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LULAC

LULAC Women’s Conference proves Latinas are “America’s CEOs” 

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Women leaders of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) are holding a milestone two-day national gathering of Latinas from across the United States and Puerto Rico, November 12-13 in New York City. This is LULAC’s first major in-person event since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 marking the longest period in modern times for the country’s chief Latino advocacy organization without a national assembly.

“The journey to this point has been long and difficult given the uncertainty of our times, but we are ready and committed to making this a tremendous success,” says Elsie Valdes-Ramos, LULAC National Board Officer and Vice-President for Women. “This event matters because it is about the empowerment through the action of hundreds of women leaders who are coming together and tens of thousands more linked through social media. These are the women we want and need, to support each other, learn from one another, and make us even stronger in unity,” adds Valdes-Ramos.

Sindy Benavides, LULAC National CEO

The two-day LULAC Women’s Conference program includes plenary sessions, specialized panels, and interactive workshops that cover a wide range of timely topics including technology, mental health, general health equity, inclusion and diversity, federal careers, and women’s empowerment and leadership. Attendees confirmed included elected and appointed officials, community leaders, LULAC Women’s Commission members, and guests. 

“As we look ahead, the growth of the Latino community will double in just three decades. Latinas are at the heart of that growth and transformation,” says Sindy Benavides, LULAC National Chief Executive Officer. “The purpose of the LULAC Women’s Conference is to empower women by exchanging experiences so that we identify the most critical challenges we are all confronting daily, and the actions we need to take to overcome them.”

See conference catalog: Diverse Women in Action 

Latinas are “America’s CEOs” 

Two of the event’s principal organizers are Ralina Cardona, LULAC National Board Officer, and Sylvia Mata, LULAC Women’s Commissioner for the Northeast. Both are veteran social justice advocates in their communities who have served in elected and appointed positions. Also, they are staunch champions for Latinas, whom they call America’s CEOs, a fact borne out during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were the hardest region early on, and the unknown of what was in the air, New York emerged almost like the Phoenix rising out of the ashes,” says Cardona. “We are looking forward to the women just sharing their best practices. We all know that Latina women already know how we are. I think now the world and country have seen how we are; multi-generational families, and CEOs of our households, and just taking care of everyone,” she adds.

Cardona says the pandemic taught America a new phrase, essential workers. The country quickly saw how important people of color were in our vital industries and roles, especially women. Every day, Latinas ventured to their jobs in hotels to transportation and health care. They never quit or gave up.

Sylvia Mata, LULAC National Women’s Commissioner

Mata says the focus now is on women’s empowerment and the significant impact on their families and communities. “I am very proud to be a part of LULAC because of its power for good and how respected the name is in many areas. This event will give us a greater presence here because I know of many successful professionals like attorneys who are now judges, and they tell me their first scholarship came from LULAC. This is the impact we are making,” adds Mata.

Mata has worked on educational programs related to health, immigration, finances, art, and small business. She co-produced an art, science, and technology (STEM) program for grades 10-12. Her goal was to reduce the school dropout rate in Queens, New York. Also, she owns and leads her small business. Today, she focuses on education from the perspective of inter-American business relations with a specialized focus on art and art investments.

You might be interested: The glass ceiling: Career development inequality for women of color

Mata sees a growing power for Latinas in America. “Women represent a significant part of the population, and we are moving the economy through our small businesses. We are advancing in federal jobs and leading important community groups, so, significantly, we are celebrating the LULAC National Women’s Conference here. I invite all Latinas who can join LULAC or collaborate with us. We are hopeful for the future.”

About LULAC

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services, and advocacy address the most prominent issues for Latinos, meeting the critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/.

Hilda Mera: “I could break with stereotypes and be a role model for my community”

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Hilda Mera is the co-founder and CEO of S&A Auto Repair. As an Ecuadorian immigrant and woman in the auto industry, Hilda has learned to navigate the many challenges of entrepreneurship and being a woman in a male dominated industry.

She has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in management and business operations and in 2016 she was notably honored as VIP Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women. Most recently in July 2021, Hilda was awarded as one of The Top 100 Leaders in Transportation and Automotive by the International Transportation and Automotive Summit.

Navigating obstacles as a woman in the auto industry 

Founded in April of 2013 by Hilda and her husband, Jose Masache, S&A Auto Repair is a family-owned business located in Newark, New Jersey providing honest and professional auto service in the areas of mechanical, electrical, and diagnosis. 

Their journey as entrepreneurs began after Jose grew tired of working as a mechanic for someone else. The couple began searching for a place where they could start their own garage. After an unsuccessful first try, a friend pointed them in the direction of a rental space that would soon become their business. 

The rental space needed work. It was “a mess” as Hilda described it. But they were determined to make it their own by fixing it up and giving the space a fresh new look. 

S&A Auto Repair, founded in 2013 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo via Instagram)

As they embarked on their journey, they soon learned the many obstacles and struggles of owning and running a business. Not only was everything was new, they lacked the knowledge on how to start and run a business and also lacked the capital. 

“It was hard because we had no money and a lack of knowledge. We took the risk of our lives going into business. We did not have a lease, (we were month by month for about 5 years). Today, I realize how dangerous it was and that we could have been asked to leave the auto shop at any time. However, we never, even thought of giving up,” said Hilda. 

Despite these great challenges starting out, for Hilda, the biggest challenge has been being a woman in the auto industry, an industry that has traditionally been dominated by men. However, this challenge has also become one of her greatest strengths driving her toward success. 

“I do not fix cars, but that does not mean I can not manage/run a business. It does not mean I can not learn to understand my car. Becoming an entrepreneur has been one of the best things that could happen to me. This way I feel I can leave a legacy for my kids, be a role model for women of my community, and break with stereotypes,” said Hilda. 

 

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A post shared by S&A Auto Repair (@saautorepair)


Another strength Hilda draws upon in the face of challenges is her faith. As a woman of faith, Hilda is positive, honest, and determined. “I believe that everyone has a purpose. I have found mine, therefore, I ask God for wisdom so I can accomplish it. Every time I work on a project or  strategy to make my business grow, I put it in God’s hands.” 

Her faith and positivity make her confident, even when things don’t always turn out the way she wants, she still looks at every situation with a positive outlook. 

Now, Hilda feels grateful for everything they had to go through because it taught her so much about running a business. Like all challenges, overcoming them makes people stronger.

“I learned how important it is to have the social and working capital to succeed. I learned to overcome any obstacles that we have encountered during these eight years in business. I learned that with faith, discipline, consistency and honesty everything is possible.” 

You might be interested: Jennifer Garcia tells you how to leave a secure job to launch your dream business

Women empowerment through knowledge and education  

As a woman in the auto industry, Hilda is committed to using her business to empower the community, especially women, through educational auto workshops. 

For Hilda, trust and education are important. According to the American Automotive Association, 66% of American drivers do not trust auto mechanics. Customers are often overcharged, do not trust their cars are being fixed properly, or recommend unnecessary repairs. Women are also often taken advantage of due to a lack of knowledge about cars. 

Hilda shares a story about a past client’s experience and how it inspired her to create her own educational auto workshops for women. 

S&A Auto Repair Woman’s Seminar, March 2020. (Photo source)

The client came into the shop looking for a price for a transmission. Hilda offered to give an estimate but first wanted her husband to check and see if that was what the client really needed. 

“They both went and took a ride. When they came back, my husband put the car in the lift and showed her under the car. The noise that she was hearing and the reason she was told that needed to change the transmission was metal that was hanging under the car. She got really upset. That got me so upset and I talked to my husband about doing something to help women,” Hilda recounts. 

That day, she made the decision to empower herself in the industry so she could empower other women through educational workshops. 

“I like the fact that I am a woman working in an industry that is mainly dominated by men, therefore, it makes me feel stronger and capable of accomplishing anything in this life.” 

Knowledge is power, especially in industries where women are underrepresented. For women looking to start their own business or advance in their field, Hilda recommends gathering the necessary knowledge first, then go for it and take every opportunity given. 

“We are strong and smart enough to accomplish anything we want in this life. We are capable of overcoming any obstacle, because the only limit is oneself. Be honest and consistent all the time.”

Yvette Bodden

Become an Awakened-Woman and your Best-Self with author Yvette Bodden

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Yvette Bodden is the Founder and Author of Awakened-Woman, a digital platform designed to inspire and invigorate women. She is also the author of A Journey to Becoming the Best-Self. Her writing seeks to empower and encourage women searching for personal definitions of success to build strong communities through vulnerable and powerful storytelling. 

best self, awakened woman

From Yvette Boden’s website https://awakened-woman.com/2021/07/15/a-summer-reading-list-to-inspire-self-exploration/

Since its launch, Awakened Woman has amassed tens of thousands of followers, with a plethora of articles centered around celebrity profiles, relationships, love, abuse, motherhood, and Latino culture, infused with Yvette’s signature blend of pragmatism and compassion. 

Yvette symbolizes the strength of an empowered Latina woman and her passion for empowering others is endless. As a single mother based in New York City—a metropolis she credits for her open mind—, Yvette regularly channels her own growth experiences. She has contributed to outlets like SmartCoparent and DivorceHub.com that focus on personal crises.

Yvette is also a motivational speaker, channeling her own growth experiences to empower others. In 2021, she was named one of the “Bella Bosses We Admire” by Bella Magazine. 

Healing and becoming your best self post-divorce 

A Journey to Becoming the Best Self, divorce, marriage, post-divorce, Yvette Bodden

A Journey to Becoming the Best-Self by Yvette Bodden.

Yvette made her debut as an author in 2019 with her first book, A Journey to Becoming the Best-Self, published by Black Rose Writing. The book is described as “part memoir and part prescriptive fiction,” and was inspired by Yvette’s own post-divorce path from devastation to joy and received high praise from The U.S. Review of Books. 

“This is a book not just for women faced with divorce, but for anyone searching for meaning in their lives.” –Sublime Book Review

In A Journey to Becoming the Best-Self, Yvette weaves together her own personal narrative with practical advice to show other women how it is possible to find acceptance and joy after losing a marriage. 

“The word ‘divorce’ itself has a negative connotation, and rightly so. It can be one of the most painful life-changing events in anyone’s life. An emotionally crippling event for many women, initially it was nothing less than devastating for me. However, it has been the most significant growth experience in my life,” Yvette wrote. 

A Journey to Becoming the Best-Self is the story of how a woman comes out on the other side of pain much stronger and more beautiful.

You might be interested: What you should be reading and watching this Hispanic Heritage Month 

Her desire to share her own story and experiences in both her book and online platform is to show other women that they are not alone. 

“I did not set out to be an author. The intention for writing this book and creating the AW platform has been to help women feel less alone, and hopeless while empowered to go after the life envisioned. I believe sharing our stories creates connection, helps heal and learn the lessons,” shared Yvette in an Instagram post. 

Yvette Bodden, Awakened Woman

womanawakened: #tbt #ᴛʙᴛ #giselleextravaganza 2019 Book Launch Party was incredibly special. (via Instagram) 

“Awakened-Woman.com is a community built to inspire, empower and encourage you to live your best life. Hopefully, it will plant a seed in others to find their greatness, too.” 

Yvette Bodden’s debut novel A Journey to Becoming the Best Self is available for purchase on Amazon. 

Gender washing: seven kinds of marketing hypocrisy about empowering women

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At a time of so much focus on how women are held back and treated unfairly, corporations spend multiple millions telling us what they are doing to empower women and girls. When this makes them seem more women-friendly than they really are, it’s known as gender washing.

empowering women, women empowerment

Gender washing: seven kinds of marketing hypocrisy about empowering women (Photo by Natalie Hua on Unsplash)

Gender washing comes in different varieties, and some can be easier to spot than others. To help identify them, it can be useful to look at the decades of research on corporate greenwashing – that better known variant related to climate change.

Inspired by a 2015 paper that identified seven varieties of greenwashing, I have published a new paper that classifies seven kinds of questionable corporate claims about empowering women and girls.

1. Selective disclosure

When corporations publicise improvements in, say, female boardroom representation, or the gender pay gap, while omitting contradictory or inconvenient information, it’s known as selective disclosure.

For example, pharma group Novartis frequently features on Working Mother magazine’s annual list of the 100 best companies to work for, via an application highlighting the progress it has made in employment practices towards women. Novartis also proudly cites its support for Working Mother, per the tweet below. Yet as recently as 2010, the corporation lost the then largest gender pay, promotion and pregnancy discrimination case ever to go to trial.

2. Empty gender policies

Some companies take initiatives to raise women’s voices internally which, in reality, have little impact. For example, “women’s networks” aim to increase female employees’ confidence and help them build leadership skills through networking events and mentoring schemes. But critics argue that such networks are frequently ignored, and don’t address the underlying causes of discrimination or engage men in efforts to tackle institutional sexism.

One study from 2007 found that the members of one company’s women’s network feared it might actually damage their career prospects because at the time, it was ridiculed by male colleagues as a forum for “male-bashing” and exchanging recipes.

3. Dubious labelling

The promotional placement of the pink breast cancer awareness ribbon by brands with products containing known carcinogens or other arguably risky ingredients is an example of this third kind of gender washing. There are examples involving makeup, alcoholic drinks and even pesticides.

The pink ribbon can also gender wash the objectification of women. For example, US bar chain Hooters has built its entire brand around waitresses with voluptuous breasts and skimpy clothing. In the company logo, the two Os are replaced by the eyes of an owl, symbolising breasts to be stared at, wide-eyed. Yet, once a year for breast cancer awareness month, the eyes are replaced by pink ribbons as Hooters invites customers to “give a hoot” for breast cancer awareness. Staring is thus rebranded as caring.

4. Useful partnerships

One way in which a corporation’s image could be gender-washed is to associate with a feminist, women’s or girls’ organisation through funding or some other assistance. The corporation gets to place its logo on the organisation’s marketing materials, potentially distracting from practices elsewhere.

For example, Dove has partnered with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts on a teaching resource aimed at helping girls to question dominant beauty standards that damage their self-esteem. This is despite the beauty industry – of which Dove is part – perpetuating those standards to sell products.

5. Voluntary codes

When rights abuses emerge in global supply chains – often most affecting female workers in the global south – there are often demands for tighter regulation of corporate behaviour. One way for corporations to respond and potentially deflect such demands is by creating voluntary codes of practice. Their very voluntariness is presented by corporations as evidence of a commitment to empowering workers – particularly women.

Voluntary codes rarely lead to meaningful improvements. For example, when the Rana Plaza garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed in 2013, over 1,000 garment factory workers died, some 80% of them women. In the aftermath, the voluntary Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety was established and promoted by western retailers such as Walmart as improving safety and empowering female factory workers. Yet crucially, there were no legally binding commitments to prevent another disaster, and the alliance was later criticised by activists and researchers for not improving conditions quickly enough.

6. Changing the narrative

Corporations can position themselves as global leaders on issues where they have previously been found wanting. For example in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Nike was dogged by claims of child labour, sexual and physical abuse among workers at supplier factories, 90% of whom were female.

Nike’s response included establishing a division of corporate responsibility and setting up the Nike Foundation. One of the foundation’s flagship campaigns was the Girl Effect, launched in 2008 to persuade global elites to invest in girls’ education in the global south.

The campaign quickly went viral, and was soon partnering with the UK’s Department for International Development on programmes to empower girls in the global south. Nike had gone from a brand tarnished by accusations of child labour and exploitation to a trusted partner in international efforts to promote girls’ rights.

7. Reassuring branding

Chiquita Banana, the famous logo of Chiquita Brands Corporation, might give shoppers in the global north the impression of buying their bananas from a happy, Latina market woman cheerfully selling her wares.

gender washing, branding,

Photo by Rich Smith on Unsplash

Yet feminist scholars have documented the long history of Chiquita – formerly the United Fruit Company – exploiting women on banana plantations in Latin America and the Caribbean. This includes past cases of sexual harassment, discrimination, exposure to harmful chemicals, and violations of childcare and maternity rights.

Does all of this matter? If corporations want to take up the cause of gender equality, is that so bad? It is true that some women and girls do find ways within gender washing campaigns to make gains, but we can’t lose sight of the bigger picture.

If a corporation’s employment practices, supply chains or products are harmful to women and girls, and it sells more products thanks to gender washing, then this has increased the harm done. That is why it is so important to identify and call out forms of gender washing whenever we see them.The Conversation

You might be interested: Fireside chat with Jose Forteza: Diversity and LGBTQ+ inclusion in media

Rosie Walters, Lecturer in International Relations, Cardiff University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Dr. Harbeen Arora

Dr. Harbeen Arora on Sisterhood, Spirituality, and Success

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Thought Leader, Global Icon & Visionary for Women, Businesswoman, Philanthropist, Humanitarian, Author, Spiritual Seeker and Compelling Speaker, Dr. Harbeen Arora manifests multifaceted leadership with strength & simplicity.

Dr. Harbeen Arora

At Annual Women Economic Forum (WEF) 2018, India (Photo courtesy Dr. Harbeen Arora)

Dr. Harbeen Arora is the Founder and Global Chairperson of the ALL Ladies League (ALL) and Women Economic Forum (WEF). With a powerful global network of 200,000 women worldwide and growing toward ‘Mission Million’, ALL and WEF are among the largest communities of women entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide offering platforms and ecosystems for personal and professional growth. 

Born in New Delhi, Arora grew up with a great focus on education, values, and the spirit of service. Both her parents worked so growing up she always knew a woman to be independent.

“At home, I saw them both share the household chores. So we saw that balance in action, and we too, my brother and I, learned about responsibility, independence and teamwork from an early age. We were both treated equally without any one of us feeling any gender bias. We had the same rules to follow at home and same opportunities for education and growth,” says Arora. 

It was due to this great foundation of equality in her household that it took her a while to understand the depths of discriminatory biases that held women back in the economy and society. However, once she saw them she could not stop seeing them everywhere. Realizing that her upbringing was unfortunately not the norm for most women drove Arora to pursue various avenues to help better the lives of women and push toward gender equality.

Self-fulfillment and following seeking your life’s path

Additionally, the values learned in childhood – hard work, team spirit, responsibility, service; have served her immensely in her career and in life. 

“I also learned en route about the importance of having endless reserves of positive energy and resilience,” she says. “My spiritual path greatly opened up that possibility for me.”  

Always a seeker, the core of Dr. Harbeen Arora’s pursuits, both personal and professional, is self-fulfillment.   Learning, evolution, expansion and self-transformation are important life goals for her, and these goals guide and drive most of her pursuits. 

Dr. Harbeen Arora

At Women Economic Forum (WEF) 2018 Los Angeles (Photo courtesy Dr. Harbeen Arora)

“The path reveals itself to the seeker. No matter where you are in your journey, if you have an open mind and pure heart, life will place you on the track you are supposed to be on for your own growth and awakening. When we listen to our inner voice, follow our intuitive guidance, take actions and steps forward on our path, we also meet our destiny en route,” says Arora. 

“I have always been most passionate about working and learning. Goals and dreams may change, but what I enjoy most is the learning part of it. Learning, working and walking in purpose greatly uplifts you as a human being. That constant opening up of the mind, broadening of horizons, change of perspective, spiritual expansion and blossoming of the energy – all these are very important to me and drive me as a person,” she adds. 

Empowering a worldwide network of women 

Dr. Harbeen Arora’s passion for learning drove her to pursue degrees in multiple fields. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Delhi University, a Masters from King’s College, London University and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), and PhD from Sorbonne Nouvelle, University of Paris III. 

Throughout her years pursuing her education and later in her career, Arora again and again experienced great revelations about the strengths we each hold. 

“In 2000, going to Paris for my M.Phil and PhD, without knowing a word of French, and then writing my doctoral theses in French, was a revelation to me of the immense inner strength we hold to accomplish whatever we set our heart and mind on. It greatly built my self-belief, spirit of risk-taking, and self-reliance,” she shares. 

Receiving Award for Women Empowerment from the H.E President of Egypt. (Photo courtesy Dr. Harbeen Arora)

“Then again, in 2011, we sowed the seeds of a dream to unite ALL the women of the world as a worldwide web of women. We started the ALL Ladies League (ALL), that forms the backbone of our now famous conference platform, the Women Economic Forum (WEF), and then instituted business and industry chamber Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (WICCI) that gives policy recommendations to the government from time to time, and now our global e-commerce marketplace for our global community, SHEconomy.” 

As of 2020, the Women Economic Forum (WEF) completed 41 global editions across 25 countries. Their last annual event was in March 2020 in Egypt. Since the lockdown the WEF has held their events virtually, which has given them the opportunity to expand their digital reach. 

“We have a Mission Million for 2022 and the digital outreach is, now more than ever, integral to the realisation of that vision. Our completely free e-commerce platform for women entrepreneurs worldwide, SHEconomy, is a game changer in this direction,” says Arora. 

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In ALL’s decade-long engagement, they have fostered a worldwide ecosystem of “sisterhood,” for empowering support networks and safe spaces where women can come together to help one another. Arora says, “Empowering women’s social and economic leadership is at the heart of ALL what we do. We are non political, non religious and non dogmatic.” 

Sisterhood, Spirituality, and Success 

With a massive network of 250,000 women and supporters connected worldwide including in Latin America, the WEF are surely and steadily on their way toward realizing their “Mission Million” dream. 

“It helps that we are founded and headquartered in India, the cradle of civilization that has forever welcomed and embraced ALL, with a most inclusive vision for humanity and the world as ‘One Divine Family,’ as said in the Vedic phrase ‘Vasudeva Kutumbkam’,” says Arora. “Our guiding spiritual mantra is ‘Love ALL, Serve ALL.’ I’m a devotee of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and I strongly feel a divine hand and guidance. I’m in absolute awe of what is unfolding for I know the divine feminine is manifesting through this bond of sisterhood, through each one of us who carries a piece and part of the greater feminine.” 

Fostering the spirit of sisterhood is a crucial step toward closing the gender gap, according to Dr. Arora. “We believe that in order to close the He/She gender gap (and by extension, education gap, security gap, respect gap, opportunity gap, wage gap …), we absolutely need to first close the She/She gender gap,” says Arora. “Thus ours is a She-for-She movement, with outreach toward She-for-He and She-for-All. Ours is a movement of Gender Equality without Gender Divisiveness; from a place of Positivity (of attitude/approach/conduct), Power (of self-belief) and Purpose (of the collective aspiration).” 

At Women Economic Forum (WEF) Tunisia 2019, with Nobel Peace Laureate 2015, Ouided Bouchamaoui (right), and then Minister Neziha Labidi (left). (Photo courtesy Dr. Harbeen Arora)

Through the various platforms– ALL, WEF, WICCI, and SHEconomy–Dr. Arora has helped women come together and create a solidarity of “sisters beyond borders.” In this process of pursuing Oneness as sisters Dr. Arora has been spiritually uplifted by a vision of Equality, spirit of Equanimity, and surrender to Eternity. 

“We all have our challenges, and everyone is fighting their own battles. My humble learning over the years while facing challenges big and small is this – our Self-Belief and “Atma-Vishwas,” viz. our faith in the eternity and infinity of our own Soul and Self is the source of tremendous inner strength. By tapping into this inner (divine) strength, one can face all kinds of challenges with courage and resilience. This is the education of the heart and spirit.”

Throughout life, Arora says her greatest challenge has always been understanding herself and her purpose in life and how to implement her highest vibration in her day to day work. This is especially true for many who may think that one’s highest spiritual goals are incompatible with the pursuits of business and real life challenges. However, Dr. Arora says she has learned throughout her journey that it is possible to match both and lead a happy, fulfilling, balanced and successful life. She defines success as awakening. 

“Success is about awakenings and openings, about finding doors so to say, and we indeed hold the key to that. We succeed every moment by simply holding up the attitudes of ‘never say die’, not quitting, and always doing whatever we can to the best of our abilities even in the worst of our circumstances.”

female leadership women helping each other

Female Leadership: Why women do not support each other?

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I wanted to share some personal reflections about our very successful and recent Female Leadership event we conducted in the New Jersey/New York region. These opinions are my own and in no way reflect the opinions of others who participated at the event.

female leadership women helping each other

Contrary to what often happens in social media, where people usually post their most successful moments, I want to bring some reflections that I hope will generate productive discussions moving forward.

The GOOD: The event got great reviews from participants, as we have profusely shared on social media. I would say the best part was the energy in the room, the discussions generated by guest speakers and coaches, and the friendliness. Please see photo gallery and testimonials!

The BAD:
It was a Saturday and a long day! Even if most attendees agreed that it was worthwhile, it was a very long day. Thanks to our volunteers and all the people who helped us put the event together, we pulled it through but I felt I had been run over by a truck the next day … and the next! We will definitely review our format for a more productive day.

The UGLY:
The white elephant in the room is, why women do not support each other? We discussed it at the event and with some of the speakers, and there is always a dose of extreme judgment about each other in women in any position or role.

Arlene Quinones-Perez female leadership

Arlene Quinones-Perez, Esq.. Partner at DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole and Giblin, LLP and Pres Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey

In the words of Arlene Quinones-Perez, partner at the hosting Corporate Sponsor and one of our speakers, ““Other women would judge harshly their female counterparts –even more than men do,” she said. “Being a woman is like having a cross on your back that makes you more visible.”

In my own experience, men are usually more readily eager to give a hand, open a door, say a word of support or  are even more forgiving than women. I have found it difficult to deal with women who have the power to make decisions to support me and still choose not to –people that know me personally, not talking about strangers.

I understand that conditions are not always in favor of supporting a project or an initiative –I do not expect positive results 100% of the time but… Send me a nice response acknowledging my efforts. Pick up the phone and get to know me better -after all, I am one of you! Tell me NO with a reason and a smile, for God’s sake!

And then, of course, there are the great exceptions to this rule, and those who ALWAYS take the time to answer an email or pick up the phone, no matter how high in the structure or how busy they are –and you know who you are!

You might say I am venting with you and yes, I am! Because we need to bring these topics to the table if we are authentic in our promises to rising together. I’ve been in large Latina leadership meetings in which final conclusions of the meeting were around supporting and empowering each other and then… nothing!

So today I want to share with you a fantastic NO response I got from a company based in New Jersey. It is an example of professional courtesy and exceptional vision, in my view, because it talks about the culture of a company. I knew nobody in the company and my request was a total “cold call.”

And here it is:

“Susana,

My name is Flor Wickham, I support Rita Mitjans and the ADP Foundation. Thank you for your email.

As you can imagine, the ADP Foundation receives many more requests to participate in funding endeavors than our limited resources will permit. This leads to difficult decisions in establishing priorities and means that a number of important activities and requests, such as yours, cannot be supported by the Foundation.  Our focus is to support our associates philanthropic giving by matching associate donations, supporting education through scholarships for children of ADP Associates and giving to key education partners, and with the remainder we try to focus giving where there is significant associate engagement.  Our sponsorships are based on a more national/global reach aligned with our CSR pillars.

Best of luck to you and we commend you for the work you are doing with female leaders worldwide.

Kind regards,

Flor Wickham | Director
Corporate Social Responsibility

Kudos to you, Ms Wickham, and for raising the bar on professional courtesy!

There is no one person who can do this alone- you might think you can but reality is, we all need to work together! Be willing to open doors for other women, because others have opened doors for you! That is the practice of true leadership!

 

What is your experience on women supporting each other?  Do you find it more often in certain environments than in others? And what can we do to make it better?

female leadership

Female leadership business retreat, a must for aspiring women leaders

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Welcome to the LatinasinBusiness.us Female Leadership 2017 Business Retreat !

As a national leading digital platform that advocates for the economic empowerment of Latinas in business and the workplace, LatinasinBusiness.us represents the voice of the Latina working woman.

female leadership

Our entrepreneurs, career and professional Latinas deserve recognition for the value they bring to their businesses, their workplace, their families and their communities.

We believe women in general and Latinas in particular need support in exploring and acquiring new leadership strategies that better adjust to their natural talents and skills. They have been trying to climb the leadership ladder by following male models, with skills and values that, in many cases, are contrary or even opposite to their very best female qualities.

Under the 2017 slogan “Disrupt to Unleash the Latina Economic Power,” we aim at working in changing behaviors, developing those best talents and finding the qualities that make women unique leaders.

For additional information and to register, please visit: http://retreat.latinasinbusiness.us//

The 3 Pillars of Effective Female Leadership to Advance your Career or Business

LatinasinBusiness.us, in partnership with Mindful Consultants, LLC, a work site wellness boutique firm that specializes in the neuroscience-based practice of mindfulness and conscious business, announced their 2017 Business Retreat “The 3 Pillars of Effective Female Leadership.”

The training and mentoring session will be held in Teaneck, NJ at DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick, Cole and Giblin, LLP, their corporate sponsor’s headquarters, on Saturday June 3rd 2017.

Anthony Lopez, National Chair Prospanica

Anthony Lopez, National Chair Prospanica

female leadership Arlene Quinones Perez

Arlene Quinones-Perez, President of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey

Confirmed speakers at the business retreat are Arlene Quinones-Perez, President of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey and Anthony Lopez, National Chair of Prospanica (former NSHMBAs). Univision 41 and Latino Motion are among the media strategic partners for the event.

The one-day Female Leadership Business Retreat has been designed for all aspiring women leaders in corporate mid-management, entrepreneurship and independent professionals, and is limited to 45 participants, which will give the coaches the opportunity to work one-on-one with attendees.

Dayana Cabeza, a Career Transition and Professional Development Expert for professionals and businesses, Executive Coach and Mentor, and Facilitator, has joined the coaching team that brings over 35 years of combined experience to the training and mentoring session.

“Our fast-paced society prevents us from being and living in the moment. A vast majority of us are overextended, functioning on autopilot and stretched to our limits,” said Clarisa Romero, CEO and founder of Mindful Consultants, LLC. “Our purpose is to guide participants to reset and retrain their brain, which will enable them to focus, lead, and perform with clarity instead of operating from a reactive default state of mind,” Clarisa said.

Participants will be encouraged to take control of their career or business goals based on the three pillars of personal and professional confidence: Personal Branding, Career Planning, and Mindfulness Techniques and Emotional Intelligence. Coaches will combine the three aspects in a personalized Female Leadership Power Plan to follow by attendees after they leave the business retreat.

For additional information and to register, please visit: http://retreat.latinasinbusiness.us//

 

Promotional partners support female leadership

Several organizations have stepped up to help promote the event among their members including Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey, Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, Feria de Negocios Hispanos de New Jersey, LUPE Latinas United for Political Empowerment, New America Alliance, the Latino Institute, Mujeres de HACE (Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement), and Strategic Influence LLC.

“We cannot emphasize enough how grateful we are to our speakers and promotional partners, who are bringing together their cloud to make this much needed business retreat a real success,” Baumann said. “Members of these organizations should contact them to receive special rates for their participation at the business retreat.”

For additional information and to register, please visit: http://retreat.latinasinbusiness.us//

For special rates through Strategic Promotional Partners, please contact your professional association or chamber.

Corporate Sponsor 

 

 

 

Media Strategic Partners

Univision 41 logo         Latino Motion logo

 

 

 

Strategic Promotional Partners

 

 

 

 

 

Strategic Influence LLC