To close out Hispanic Heritage Month, I’d like to share a personal reflection of what this month has meant to me.
Early in September, I traveled to Dallas to attend the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives Annual Leadership Summit in my capacity of Chapter President. I loved seeing Latino healthcare professionals celebrating our heritage and focused on the importance of representation, advocating, and cheering for each other as we hold or aspire to hold positions of decision-making power to impact healthcare from many perspectives, as caregivers, administrators, or consumers. At the Gala de las Estrellas, NALHE Northern California was officially recognized as the 20th chapter of NALHE.
A few weeks later I was on my way to Mexico to celebrate my dad with a service in his hometown of Cocula, Jalisco, Mexico. My dad passed away from cancer in early 2022. The occasion couldn’t be better – his ceremony was held on the last weekend of the month-long celebration of San Miguel where “hijos ausentes” (missing sons and daughters) return to Mexico to connect with their customs and heritage. It was a weekend filled with music, laughter, and delicious food.
Next, it was time to continue the work of advocacy and change. Latina Equal Pay Day was on October 3. I spent the day at San Jose State University joining Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley in a roundtable discussion with community leaders on the intersections of business, hiring practices, and equity. The day concluded with a march through campus and a press conference with elected officials, business leaders, and academics on the imperative to address the gender wage gap. Did you know Latinas make up 1% of C-suite executives? According to The State of Latinas In Corporate America report by McKinsey and Lean In, the broken wrung at the initial step to manager position compounded by the Director to C-Suite drop off account for the disproportionate lack of Latinas at the highest levels of corporate leadership. The Report outlines actionable changes business leaders can implement to address this gap, such as training, development, and sponsorship to prepare women for leadership roles. At Lean In Latinas, this is what drives us every day.
Lastly, this past weekend, I was humbled to be invited to the Silicon Valley Latino Leadership Summit. The night before, a welcome dinner sparked lively discussions about career, family, identity, speaking Spanish, and the terms Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine was the perfect way to tap into the brain trust in the room the next day. Hearing from incredibly accomplished leaders who happen to be Latino talk about the importance of staying focused, being purpose-driven, and living a life of eulogy virtues rather than resume virtues was the pinnacle to the month.
These highlights show the facets of my life and career that drive me. With networks, mentors, sponsors, change agents, coalitions, and system change, change is possible. Adelante y con ganas!