The core mission now revolves around empowering women through employment, starting in these rural communities. As the company grows, the vision extends to establishing a mentoring program for artisans, drawing inspiration from the transformative power of mentoring experienced in urban centers like Trenton, NJ.
Culebra Island, Puerto Rico (above)
Mango Fish, Inc. headquarters in western Massachusetts (above)
I was fortunate to be hired as a school librarian in August 2017 at Franklin County Technical School, Turners Falls, the northwestern part of MA, where our students lived in rural hill towns, some of them riding a bus for 1.5 hours each way (similar to our Culebra high school students who traveled via ferry to the main island for education/college – their mornings were early, starting at 5:00 a.m. to catch the 6:30 a.m. ferry, returning home around 9:00 p.m. – making for a long day and a quick turnaround to the next morning). I learned early on how dedicated these students were to their education and gaining vocational skills that would make them highly employable.
As a native New Jerseyan, I made assumptions about MA -- that it had a solid social safety net, etc. Within a few months of employment, there was a request from our guidance office seeking donations from staff so they could purchase heating oil for a student’s family who had none, in the middle of January, when overnight temperatures were below zero.
This was my first wake-up call to poverty in the rural hill towns of western and northern MA. That week, I approached our business office about the demographics of our students, intending to write grants for programs or materials that our students could use. I asked about the level of poverty and was stunned when I was told that 40% of our students were living in poverty. I returned to the library, looked up at the ceiling, and wondered how I could create jobs. As I was learning about our students, the last paper mill company in Turners Falls was in the news, with a notice of closing.
At this point, two ideas collided -- how could I create jobs in the hill towns of western MA using my jewelry skills? This is that AHA moment -- to create jobs, I needed a market that was robust and constant ... years ago, I had made a hand-sewn bead using navy and gold beads, and I remembered that it reminded me of the official colors of the University of Notre Dame. My jewelry collection which had begun in the Caribbean was pivoting to the collegiate and sororities markets, where we use the official Pantone colors of these institutions.
UMass Amherst Graduation Cap Tassel Charm (above)
Ultimately, I was compelled to address my students' poverty as I saw their dedication to breaking the cycle of poverty (whether or not they could see that), AND, as I traveled through this region of MA, I realized how rural and isolated these towns and families were. Public transportation did not cater to these rural towns, and even with a proposed East-West Train Line, public transportation for these towns would still be lacking.
I have worked in urban centers where poverty exists, but services and resources are more accessible within the immediate area, and there is a greater network of public transportation.
Rural poverty, to me, is more challenging, and by its very nature, more invisible. It is this invisibility that struck a chord with me and called me to action. I can empathize with the invisibility of poverty because I feel like my own family experienced it at times, while growing up in a middle-class NJ suburb. I remember picking up my dad from the Edison train station on his commute home from NYC, and heading to Cumberland Farms for only a gallon of milk and paying with coins.
Today my company's mission is to Empower Women by Employing Women, starting in the rural hill towns of western MA, where poverty is as high as 40%. Once an artisan is trained, they can work from home, removing the barrier of lack of transportation. Once we are more established, I would like to begin a mentoring program for our artisans. I have seen the power of mentoring while working as a librarian in public libraries, particularly in Trenton, NJ. More on those incredible stories!
Side note -- I resigned from my very good school librarianship job in June 2019 and have been working hard to launch Mango Fish, Inc.!
]]>These are Lori's recollections of living on an exquisitely beautiful and tiny island in the Caribbean, how she returned to the States and started a business in western Massachusetts after witnessing deep poverty among her high school students. Her company is empowering women via employment and mentoring, made possible with her exquisite gift and jewelry collection, honoring and celebrating all kinds of wondrous achievements!
]]>My husband and I lived on the colorfully picturesque, tiny, Puerto Rican island of Culebra, where we owned Mango Fish Guesthouse. Our beloved neighbor, Miguelina, grew mangoes on a postage stamp piece of property and shared with us 9 different species of mangos … mango trees can get BIG! She told us all of their names — mamita, pina, pasote and others …. some were eaten fresh, others we turned into jams. Their skins were a pastel painting, golden yellow, tangerine orange, rose pink, deep plum.
Miguelina and Marcos's home surrounded by huge mango trees
We thought it utterly amazing that these robust and fruitful trees could grow on such a small lot. We thought it miraculous as these trees provided substantial shade and nourishment, asking for little in return.
Fish became an important part of our name and logo as Culebra is known for its pristine waters that are perfect for marveling under the sea, yet one fish really captured our imagination and attention, the Palometa fish. Palometa are silver glittery fish, wafer thin with extraordinary long and dark fins. In other words, they are simply beautiful. But there’s more!
World famous Flamenco Beach ... Palometa fish would find us here, too!
Whenever we snorkeled at remote Carlos Rosario beach, a school of Palometa fish would arrive out of nowhere, darting between our legs, nibbling on the sea floor that we just churned up, and swimming with us until we entered the deeper channel and thus the coral reefs. We encountered Palometas each and every time we entered Culebra’s waters and saw it as something so magical and beautiful, that we decided to introduce and share them with others through our logo!
How does this all relate to our Proud of U.™ gift collection, our company and its mission?
Lori's jewelry career began in the Caribbean, where she celebrated vibrant tropical colors in her work.
We are in the business of showcasing the official Pantone colors of colleges, universities, private and public schools, sororities, and other achievement-based organizations. Culebra showcased her glorious colors to us daily. They were simply miraculous. We now have the honor of working with schools and sororities, highlighting their uniquely beautiful palette of colors for our Proud of U. gift collection.
Honoring the University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Celebrating the Williston Northampton School and its graduates!
Our pendants, although petite, exude the grand magic and intricacies of one’s finest achievements, whether academic, athletic, or in sisterhood. Behind each mango tree is a strong effort to grow, thrive and create … so, too, is it when one accomplishes a goal or a milestone, such as graduation or sorority acceptance.
The Palometa represent our strong mission to lift up women living in poverty through employment at Mango Fish, Inc.™. Time and time again, the Palometa would show up, against the tides and rough seas, to offer us their beauty and guidance to the deeper sea. Our leadership at Mango Fish, Inc. will always show up to address invisible rural poverty, beginning in western MA, flowing out to all of New England, and beyond to the dynamic sea that we call America.
-- OWN YOUR POWER AND TAKE A DREAMY CHANCE
-- SPLASH YOUR WORLD WITH COLOR
-- SHARE COMPASSION