Mentorship Beyond Guidance
Clockwise from top left: Tassion Minor, Sheba Turk; Sheba, Kim Bondy; Tassion.
In our previous post we introduced Kim, Sheba, and Tassion and their PowHERful intergenerational mentorship. Kim Bondy, an award-winning journalist with years of success in senior management, has supported PowHERful Foundation since its inception. Sheba Turk, with the assistance of a PowHERful scholarship and Kim’s mentorship, completed her college degree and now works as a TV news anchor and reporter in Los Angeles. Tassion Minor, a recruiter for Stifel Financial Corp., got a solid start in her profession through the help of her mentor Sheba, and the support of Kim Bondy and PowHERful Foundation’s founder and on-going mentor Soledad O’Brien. Their story continues here:
Thinking back, Kim remembers how her and Sheba’s shared experience of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath in New Orleans made for a truly remarkable kinship. “We had New Orleans in common,” Kim says, “and, because we were not that far removed from Hurricane Katrina, perhaps there was a bit of trauma bonding. Sheba didn’t have to explain to me the difficulties she and her family were still experiencing—I was living it.”
Building on this foundation, Sheba describes the many ways in which Kim was a great model and a “safe space” for her, in college and in work. “If I was struggling financially, Kim helped me find extra gigs. If I had work issues, she would help me handle it or connect me to her network so that someone else she knew could help. Emotionally, she made me realize how helpful it was to feel like you always had someone in your corner.”
Through the trust that developed, Sheba was open to Kim’s wisdom and her encouragement to make bold career moves, like relocating to Los Angeles. But the support wasn't limited to education and work; it encompassed personal growth and exposure to the world. Through Kim and Sheba’s shared values of honesty and loyalty, the mentorship blossomed into an enduring relationship.
Even now, grounded as Sheba is in her career success, she remarks, “Kim still helps when I get stuck. She is one of the first people I reach out to for any important decision.”
“Because I have a background in news,” Kim says, “Sheba doesn’t have to translate for me. We can get straight to the heart of the matter. She also knows that she can talk to me about anything.”
Sheba continues, “Over time, Kim has started to feel very much like a second mom. I know how well she understands me and what I care about. So, when mentoring Tassion, I’ve tried to mirror these qualities. I know how important it is to give Tassion guidance not based not on what I’d like, but on what she herself wants for her life.”
And, sometimes, it’s important to push someone beyond what they envision for themselves. A fundamental principle, passed from Kim to Sheba, that Sheba in turn passed on to Tassion, is to stretch beyond your comfort zone to continue to grow. It was to this end that Kim gave Sheba a very tangible gift: her first passport. “I included with the passport a note that said ‘Go see the world.’ It’s the best advice, and best exposure, I could give her.”
Sheba kept this advice top of mind. And when she learned Tassion was afraid to travel outside of the country, Sheba made Tassion a deal: “I told her that if she studied abroad for a semester through PowHERful, I would come visit her. Tassion chose to go to Kenya, and I went to visit her for two weeks. It was the first time either of us had left the country!”
Looking back, Tassion considers her time studying abroad in Kenya her biggest milestone in college. “It was the longest and farthest I’ve ever been from my family. I admit I was reluctant to go at first, but once I arrived I didn’t want to leave. I learned how adaptable I am, and how I can thrive in new settings.”
A couple of years ago, already in the workforce, Tassion’s journey took a turn that neither she nor Sheba could have anticipated. Tassion explains, “I was in a very unhappy place. My job was absolutely soul sucking, and it didn’t pay well. It had such a negative impact on my mental health that I up and left without securing another job. What at first was a huge relief became a hardship: after months of job hunting and not landing a thing, I was completely broke. This sent me on a downward spiral.
“That’s when PowHERful’s support really kicked in. Soledad took me under her wing—she moved me into her bungalow in West Palm Beach, introduced me to horseback riding, and prepped me for job interviews. Both Kim and Sheba were there to bolster me emotionally. I started to see that, if the career in journalism I’d so hoped for wasn’t opening up, perhaps there was a path better suited to me. With the guidance of Soledad, Kim, and Sheba, I landed the kind of job I had never considered. I’m now employed as a recruiter at Stifel, a full service investment bank. The career switch made it possible for me to quadruple my salary and move to NYC. And it just wouldn’t have happened without the support of my PowHERful family.”
“Like my mentor Sheba,” Tassion says, “I’m passionate about people, and about making an impact. I’ve been able to share the knowledge and insights I’ve gained through the mentorship with other young women…. What has surprised me the most about Sheba’s and my relationship is how far it has gone. We’ve grown so close that I now consider her more of a big sister.”
Sheba has a unique vantage point as a link between Kim and Tassion. “I really am surprised that my mentor and mentee are two of the most important people in my life. They’ve been there for me at my brightest and darkest moments. When I lost my dad in 2019, they were my support system. I don’t know how I would have gotten through without them. And not long after, when Tassion lost her brother, I was there for her…. We are like family. It’s funny how a relationship that was supposed to help my career blossomed into a space where I feel so loved and accepted.”
Kim, their PowHERful ‘wise-council,’ considers the strong bonds beyond mentorship that have been formed through years of attention and care. “We maintain our connection through active listening, open communication, shared values, and ongoing support for each other.” Sheba adds, “What has definitely played a part in the mentorship is identifying my values, and this has allowed me to be intentional on my career journey.” And Tassion enthusiastically concurs, “We talk about values and goals all the time. And we inspire each other to be great in every aspect of life.”
Read more about Kim, Sheba, and Tassion and their mentorship from last month’s introduction to Intergenerational Mentoring here.