Who are we? And what is Latinidad?

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring issues of identity, especially about ethnicity.  In a few weeks, we’ll be speaking with Stephanie Elizondo Griest, author of Mexican Enough.  In her wonderful book she takes a journey into Mexico and learns more about herself, her identity and what it means to her to be Latina (as well as a lot about a country that is one of our neighbors!). 
 
For all of us who live in the United States, being Latina is in some ways a problematic identity.  I don’t know about you, but how many of you (even if born here) have been asked, "Where are you from?"
 
And it’s difficult to answer this question in a way that responds to the person who’s asking in a way that truly satisfies the question.  I’ve been guilty in the past of answering "San Diego", but then that only reflects where I now live and doesn’t answer what people want to know. 
 
Other times I’ve said, "I was born in Texas."  But really, when we get asked that question — even by other Latinos! — they want to know what is our country of origin (or that of our ancestors).  And boy, does that answer have a BUNCH of different answers, right?!?!
 
For example, I’ve been in bars where the music is a bit loud, and when asked a question I didn’t hear I respond, "Mande?" (if the bar plays Spanish music or caters to a largely Hispanic crowd) and then had people say, "Nevermind" because the question was, "De donde eres tu?" (where are you from?) and the answer is a uniquely Mexican response.
 
In other contexts, I’ve had people stumble over the question, afraid that it was somehow rude, or not "politically correct" but still wanting to know.  And yet in other spaces I’ve been told, "But you don’t look Mexican!" as if that were a compliment, or even sometimes, as an insult, "You don’t look Mexican, you look more Italian."
 
All of the above reflect what happens in our circles that make the issue of identity so difficult.  Are we part of an "in-group" or an "out-group" and do we *want* to be "in" or "out"?
 
And, of course, I haven’t even started to address questions of language and how that is so intertwined with identity that I’ve heard things like, "Well, he/she is not a *real* Latino because they don’t speak Spanish!"  And I know that is a very painful aspect of some people’s lives (including my own!) because what does ability to speak a certain language have to do with how you’re treated in public places, or school, or even amongst friends who want to tell a "Mexican" joke?
 
So over the next couple of weeks, we’ll pick up all these ideas, turn them over, and pore over them.  I hope you’ll join me in this investigation, and, as always, I’d love to hear from you… 

Latina Leaders Show Gratitude

We spoke about gratitude last week and how the Powerful Latinas we’ve interviewed take time to show appreciation and hold an "attitude of gratitude" daily.
 
This past weekend I was at MANA de San Diego’s annual gala dinner for at which two amazing women were honored (two of our former guests!), and many more wonderful women were in attendance.
 
And I notice that in these organizations we have such a wonderful spirit of both giving and receiving.  It’s a beautiful circle of both offering what we can, and being grateful for what we currently have and what is offered to us.
 
Gratitude is something that we take time to cultivate and if we’re in the right frame of mind, gifts come back to us ten-fold. 
 
I’ve been so blessed this past year to have had the opportunity to speak with some wonderful role models and thought leaders in the Latino community.  Latina women who have dedicated their lives to making the world around them a better place — and who take the time to appreciate all that they’ve received.
 
So to you, dear friend, thank you for joining me along this journey, and to all my wonderful (former and future!) guests, thank you for your contributions to helping our lives be better.
 
And I know that there are *many* of you out there who take time to help those around you in many ways, big and small.  So thank you for all you do.
 
I started this path of sharing women’s stories and it’s grown into an exciting and wonderful journey for me.  I hope you, too, have a goal to change our world in some profound ways and see the shifts that happen.
 
Along those lines, I want to let each of you know there are efforts underway to ensure that we get good Hispanic representation in the new Obama Administration, and the National Hispana Leadership Institute is particularly advocating for Latinas.
 
If you are interested in being considered for a position in the Obama Administration, you need to apply at www.change.gov, and then your resumes can be sent and promoted through the various channels that are organizing efforts. 
 
The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) is leading the advocacy on behalf of Latinos.  Here is a link to NHLA’s efforts.  They have a great page with links to the Obama site, the plum book etc.    
 
http://www.nationalhispanicleadership.org/resources.html
 
NHLI also asks that you make sure to let them know what you are applying for, so they can promote you.

Please let everyone in your circle know about these opportunities, if you think they would be interested.  Let’s all be a part of the circle of giving and receiving.
 
I hope you ALL have a wonderful holiday and are able to celebrate in gratitude for all you are and have…

The Healing of Arts

The arts are incredible and can provide so many different things for so many people.  This week, Dr. Ana Jimenez told us the arts are truly powerful and can change lives, especially for those with special needs.
 
Ana shared with us that the arts can be an avenue for self-expression for inner-city kids, an outlet for culture and community, and a mechanism for healing.
 
Although the study of "therapeutic arts" in the contemporary medical world may be relatively new, in actuality the practice of using the arts to heal is not a new idea at all.  We can see instances of using the arts to heal in many ancient texts, including mythology and religious teachings.
 
So it’s not so surprising that the arts have a powerful affect on us.  And moreover, that the outlet of the arts can provide so many different kinds of healing for people from all different backgrounds and of all different ages.
 
We all know that music and the arts can influence your mood, affect your emotions and motivation, and help you express what’s inside without words.
 
This weekend, enjoy the arts around you and maybe even share with someone around you (a child?) how arts have touched your life and ask them what kinds of arts touch them.  You may even want to explore new kinds of art (visual? movement? new types of music?) with someone that hasn’t been exposed to it before — even if that someone is you! 
 
Have a wonderful weekend,
 
Aurelia

P.S.  In case you missed Ana’s interview, you can purchase either the audio or the transcript (or both) of the interview at the special pre-sale price until next Wednesday.  Click here to find out more…

Ana Jimenez

Dr. Ana Jimenez is the Founder and Executive Director of the Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, a community-based organization in Santa Ana dedicated to empowering at-risk youth and children with special needs through Arts, Literacy and Therapeutic programs.

>> How did Ana come to found this center, and what interesting stories does she have to share with us about the work of the Center?

Dr. Jimenez is also a part-time faculty at Chapman University in the School of Education.

>> I’ll be discussing with Ana what she sees as her role in teaching about education.

Ana grew up in Puerto Rico (Rio Piedras), and came to the U.S. to pursue higher education. She completed her undergraduate and master degrees in Psychology and Music Therapy from Florida State University in 1986; and received a Doctoral degree in Educational Psychology and Special Education from the University of Southern California in 1993.

>> What brought Ana to this career path, and what does she see as her mission?

Dr. Ana Jimenez has been recognized continuously in the community for her contributions. She is a recipient of the National Hispanic Business Women Association Award for Organizational Entrepreneurship (May 2007); a National Award by the Heartspring Foundation for Creativity in Special Education (July 2007), and a Faculty Award from Chapman University (June 2007).

Previous awards include: a (2006) Community Building Award by the City of Santa Ana for her contribution to the Santa Ana community; a Human Relations Award from the Orange County Human Relations Commission (2004) for promoting Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice, and a Community Building Award in the fields of Arts & Culture by the National Organization of MANA (2003).

>> Ana has been recognized for a variety of her different contributions. How does she balance all her work, and what have the awards meant to her?

Dr. Jimenez has also been awarded a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition and Outstanding Leadership; and nominated “Woman Who Make a Difference” in Orange County, as well as a “Professional Achievement” award by the Regional Center of Orange County.

Her passion is to bring the ARTS, Literacy and Education to underprivileged communities as a vehicle of empowerment for at-risk youth, and a therapeutic intervention for children with special needs.

>> We’ll be talking a lot about Ana’s work, her goals and her strategies.

Further, Dr. Jimenez continues to prioritize researching educational methods that will empower the Latino community and underprivileged families to succeed in the academic world and reach for higher educational goals!

Ana is married and has two children, a son and a daughter.

To learn more about the amazing work Ana is doing, check out the organization’s website at: www.occtac.org

Gratitude Is An Action…

As we come into Thanksgiving (and then the holidays!), I remind myself of the meaning of the celebration.  Regardless of the historical origins of the holiday, the *intention* of the holiday is to gather together with those who have supported us and express our gratitude. 
 
We’ve been reminded by our guests repeatedly, in almost every interview this year, that giving thanks and showing appreciation is key to attitude, motivation and success.  Gratitude is an ACTION that our guests practice daily.
 
In Spanish, how we say "Thanksgiving" — El Dia de Dar la Acción de Gracias — reminds us of this very fact.  We can take an ACTION to be thankful, to express our gratitude, and to let others know of how they’ve met needs in our lives.
 
It’s appropriate to reflect on these ideas at this time, both because our guests have all reminded us of the importance of giving thanks and having a spirit of gratitude for all they have, and also because of the time of year.
 
And maybe it’s even more important this year, with all the chaos in the economy, and yet the hope for change in the elected officials soon to be taking office.
 
Recall that Nancy Rodriguez, owner of Tochtli Angel Arts, a cultural arts management and planning company, told us that whenever she feels down, she takes a deep breath and then begins to give thanks for all the things for which she’s grateful in her life.  For her, gratitude is a motivational action.
 
Cristina Perez, the “healing judge” of Emmy-award winning Cristina’s Court, as well as an author, radio host, business owner and entrepreneur, said that she also reminds herself to be grateful for what she has in her life.
 
Marcela Landres, an editorial consultant, said that she (like a lot of our other interviewees) reminds herself how far she’s come from her past.  She thinks about her growing up years, and how she lives now — she reads books for a living! — and has a lot of gratitude for the life she leads, especially in comparison to her past.
 
No matter what their background or who they were, each of our guests found things to be grateful for — not just now, but at various points in their life, and even when they’ve been down.  They take the concerted action to focus on those things and their lives are better for it.
 
None of our interviewees have had "easy" lives — they’ve all had to overcome a great deal of adversity in different settings.  And yet, their focus on gratitude and being so thankful for what they DO have has been an integral part of their ways of being.
 
We’ll be reflecting on gratitude both this week and next, and then I’ve got some really exciting things in store for you!
 
Stay tuned, and let me tell you, dear readers, that I am thankful for YOU!

Do you see the leadership lessons?

Be open to seeing leadership lessons around you, wherever they may come from.  An earlier interviewee, Manuela Bump Murillo, entrepreneur and saleswomen extraordinaire, told us to always be aware and keep our eyes open for opportunity (not just for leadership lessons, but for all kinds of opportunity).
 
We got an example of that in this week’s interview.  Diana Gomez, Chief of the Office of Traffic Management for Caltrans, and National President for SHPE, saw her in her grandfather an excellent example of leadership when she was a young girl.  When she worked with him in the fields, she would see him keep both the workers happy and the farmers happy, even when there were 10 farmers and 60 families of workers.  She watched his ability to compromise and his management skills.
 
With regard to other examples of leadership that may come from unexpected places, Emily Matos, graduate student at NYU, told us about how she saw in her grandmother a great example of leadership in how she kept the family together.
 
Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, Founder & President of Educational Achievement Services, Inc., said that her father was her primary and strongest example of leadership.
 
Christina Sarchio, partner at the law firm of Howrey LLP, also told us of her grandmother and the strong leadership example she set for Christina.
 
So our families can provide opportunity to see true leadership if we keep our minds and our eyes open. But those examples can come from other places, as well.
 
Dr. Nancy Mirabal, professor of history, told us that her teachers have provided examples of leadership to her, and have inspired her to do things she didn’t otherwise believe she could.
 
And Juana Bordas, President of Mestiza Leadership International, gives us many, many examples of ways and places to see leadership in her book, Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age.
 
You might want to reflect where you’ve seen good examples of leadership in your life, what this means to you and what kind of leader you want to be (both outside to others and within to yourself).
 
Have a wonderful weekend,
 
Aurelia 

P.S.  In case you missed Diana’s interview, you can purchase either the audio or the transcript (or both) of the interview at the special pre-sale price until next Wednesday.  Click here to find out more…

Diana Gomez

Diana Gomez is the Chief of the Office of Traffic Management and a senior electrical engineer with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). She has worked with Caltrans for 20 years and began her career designing highway electrical systems.

Diana has led projects focused on managing traffic flow and recently developed an advanced weather sensor system to reduce fog-related traffic accidents in California’s Central Valley.

>> I’ll be speaking with Diana about what her responsibilities are at CalTrans and how she performs them. What is exciting to Diana about her job and how did she get there?

Diana has received national recognition for her success professionally and within the Latino community. She has been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business and as one of the top 100 Hispanics in the technical field by Hispanic Engineer.

Diana has found success in the workplace, in her industry, in her community and on a national level. She began that road to success at a young age, when she learned the value of hard work and persistence. She discovered networking for the first time working in the fields with her grandfather. Learning from his leadership style of the field workers, she gained management experience herself when she started her own payroll business in high school.

Whether working in the fields with family or attending school, she always strove for success. Diana gained interest in engineering when a female engineer presented a lecture at her high school.

>> We’ll be discussing early influences in Diana’s life and what led her to where she is today.

After graduating from high school, Diana earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at California State University, Fresno. During her time at CSU, she was the president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) student chapter and the president of the professional chapter upon graduation. SHPE is a professional organization that serves as the source for quality Hispanic engineers and technical talent.

>> What led Diana to her initial involvement with SHPE and how has she benefitted from being involved with the organization?

Diana has learned that persistence and higher education couple to create a strong leader prepared to face any set of challenges. Thus, as an engineering advocate, Diana strives to teach students the values instilled in her life – compassion, honesty and commitment.

Diana is currently the National President for SHPE. Since assuming the president’s role in 2003, Diana has applied extensive leadership and engineering expertise to manage the national organization.

Under her guidance as president, SHPE has developed an array of programs. The Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technology, Engineering, Math, and Science (AHETEMS) Foundation was created along with a new scholarship program.

Diana’s leadership has opened the door for key partnerships with the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists, Inc (MAES) and the Hispanic College Fund (HCF). In addition to their success, these partnerships were recognized by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management as an “Exemplary Recruitment Practice.”

>> What led to the development of the various programs, and how will they benefit future students?

Diana’s history with SHPE spans more than 20 years. Before serving as president, Diana served on many different levels of the organization, including the offices of regional vice president, secretary and treasurer. She co-chaired the SHPE National Technical and Career Conference in 2001 and served actively in the administrations of four previous SHPE presidents. Diana’s leadership roles within SHPE are all on a voluntary basis.

Diana serves her community beyond her SHPE outreach by speaking at local high schools, encouraging young people to pursue engineering and higher education. For over five years, she has worked with a summer education institute for math and science. She also returns to CSU often to encourage the females in the engineering program to continue in their endeavors.

>> Throughout her career, Diana has demonstrated a strong desire to, and commitment to, giving back to the community. How does she sustain herself, and what can we learn from her?

Diana Gomez offers a unique perspective to the field of engineering, and she will continue to use her extensive skills to impact SHPE, Caltrans and the Latino community at large.

What an exciting week!

Change is in the air!  For those of you who were glued to the television watching election coverage this past week (like I was!), you know what an exciting week we had and how much work we have ahead of us to make some really exciting things happen in the world.
 
I’m here to do my part, to reflect what Latina women are thinking, feeling, experiencing and learning.  I love statistics and exploring more ways to get out information.
 
I was especially interested in what commentators were saying about the Latino vote and how it shifted in various parts of the country.  I’ll be doing more research in the upcoming weeks and sharing with you all my thoughts on some of this stuff.
 
Over the next two months, we’ll be changing the format a little bit of the PowerfulLatinas.com website, as well as making the site more interactive and user friendly.
 
I will also have a special gift for all of you, so stay tuned!
 
As we head into the holiday season and wrap up the year, I want to say to each of you to BE the change you wish to see in the world.
 
Abrazos grandes,
 
Aurelia 

P.S.  In case you missed Toti’s interview, you can purchase either the audio or the transcript (or both) of the interview at the special pre-sale price until next Wednesday.  Click here to find out more…

Toti Cadavid

Toti Cadavid, a native of Colombia and founder of Xcelente Marketing and Public Relations, is a communications strategist with far-reaching experience in both domestic and international arenas.  Toti has extensive expertise in marketing, public relations, and market expansion into U.S. Hispanic markets.

>>  I’ll be speaking with Toti about how her background and how she came to found her company.

Additionally, she is experienced in design and implementation of fully integrated global, national, and statewide marketing and public relations efforts, as well as multicultural training, event planning and trade shows.

>>  What precisely does Toti do in her position and what can we learn from her about this career path?

At Xcelente, Toti works closely with her clients and her agency’s team in the development and deployment of innovative, Hispanic-focused communication strategies.  These strategies incorporate social, ethnic, and cultural nuances into all marketing, branding, public relations, community outreach, public information, and advertising initiatives, with the end result being generating increased consumer response and awareness to the client’s products and services amongst targeted Latino groups.

>>  What does Toti enjoy about her career and what led her to pursue this path?

Toti also manages the agency’s creative team in the production and implementation of client’s campaigns while ensuring that ongoing strategies are aligned with and successfully support client’s business objectives.

>>  What lessons can we learn from Toti and what challenges has she encountered?

Her leadership and guidance has provided clients such as Starz Encore Group, Cox Communications, Fastracks, City of Commerce City, CDOT, Charter Communications, First Data Corporation, Metropolitan State College, Solera National Bank, The Denver Preschool Program, Elitch Gardens and others, with ways to effectively communicate with and market their products and services to Hispanic consumers.

Since moving to the U.S. in 1990, Toti has held leadership positions in a number of local and national community and civic organizations, including the Junior League of Denver, the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, Hispanics in Technology and Telecommunications Association, the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, Mi Casa Resource Center for Women, the Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, the Denver Metro Convention and Visitor’s Bureau’s Multicultural Tourism Task Force, the Minority Advisory Council of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the advisory board for the Leadership for Community Change project, the Leadership Council of Escuela de Guadalupe, and the Community College of Denver Foundation.  In addition, Toti was appointed by Mayor Hickenlooper’s to his Denver Early Childhood Council and to his Latino Commission.

>>  How does Toti find time for all these commitments and how does she choose where to spend her time?

Toti currently sits on the boards of the, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, and Junior Achievement.

Toti was recognized in 2005 as one of the nation’s Top Latina Business Entrepreneurs by Hispanic Magazine, as one of the 11 finalists for the Colorado Rockies Adult Leadership Award, and byThe Denver Business Journal as one of the “Top Forty Under 40” business leaders in Colorado.  In 2006 Toti received the Businesswoman of the Year award by the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and her business, Xcelente, received the Minority Small Business Champion Award by the Small Business Administration.  Toti was recognized as a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts Mile Hi Council in 2007.

>>  How do these recognitions benefit Toti in her business and community success?  How do they benefit her?

Toti holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business, masters’ degrees in Marketing and Management, and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship, all from the University of Colorado.  In addition, Toti is a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Executive Management Program, the 2004 Leadership Program of the Rockies, the 2005 Leadership Denver program, the 2005 National Hispana Leadership Institute, and the 2005 Dartmouth University’s Tuck Minority Business Executive Program.

>>  How did she decide what degrees to pursue and have they helped her directly or indirectly with her business success?

Toti, her husband Luis Colón, and their children live in Lone Tree, Colorado.

>>  Finally, I’ll be speaking with Toti about how she combines work and family responsibilities.

Do the Work (Pay Your Dues)

I wish I could suggest otherwise, but there’s just no substitute for hard work!  Many, many of our guests have talked about the necessity of hard work, how they’ve undertaken to get where they are, and how good it feels to know that THEY accomplished their goals.
 
The good news is 1) there are different ways to tackle the work, and 2) anything is possible if you’re willing to put in the work!
 
Dr. Nancy Mirabal, professor at San Francisco State University, talked about attending elite educational institutions and that many people think there’s a "secret" to making it through those places.
 
Nancy shared with us that no, the real "secret" is just to do the work.  She reminded us that anyone who is willing to put in the work can do well.  Recall also that she shared with us that it is wise to get help with the work (find people who can help you, for example, like tutors) and that preparation is key, so you need to make sure you’re *able* to do the work once you arrive at a certain place.
 
But the WORK will always be there and is doable.
 
Josie Garza, Executive Director of the National Latino Children’s Institute, told us of her belief that anything is possible if you do the hard work.  She shared with us her mission of reaching out to, and supporting, young people and children to be able to learn.
 
She also told us that working with certain populations can be exhausting because it takes time (can be over a year to get through to one individual!) and patience, but the work is there, it’s necessary and extremely important.
 
In the case of Josie, her hard work is interacting with *people* and changing their lives.  What an amazing kind of "work", right?  And if it’s possible to change lives, think of what else is possible…
 
Rita Jaramillo, Senior Liaison at the National Education Association, differentiated for us different kinds of work, and explained to us that we need to know what kind of worker each of us is. 
 
For example, Rita shared with us that some people like to work a little bit on a lot of things and others like to work a lot on a few things.  It’s important to know your own style so that you can keep going and stay motivated and energized.
 
Recall also that certain people work better in short bursts, and others work better in longer chunks with bigger breaks in between.  It’s up to you to figure out your own best strategy.
 
Work smart!  Hard work is valuable, but make sure your hard work is done in the best way possible.  Adriana Vela, founder of NanoBioNexus, told us to constantly analyze what works (and what doesn’t!) so we can work smarter when we set forth to do so.
 
So, the lessons for this week is that hard work is an absolute necessity and will get you where you want to go.  On your path, remind yourself to get help when you need it, be patient and know things take time, know what kind of worker you are and work according to what’s best for you, and finally, work SMART.
 
Above all, there are no short cuts around hard work.  It’s so rewarding, amazing and DOABLE.  Go get ‘em, mujer.  Until next time, trabajas bien!