft skills—which, in her opinion, are powerful skills—active listening, and identifying needs, while providing support to address challenges at both the personal and organizational levels. This perspective is also reflected in her current position as a Program Officer at the Jim Joseph Foundation.

GCL, a multigenerational bond that transcends time and distance

For Orly, serving as a mentor is a way of planting seeds today for present and future generations of leaders in social entrepreneurship. It is her way of modeling how others can also find ways to help those around them, whether through their own initiatives or by becoming future mentors themselves.

She recognizes that GCL was an extraordinary experience and is deeply grateful for the support that she and other members of her cohort received, whether directly from the program or from other organizations through scholarships or funding. For her, participating in GCL was possible because other people decided to invest in her development. That is why helping others is one of her main motivations: it is her way of giving back for the opportunities and support she has received throughout her life.

“GCL was an experience that transformed my life and the lives of my cohort peers. The more people who have the opportunity to participate in programs like this, the better our society will be. Being part of GCL was a privilege that also left me with a responsibility to give back and help ensure that others have access to equally transformative experiences,” Orly Goldsmith (GCL 2015, Mexico)

Finally, Orly reflects on what it means to her to be a mentor to GCL participants and sums it up as an opportunity to relive part of that experience, reconnect with the community, and reconnect with what is happening today. Being a mentor allows her to be energized anew, just as she was when she participated in the program 10 years ago, and to once again be part of a unique experience that creates connection, purpose, and meaning in people’s lives.

Thank you, Orly, for your enthusiasm and commitment to continuing to build, strengthen, and elevate the GCL participant and alumni community!