earn respect rather than gatekeep access to whatever will lift them out of precarity and/or realize their dreams.

too many "mentors" are narcicists who want someone to fuel them with enough narcicistic supply to "earn" things like referrals to non-abusive companies/teams that should be freely given.

by this point, i look askance at formal mentorship -- just be an ally, a friend -- turn to he person next to you and speak like they're your brother or sister.

(yes, this means you can never "date" them -- so goddamn tired of people conflating that and networking)