 We found with us today, just in North Korea, from the NYU Latinx Alumni Network, San Libertad's faculty, and in Virginia, from the senior school. But there's the ideas, right, those ideas from the Hispanic National Bar Association. A lot of the rats, from Latinx and sports, and exactly what's found in the Latinx And we're going to stick to bios, we're going to stick to all the stuff. And as you all introduce yourselves, we're going to start with Kennedy and Chrisky, since we have a certain connections, maybe we can chat and then go and bump in as I would like to. My name is Chris. I'm the president of the NYU Latinx Alumni Network, and I'm also the board president of the brand new nonprofit. So nice to meet all of you. Welcome to the States. And we're really excited for a really good conversation about building community. And I'll turn it over to Kennedy. My big job is I'm the program planning and planning strategy director, the cartoon that would be more and less. But I'm also one of the co-leads for their employee resource group called Vivas. And I'm also one of the founders of vecinos, which is a collective of over 60 corporate ERGs within the tri-state area. And that is to speak with you. I'm going to get a little guys excited to say this. If you can answer your Latinx organization, what was your inspiration behind your group and leadership position and talk a little bit about that connection? For me, I just thought off right after that. Before I worked at one of my brother, I used to work at Paramount for a backup. I was the only back being all on my department, and I was the only person on color, almost 10 years, honestly. During those 10 years, I thought of losing myself because you're signaling so much that you kind of lose who you are as a person, it's a lot bigger. And it wasn't until I joined the employee resource group that I kind of started rediscovering who I was. You know, sometimes us first generations that entered a new place, we don't know, we don't know the rules and regulations of the workplace, and sometimes we struggle to fit in and how to adapt. And for me, when I joined the employee resource group, the first time I grew up from my voice, and what I realized was that within, if I was going through this struggle, I can only imagine other people covering the workplace. How sometimes they feel left out or they have a hard time, vicinity, or fitting in, and sometimes the workplace was not created with us in mind. I made it my journey to kind of try to change that narrative. And one of the ways I did it was to start speaking up more and look at the company, you know, I wanted to address the issue that affected Latino employees within the workplace. You know, one of the struggles that we have is that a lot of us are managers and below, but how do we get to directors, how do we get to repeat one of the steps that we need to take in order to evolve. And without, without your help and without really knowing the blueprint, you go on that journey to try to help out everybody. And I think I'll stop there and punch it over to someone else. Do you want to talk more about their last language? Yeah, so I'm first-generated in Boniqua. I like to say I'm a proud Jersey-Rican, you're living in Jersey City. And throughout grammar school and high school, I was very involved in clubs, a student leader, and my dad, this is a third grader, and my mom, she was about the 60s and 70s where the mother states home. She was like, even though she had to pursue so becoming a nurse full-time. And so they always are still in us by the location. And when I went to my, it was very intimidating. I studied acting, and a number of my colleagues were already working in film and television, even though they were 18 years old. And there was, right, I would be tailed in musical theater, a big hand in my group, however, I didn't know where my place was. And so when I entered the workplace, I was in another environment where there were numerous people who didn't reflect the experience that I had the rich culture and the experience of me and them. And so over time, I realized there have to be spaces. And so with NYU, they invited us to a Six Flags family day. I ended up going there having a great time with people, and they invited me to another event and they said, Hey, we're serving these identity groups for an afternoon. And I said, I go parties. I know how to have a time. And so, you know, there began the next chapter, right. And so I began looking for resources and other people like this, you know, like Latina theater comments to create community. And we'll get into that a little bit more to get straight to others. Hi, everyone. I'm excited to be here with you all today. We might be expecting for us. I'm the research for the Latinx theater comments. And the Latinx theater comments was created. 10 years ago, it was parents that he asked me with a playwright brought together 700 here and yours in DC, because it was at a time when they were noticing a lot of lack of representation of lack of info in the theater field and so they came together to have a conversation of how we changed it. And so they created the Latinx theater comments, which is, we use the comments with the pro consensus, and through significant consensus, and we define that as not everybody knows their way of saying yes to things that everybody brings forward. And so we have a very flat leader fit model. And we could be programming our country what centers Latinx places and Latinx artists, so have been working on that for the past 10 years we have a national community advisory committee for that helps us make decisions and programming forward. So we all created to make it influence in the American theater to make Latinx theater a part of the American theater so often overlooked and and put in the second, like smaller stages, and so that's where Hi, everyone. I'm a tech lawyer. I'm a senior director and program here in New York. I also told me are there are some activities in practice and for where we go with companies. I'm also the president they want to understand as far as the state of New York, which is a national nonprofit or to promote the betterment of what you know what I'm doing here one of the main reasons will be when you do. Which is a bunch of us run on that offer style of it's a mentoring and that's been a bunch of other kinds of things to help students along the way from middle school all the way through law school, you know, career levels and senior. Oh, I got involved. I think, for me, I got involved as a president, because I feel a little bit like can we be more of a right on the very life and I think I don't see that. I don't see what it is in a lot of New York, a lot of other like you know don't see fun, it's not a trace of not me, I'm not. I'm still just as everybody else. And so when the position came open, you know, I think, allowing people to feel like they can be whoever they want. You don't have to be, you don't have to be banished, you don't have to wear a suit and tie or go in support. You can really move you are. Whatever career you want, you can make it your own way to do it. I think for me, it was important because I hadn't seen where I felt very small in other organizations where I thought like, well, I'm kind of a little bit like a green eye. You don't see Spanish, you know, flowing a bit different. And so I just kind of wanted to let people know that there are other stories to be told, and it's okay to feel different. You know, a lot of similarities it's okay to feel a bit different. Great. Okay. Hi everyone, my name is Alana Madass and I am the founder of Latinx and sports. Aside from that my day job I work international partnership activation I major league baseball. Latinx and sports was founded in October of 2020, following Hispanic Heritage Month and not seeing a lot of Hispanic Latinx representation amplification from a lot of teams and leagues and no one really talking about their front office. I'm a huge believer and if you can see them you can be them and that was something that was really what drove the creation of Latinx and sports, we are a soon to be nonprofit that puts together virtual networking calls panels, as well as now in person events we've had some events in California, New York, Arizona soon to be Texas which is really exciting but we're here to really connect directors managers coordinators to the next generation that wants to get involved in the sports industry I think. When I was starting out and I wanted to work in sports I didn't really know that was a viable career until I really got to college so starting these conversations sooner and amplifying the stories of those that are already involved in the industry that have a Latinx background is something that's very important to us and just continue showing the representation amplifying it however we can but yeah it's a little bit what we do. Thanks so much everyone for your interest in yourself and kind of what I keep hearing is there was something missing right like you're in a job and there was something missing or an opportunity came and you felt something missing from your personal life so you took that leap and Kennedy I wonder if you can start us off with kind of how affinity groups can be a place to lean into whatever feet you might feel is missing how that can be expansive like what what they look like what they are but you kind of talked about that the affinity groups are not a new thing. They've been around since the 60s. It started off with when a bunch of black employees as they're us started having issues at the company and all the black employees group together and basically raised complaints to come on the executives and they were able to implement changes within the company to better help all the employees and I think that over the years. It's branched out. Um, if any groups for the most part adjust employee led groups that work on behalf of the company to create well being and a self safe environment for for all affinity groups are not just are can be you can have an affinity based on race, gender, age, ethnicity, all different types of gamuts but the whole point of it is to create a well being and a safe environment for employees within the corporate world, where it's kind of little which changed a little bit over the years is that employee resource groups have started to provide value to the corporations where we're not just all about the employees anymore, we're trying to make a difference. Us as Latinos where our population is growing it's going to be majority in a few years. And how do you market to them how do you talk to them how do you connect with them. Us as your affinity groups or employee resource groups or business resource groups, we are now starting to provide that value why because we are Latinos we know what we want and how to reach our own people. And now we've kind of started to create that more that additional value, and I think that that's helped us have a bigger voice, because we are now difference makers, where before it was all about us kind of trying to make a difference in the environment. Now we're kind of out there in front just being speakers and being representatives of our culture. I'm going to add to that sorry, it's almost like thinking about having an internal focus group, right like you do a focus group like the cars or commercials and you see oh what's wrong with this car and you know I'd like you know you're a mom and so you know should we have this with with erg groups that are specifically led whether it's veterans relations or you know anything, you have a group of people that are your target likely to whatever it is that you do. So, to Kennedy's point, it used to be something that was a function to help folks internally like how are we going to get through this job is this job sucks. Now it's, well how are we going to help the company right because we have an opportunity for business case. And the more that we provide value in a business use the more likely they're going to give us resources and promote the things that we think are useful, whether that's legislation or, you know, activism whatever add and insert anything but it went from something that was very grass roots communal to now, major, almost all companies all fortune 500 companies have erg and it's designed to be a business case versus, you know, like a pizza party which it used to be. The evolution is really beautiful right that evolution from like kind of this resistance to try to get more rights to being in a powerful position and companies and like the more you're in these, in these groups are able to really make change add value to yourself that's what I'm hearing anyway add value to yourself and the group, it's really evolved a lot just sounds really beautiful. It has. I think that when we first started, but you realize when you join infinity group is that you have access to the executives, something that normally in the day job you really don't have. All these executives are your sponsors. So for us. The CFO is my sponsor is a white man in his 50s knows nothing about our culture. But now that you have that face time with him he starts to get invested in what you're trying to accomplish, and he starts to And then if he's proud of the work if he's invested, he also tells all these other executives all the great things that you're doing. So it gives you more visibility, it allows you to grow, it allows you to showcase other skill sets and you might not show in your data, your day to day jobs and responsibilities. Yeah, I wonder if you can elaborate on how that's going to be part of your mission, because I know as the president of NYU that next moment network, you've been, you've made your mission to build bridges to build bridges between all of these different networks within NYU outside of NYU. And I wonder how you've watched that evolve. And kind of why that's important to you and how these collaborations have impacted you and your communities. Yeah, this this group has really been one that's been responsive to the needs of the alumni. We have a core group of leadership we call ourselves champions were board members. And so we sent out a survey to the alumni and we asked, what type of activities what is it that you need. And when the pandemic happened, and we went virtual, we ended up having engaging activities like cooking classes or, you know skill shares just ways to bridge community. And so in our partnership with the senior there was a conversation starting about mental health. So we're coming out of this thing, people are wanting to come back and be in person. But they're feeling a little uncomfortable or, you know, what are the best ways that we can talk about these things, especially in our culture that historically feels that mental health is stigmatized. So how can we have these conversations so we said, let's create these community led community care community led conversations and that's really how a breathe explore restore was born. And we said, wow, professional development is really important to our group, giving back to the community is really important to our group. And so we partnered for three Kings Day, with a local theater group called and we collected toys. And I said, let's take it a next next step further. I'm going to reach out to somebody I know at one of these young, and we reached out to a new day, and we got coverage. And so that gave national exposure to a local nonprofit and these toys that we collected went to thousands of youngsters in the Lower East Side. So that impact wasn't just for our group. It reached many hands and many lives. And so the only children's theater, Latino children's theater in America, not me with America. So like really bringing this exposure is the game changer is going to like point that out. So important, like an important thing to prioritize and support. Yeah. And so these type of activities, you know, and in by creating these strategic partnerships with other affinity groups, especially, you know, I have to highlight vacinos with their over 60 partners we started in conversation and we said, what is it that the community needs what is the responsiveness. And so we started with inside you know talking about mental health maybe talking about our histories our identities. And then this conversation about how we create community at work, or in professional studies, and in August or October we're going to be hosting our final series, which is dress your best for less. Right. Being able to use thrift stop thrift shop items to really present yourselves authentically in the workplace. So we're really creating the full journey of the individual through these programs. And along the way, we're introducing other neighboring groups, whether it's theater companies, law firms, sports groups, media entertainment, we're bridging all of those, because the more resources that our community has, the faster that we're going to create visibility for ourselves and advance and get to that executive suite by having conversations and creating community as simple as that. Absolutely. And I wonder on the culture and community on in your bio you speak of a love of culture being your inspiration behind Latinx and sports and I wonder and I noticed and I see even in Kennedy you said you were the only person in 10 years and how much pride that must have felt to like actually be with people in your community and what you're doing you're talking about the pride that you have and I love that these spaces bring up so much pride in our culture. And so I wonder if you can talk about, yeah, how creating it has impacted your, your relationship to the culture, what your goals are for kind of how that's grown and expanded. Yeah. Um, so I'm Mexican that's where my family is from I think a lot of times in these corporate settings. I think a lot of companies thank you spanish carriage month Mexican great done like they don't think about Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Columbia, all these different cultures and I think a lot of times it's very like overshadowing that like okay, whatever it has to do Mexican must apply to all that the most and in my job right now my day job with MLB I'm exposed to partners from like the DR PR Columbia so many different places that I'm just like would have been exposed to before and it has really taught me not only about my culture, but the other cultures around me. I'm originally from Arizona, there's a very large and skin population there so that was very much what I was exposed to as a young child. But now through these affinity groups and learning you know with the CMOS and Christie and everybody else that I've been exposed to now, I've realized that there's so many other cultures outside of me and I've been really able to appreciate that, really appreciating where I'm from so that's something that I feel is very like powerful powerful for us. Another thing that I've also noticed is after Latinos, a lot of times, they're very much overlooked when it comes to Hispanic Heritage Month and that is something that our group is very passionate about is you know, making them feel included a really big one for us MJ Costa. She constantly talks about how sometimes she's you know, just put into one aisle when she's like two different cultures and that's something that we very much recognize and we want to put forth and educate people and make sure that they feel a part of our group just as much as any other group that they're part of. So that's something that we're also very, very passionate about when it comes to culture. One of those things right that's like we're, there's the power in numbers when when all these cultures are together but it's also important to individuate and like realize that there's a lot of difference between all these spaces and I think that even in my own experience of being Puerto Rican, it took a long time for me to really learn other cultures because I was like oh we're all, we're all the same, you know when I was a kid we're all the same and if we're not, I think these spaces really give us a chance to individuate in the larger community which is really beautiful. And even then I think we also all collectively feel a certain way and we're all, we have the common, the being prideful of where we are even when it's different places but we can all come together and be proud to be Latinos, Latinx, Hispanic, whatever, you know, term that you use and I think that is also a beautiful part of our, of our different groups is that we're all from different countries and different cultural backgrounds and where we were raised but yet we can all come together and identify under one to want to push forth all of our different communities which is very important. Absolutely. Absolutely, because there's the common experience of feeling other right that feeling like there's not representation I think that transitions into theater really well because we're talking about the corporate space and what Latinos and history, historically like we don't get to, we're not encouraged to pursue careers in arts right so I wonder how you can talk about how even how you're seeing that evolve your goals. And why it's important to really show that Latinx people and Latinos can succeed in artistic spaces. Yeah, I think back to Alana's comment earlier of we can see if we can see them we can be them that's what I think about constantly in the theater, like we get to see ourselves, hopefully reflected on stage and so often we see other people who may not look like us doing being lawyers, working as CFOs, doing things that were off, we often are also doing or want to do, but the theater world has a stereotype, often when it comes to Latinx folks. And so we see, we see it shift a little bit and the Latinx theater comments is trying to change this narrative and last year we did a comedy carnival, which was a new play festival that focused on all Latinx comedy plays because we wanted to showcase the joy that we all have and when we're funny when we're not just like, you know, drug dealers, and it's not just all about immigration and trauma and those are, that's part of our culture and it's important to share but it's not all of our culture. We're also really really funny people. So we did a new play festival and invited leaders and theater makers from around the country to try and get those stories produced more, and two of them have actually gone on to receive world premieres at regional theaters which is really awesome. So, trying to make change in that way and seeing it in different spaces, which is exciting. And then personally I see more Latinx folks working in theater spaces and I think part of it is because you are now seeing more representation you can have mentors. I'm very grateful to have Latinx mentors in my life that I don't think they had whenever they were coming up in the field. And so I think that is also really important having that mentorship to guide you. And it's like that's the next step. The first step really is seeing it like you're saying, you know, we don't grow up seeing ourselves in arts then we don't think we can be in arts. Right. And so it really is expanding our whole collective to say hey we can succeed in an artistic space and we can represent ourselves everywhere. So, yeah, yeah. Patricia. How is your role as the New York region president of the National Hispanic National Bar Association extended the possibilities for your fulfillment within your career I found that really moving that you talked about your background and you on purpose for your mission. Talk a little bit about how you found it and how you opened your possibilities for happiness in your career that's what I heard. Yeah, I mean I'll just be very honest and you know the panelists. I'm always like that. I'm always the very realist person right. I did not want to be a lawyer. I don't know that I would say I feel fulfilled like this, you know, like everybody seems super happy and that's not I'm very happy and I'm grateful but you know I think I think it's not always like rainbows right and so you know I became a lawyer because my parents were like well, welcome to America get a good job. That's a lawyer or doctor for us that was that's what my parents were like listen those are two more your options. So good luck. And you know when I did it. I started that I'm Costa Rican, I was not born in this country I did not speak any English figure now I speak no Spanish. And that's all intentional right because we get here and they say you don't have any papers, no more Spanish fit in. And so we fit in so well that we lost chunks of who we were. You know, I think, you know at nine or 10 years old my parents like it's, you know time to think of a career which is crazy. And so it was becoming a lawyer so I think, I never thought of anything else, it was always well I need to become a lawyer because that's what that's what makes money here right that's what makes you rich, whatever that means. And, you know, I think I went through law school and I'm grateful that I did but it wasn't what I wanted to do. Ultimately, it wasn't really for me. So the beauty of the law though is that you can take your degree from you. And there's so many, so many spaces professionally in a corporate setting that will give you that money, right that purse for having a JD. And so I moved out of the practice of law, and obviously I remained a JD. But so when I, when I joined the Hispanic boys love non practicing lawyers. It's something a little bit for what it's worth shameful in the community like, you're a lawyer but you don't practice like, ah, like why not. And it's like well not every, not most CEOs are lawyers. You know, like there's a ton of accountants that are like, if think of any job, they're usually JDs as well and so it's silly for people to have this perception that you can only be one thing always forever, especially in the legal world where you can be everything but I could be an agent I could be a real estate agent I could do a million things with this degree that, you know, ultimately serve me really well. And I think when I became the president of New York. And I noticed a lot of younger lawyers coming up who just seemed very confused as to, it's not like long order. It's just not like that kind of thing, right, like, and those people make like two cents, which is great. It's a public service job and it's amazing that people do it but if you're trying to be rich, that's not where to go. Right and like, that's just not how it works and so I think people want to say things that are really warm and fuzzy and make you feel great, but that's not the reality and if people were a bit more honest about how things get done. You can cut off a ton of time I have a friend of mine, I meant a mentee who just applied to law school. And I don't think he wants to be a lawyer and I told him, go, but be very clear like you're going to come out with 200 grand in debt of a job that you don't want to do. And he signed, signed commitment papers moving, you know, somewhere across the country, and told his parents, I don't want to go. And now it's like a whole thing but the reality is he's doing himself a massive service by realizing now, maybe this isn't for me so you know I think, highlighting to any folks in any space, any job you do. It's not a one size fits all right and you really, the honesty of the journey however you got there is really going to be incredibly helpful, you know, for your past, that makes sense. Absolutely. And I feel like when you know, you just don't like being alert doesn't fill you but when you, I heard you say in rehearsal that when you have got the opportunity to be president of the Hispanic bar association that you found like a mission in this way that you felt maybe not fulfilling in your words but it's better. It's not that I'm not, let me just accurate. Yeah, I mean it's not that I'm not unfulfilled I'm just saying in the practice of law right when in the way I think most people assume you know you go to work and you're on a computer and you know you're doing contracts or whatever people see on TV that's not really how it is. That was not fulfilling for me, but obviously being, you know, a people person a connector, kind of like everybody else here said right like reaching out to certain groups of folks, and making sure that people have, I mean I met her earlier, and I'm like oh I know somebody who can maybe help you right like because I do. And she knows somebody who can maybe help me and I would not be in that position to meet all of these different organizations and all these different folks had I not taken on this responsibility of being the president of New York. And so, you know, that is very fulfilling, and just to, you know, I am not unfulfilled in my life, I live an awesome life. Yeah, you know, in the way that I think people assume, you know, I think same thing like you, I always thought lawyers are very stiff and they wear suits and button up shirts and, you know, little like little high heels shoes you know it's very like. It sounds like open doors it just opened. It's just not how it was for me and I think that a lot of the younger generation that's not how it is for them either and they want to be able to see that it doesn't have to be that way, and it doesn't. Kennedy, I wonder if you can talk about how leaning into the thing that works can open other doors like how you get showcased how you might be able to you talked earlier about how the CEO, as your mentor and now he's invested in you but I wonder, separate from like someone as big as the CEO like what is even a low level advantage of someone just being a part of the group like this just going to see what happens. You're going to join an affinity group you find people that think like that goes with the same situation that you have a lot of in a professional setting. You all want to elevate yourself. You want to be seen you want to be acknowledged. And sometimes there's a struggle because sometimes we don't have that blueprint to move up in that in that space. And when you enter an affinity group what you realize is that there's someone in that group that's made it a step further than you, and they're more than willing to educate you teach you how to take that next step. And I think that that was one of the great things when I joined my affinity group was that they were like look you have all the skill set. And here are steps that you need to take in order to take it to that next level. How to get visible. Do this, do that, and I was like, Okay, I got it. And what I realized is that wait a minute, if they're sharing it with me it's my responsibility to also share it with the next generation, because my success is not guaranteed until I pass it forward. I think that my mission like let me help the next generation anyway I can. Let's if we're not if we're right now we have a lack of sharing the resources. Let me try to fill that gap. Let's share, let's overshare, because the more educated we are the better we make decision that the better we make moves within our communities, and in the workplace. And a few of you I think the Christie talked about the education of it all right I think you just said your father had a third grade education. So it really is about that like we have different opportunities, we've had different historical opportunities and so what you're saying is like, really taking it on educating in ways that we just aren't going to learn because we haven't been exposed a lot of us haven't been exposed right, we might not have been able to take on free internships we might not be able to do those things so this is like a way that we can really take on something get noticed and also help the next generation. And I wonder if Chris you can talk about that in your life like you, you pivoted careers and figured that out and figured out how to lead into community and I want to talk about your trajectory a little bit. Happily. So, as I mentioned, I studied acting at NYU tish, and had a mostly wonderful experience right rolling on for pretending I was vegan, I like to say. I love these stories. However, even in that space. After graduating a group of us said, there are no roles out there for us. Right. One of the teachers said, Oh, why don't you play a maid for one of the second year projects. And really, I wasn't referred to Latina authors at the time. And upon graduating a group of us said, let's start a theater group so we launched the movement theater company. And we've been wildly successful over 15 years right, just showcasing artists creating our, our art in untraditional spaces in hotel rooms in the past and creating circles just to write our story and taking power back by telling the stories that we want to tell sharing joy. Right. And in various spaces and that was really fulfilling. I was temping and I ended up working at a luxury magazine, and I was thrown into this other world other socio economic class. If you think I'm very Lafayette or just shoot me or any of those shows, it had tinkerings of that type of environment. And even through that, I found the beat of working with charities and being able to promote them in the magazine, and I was exposed to galas and event marketing and I was able to go to the Hamptons and meet celebrities and create brand launches for these fortune 500s and so the trajectory of my life ripped open and opened up, and I kept being redirected and even in that I was inviting some friends from tish I was like, come to the red carpet and take a photo. Let me see if I can get you in the magazine right and that was low level. And over time I kept moving up and I found a calling in the nonprofit sector. In the fields I've leveraged all the learnings in the corporate sector to the nonprofit sector and I helped the door secure their first million dollar gala, which was huge. That money went to children in need, right. And so it's been a really fulfilling life. And I'm at this point in my career where I'm still a nonprofit. Shout out to the door we have a student here, actually recording. We teach teens how to make movies, get jobs and internships and entertainment and media. And and so being able to use this platform, and knowing that I'm a senior level employee. I now have access and opportunity right. And so how do I leverage that seat now I'm at the table. So what can I do now that I'm here. Right. How can I share that meal out with the others. And so that's what this is all about. Just, you know, listening to people's stories and also giving opportunity and access, giving permission to the next generation to sit alongside me to come to these events that we all produce and to learn. And that's, that's my contribution so far. You let me know we'll do more. Now I love what you said about, you know, telling our story that I think that's like the first step and then there's like the next couple of like, selling our stories with our people in the way we want to sell the like to our people you know there's so many steps in that direction I think I wanted to bring it to Jacqueline to see like, you know it sounds like with Latinx with the company you are disrupting kind of the traditional leadership model, and you're really opening up. You're not just telling your story you're also doing it in a different way and I wonder if you could talk about that a little bit. Yeah, yeah. Yes, we, we think of ourselves as hopefully disruptors and you know everyone's talking about the power of resource sharing and that's essentially what the Latinx Theater Commons is. It's led by, like I said a steering committee so I'm the producer for it but it's not like there's an artistic director who sets the tone for the season. It's really us putting the ask out to the Latinx Theater community and saying, what do you need, what resources do you need, what can we do to help and then, and then using our resources to do that. So, being led by, by others and their ideas is that the core of what we do we, we always share with folks what a commons is who may not know in a commons is a resource owned by no one for the benefit of a specific community. And so that's really how we like to approach our work. Interesting. And I feel like everyone here is is approaching things differently and I want to make sure we hear from you so I wonder how, Lana, I wonder how your discipline of the cultural role in your work what leadership looks like in your work in that space in Latinx and sports. Yeah, so kind of what Kennedy was saying about, you know, paying it forward a lot of our board members and those that are directors and higher within our community are very much on. I do kind of the latter it's great but I want to look back and see who else I can help and that was something that was very important to us and something that a lot of those leaders that have the common mentality that we do for our organization they continuously say which I think is so important. And I also was thinking about during our meditation you talked about like the community that supports you when it's over so there's for example today there's a lot of layoffs at the athletic which is a journalism outlet in the sports industry and you know thinking about those members and those that were affected by that I know that our community rallies around those when you know you unexpectedly leave your job or lose your job and what is next and I think that's something that's huge for us is providing those networking opportunities and kind of disrupting how we approach it because we're we're on zoom or we're in person and it's like hey I'm interested in one role and I know one of our board members has helped someone in our community get jobs so really that's our like success stories and that's how we see our own success right like what you're saying Kennedy it's not my success but it's like how I help others is how I see my success and I think that's something that's that's huge for us to continue implementing within our within our organization. And I feel like that transitions to what you're doing with the with the bar association like you're talking about mentoring the next generation you're talking about like, being real, telling them the advice on your journey. And I wonder what I wonder what advice as as someone is leading Latinx organization, you look into folks that want to reclaim themselves sooner like stay with themselves sooner I heard you earlier say that you felt like you were reclaiming a part of yourself and I wonder what advice you would get to like don't people exploring law to kind of stick with that or find spaces in their careers. We're doing anything really. I mean, I, I don't think I have advice for that to be honest. I think, I think that's a unfortunately learned model right and I think it's different for everybody. What I work in is incredibly corporate, it's incredibly non diverse, right, a lot of faces look exactly the same on the tippy top it's across the board, everybody's same color around the same age and typically the same sex. And so I think, you know, everybody's talking about being a disruptor in my industry disruptors get fired. Right, so you cannot, you can't go in there too crazy. I think, you know, the advice is you have to see. I think that is an interesting thing. I really do I think that, you know, if you ultimately want to be a person who is a bit more free, and can make more waves and you need to not be, you know, at a, you know, and law tab by law firm that's not for black people not for white people for anybody that's just not their model. And so I think, you know, if I guess the younger and that then we had this conversation on our on our pep call is, you know, I think younger generations I would tell our younger folks, you know, be, be a bit more free or sloppy with, with your career decisions in the beginning you have every opportunity to find something else. Right, so if you think you want to do something and you're like that's not money or I don't think I'm going to do it if you have nothing to really lose and you have very, you know, only things to gain. But I do think in the legal space, it is, it's not that way. And I do think you can only, you have to it's like death by 1000 cuts right, I showed up to work one day with my hair curly, and I showed up one day with Jordan done then one day with a biggie shirt. And I'm waiting for them to be like you've taken it too far. But so far so good but you know I think if you showed up with all these things at once somebody didn't like wait a second. So I do think it really is industry specific and you need to kind of know your audience, whatever that is right. In your industry it sounds like it's not slow, that slow build like just try a little bit and see what you can get away with and so you kind of say, find your authentic self because I feel like you could not have started wearing Jordan's decor I'm sure. No, I still, I'm sure still they're like Mr. Rodriguez I'm like I'm sorry, but you know like sorry, but you know it just depends on on, I also think it depends on your personality, right I'm a, I think I'm a playful person by nature. So if I was really serious number I'm going to really shoes because I have my feet hurt. I think people like get out of here like it's like, but on different shoes and get out of here. But I think it depends on how you approach people, right and, and we always talk about this but like, like ability goes so far, right, people want to give work to people they like, people want to mentor people that they like, people want mentors that mentees want people to feel like they can connect with. So, you know, I am not a stiff person if you're looking for a stiff, you know, if you are a person like that or if you're an introvert, I'm probably not your, your cup of tea, you know find somebody else. So I do think you kind of got to go for what you know best. Absolutely. I think that kind of transition just right like, it's about making connections in these spaces and like ability is like, is kind of, I don't know, it's not an easily defined word right and I wonder what books on the panel might. I wonder what traits put you at an advantage when you go into these spaces that you might tell people like if you're going into an infinity space and you want to advance your career. I don't know what you're looking for like, like ability but what does that mean I think I'm curious to know what people think, your opinions are on the panel, maybe we start with Christie what do you think. I'd say leading with curiosity and really a big thing is reliability, right. People may not know what one is capable of but if you show up regularly to the meetings, you participate, you say what you're going to do when you follow through over time people are like, Oh, what are you keeping in touch with, and that's really how I've navigated this universe right. I'm like, I'm at the meeting hey, you don't know me yet but I'm awesome. Wait till you catch up, you know, and over time that trust bills, right, and how can one add value in those spaces right, lead with curiosity and add value where you can. I also feel that when you can also add values that you have a voice, use that voice. And one thing that I always learned and I'll just go to a quick story. When I was working I was very quiet because sometimes in our culture they tell you hey, put your head down and just work don't make noise don't be recognized. You know that's don't don't put your job at jeopardy, because it's a little, you know, a little bit of a and for a long time that's what I did. And I would, funny enough, I would go to these meetings in a conference room with all these directors and producers, and I would sit in the corner, I wouldn't sit at the table. And after one meeting, I had some, I didn't raise my hand I didn't contribute to that meeting. And I was just talking to another colleague and I was just vexing, you know I had opinions. And I never shared them I was just sharing it with him. And as I was sharing it with my colleague, the director was at the door and overheard me. And he told me, why didn't you ask. Why didn't you question what was happening, because you, you are in this room for a reason. You're supposed you're providing perspective you are an employee you're someone who can contribute. And I kind of brushed them off. The next week the meeting happened again I stayed in my corner, did nothing very quiet. This time the director did not play around he. And I was like, Kennedy, what do you have to say, what are your thoughts. And I just, honestly, I gave my opinion. And when I gave my opinion, and I started seeing people shake their heads like oh I didn't think about that. That's a different point of view. That's when I realized that I was in that room for a reason, I was someone who can contribute. What would happen if I didn't if that director had not given me my voice. And I think as us as Latino leaders we're representatives of our culture in the workplace. And sometimes we have to be loud we have to be heard. And I think that each one of us do it in a unique way. Sometimes it's flashy, sometimes I get the flashy. I'm not here for a difference I think that for us it's just about bettering our community. And the way to do that is to say something, do something. Absolutely. I wonder if you have anything to add on. Yeah, I would say being genuine, like, making authentic relationships with folks and being invested and also with their bringing. I just like to remind myself and others of like recognizing the innate value that we all bring to the table which I think is also part of like a common space approach of we all have something to bring and so when you're in these spaces in these conversations, not only thinking about oh how am I going to move like my own agenda forward but also how can I help other people like how can we back to like how can we share resources to help each other out. So I think that's important. I think all amazing points, kind of going off of the authentic as well, something that I talk about a lot Latinx and sports but also when I have networking calls with, you know, aspiring industry professionals is authentic networking. I think when I was in college I was very much taught you reach out to someone because you applied to a job you're going to talk to them and at the end you're going to say hey by the way I applied thanks you know can you recommend me and that's it. I feel like and my mom is a very huge proponent of this is that people love to talk about themselves but not only that we I think as a culture love to talk and I do not shut up and it is true. So I think you know being authentic is something that's so important for us because at the end of the day like these affinity networks are the safe space for those of our culture and to talk about you know their struggles at work do they want to apply to a new job do they want to be different like, do they want to bring in different resources or other opinions and different things like that that's so important to be that safe space for them. So yeah just being authentic and when we have our networking calls and stuff you know I'm very casual like hey like, here's your three topic questions but if you want to talk about what's going on in that one or whatever you, you know you see fit in your small groups please and I think coming out of those small groups and it's about like the follow ups and being like hey, you know really enjoyed meeting you and you know those can lead to jobs or interviews or all things like that so I think being authentic is something that we all appreciate in general and something that really takes someone very far. And I think even for myself I think about how the Latinx online network has impacted my life it was like a safe space for me to create and create events like this and I've reached out to folks all over the world to come in and have these healing events and now you are all here. And I think it's really what's really beautiful of these spaces to me is that it gives you space to move in different directions it gives you space to experiment, people are more empathetic in these spaces because they want to teach you they want you to succeed. And I think, for me a big lesson around being in the spaces has been that there's room for that there's not always room for that another space if I was going for that in your job to experiment and so I wonder. If anyone has thoughts on how people can use these spaces in uniquely it's not just to get noticed for your skills but how you can authentically network with what what that looks like. What could that look like, and just throwing that throwing the networking out of the way like what can you get out of these spaces or what have you seen come out of these spaces that you maybe couldn't have expected or. Yeah, I'm curious if anyone has thoughts or so I just want to, you said something and it followed up on something that Kennedy said about how being in an infinity group can help you, you know, getting to the CEO or I think what what he was alluding to and I you know I guess. It's what I do professionally is folks in infinity groups have opportunities to flex skill sets that they don't actually have that have not been cultivated right so like you went to school and you are a director and that's what you do and that's your day job. But you also maybe wanted to try marketing, and you're not going to leave your job to try marketing, but in an affinity group. You know, if I say hey guys I need somebody to come up with a presentation because we have a pitch and somebody volunteers. I don't expect you to like ace it on people in that space are going to mentor you and you can realize, oh my God, I actually really like this right, and then you find people in that network that you're like all right well I think I really liked this kind of do the next interview, and the next one before you know maybe it's a, maybe I want a career shift but maybe turns out this, I like this better. So, you know, on top, on top of getting to the CEO or meeting other people you do have an opportunity to try things that you would not otherwise feel comfortable to try because you don't want to mess it up, and you don't want to get fired and you don't want to get called out for, you know, garbage work. It's going to help you a lot in that space, and then I'm just going to answer your question because I'm still talking, but the other thing I think I've gotten from affinity groups because, you know, although it's, it's a definitive group as a group of folks that are like minded, we're not same minded, right, and same minded makes you flat. Everybody had the same thought we'd never do anything so there's different approaches, even in the collective group of similar people everybody has different, I had a meeting at my house this week, it was an ongoing joke. Some Costa Rican my husband's Dominican he's also a lawyer, there's a bunch of Latin lawyers at my house, and everybody's like well Costa Rican and others are better now Dominican and others are better, you know it's like a whole group of people that were like we started it and we have this and it was like a joke but everybody thinks whatever they want to think and so for me, I think friendship has come out of this stuff that I never would have expected an authentic friendship not based necessarily on similarities because a lot of us have some differences, even in the differences in the, I'm a mom of three, I'm a relatively, I'm a relatively high person in my career, I'm incredibly maxed with time, and so seeing other moms do things and I'm like how the hell you do this, right like things that are not necessarily work related but their life related and I want somebody else's roadmap because I don't know what I'm doing. And I don't want people to pretend because I know there are people under me that think I know what I'm doing. And I don't pretend I'm like yo I don't know what I'm doing. It's working so far but like this, I'm stumbling into all this stuff. And so the friendships that these groups provide, you know, in their, their reciprocal things I can give you and things you give me that you don't even know you give me like even talking to you guys in the audience. I've seen people like shake their heads like yeah I feel that. And so, you know, like to Kennedy's point this the director who will pull somebody to the side and say I noticed that you vibe me there you must not speak Spanish either, whatever. You know, I think those things really matter when you talk to people like noticing people's behaviors and that's a job for all of us to take on right not just do your part, you know, sit back if you want to be a changer, or like a leader and you have to actually step up and lead. Absolutely. I think what she said is on point. It really does. It doesn't really does allow you to flex your muscles. I never thought that I would be in this situation. I never thought I'd be a leader for me I've always been a personally I've always been a loner by every conservative person. But where I felt that there was a lack in the community I had to take a lead, I had to take a lead as uncomfortable as it was for me. I had to do it. Sometimes that's what the affinity groups are there their support system and the like mindedness is pretty cool because when you want to take that lead there there to support you. And you, and having that support is all it is it means the world, because that means that they have your back regardless of what happens they are there to help you along the way. I've been fortunate enough with casinos is that I started this with five corporate five corporations. And the fact that it's grown so much just from us to having conversations and me being there for Patricia and working with Christie and then just meeting Jacqueline not too long ago and then a lot of coming into the group not too long ago. We just continue to evolve and the whole point is to just elevate each other. I think that's it's fantastic. Thanks for adding that a lot. I wonder if you can elaborate on on Latinx and sports kind of that thing because I feel like there's no under underversity of Latinos playing sports but certainly behind the scenes. And I wonder if you thought how I wonder if you can talk about how you learned how to flex your muscles your skill set and put it into this thing that you created. Yeah, I think I thought Kennedy very much is I did not think I would be in this position one bit so we started you know during the pandemic 2020 on zoom like never did I think we would have in person events at so far at them will be office before I joined like there's been so many opportunities that have presented itself purely from people wanting to support us and to help us and I think that is the best thing that I have gotten out of out of our group is just seeing like the support in the community because I think we, we always knew it was there to actually see it come to fruition and the different things were able to put on has been so important and kind of what Patricia said, I have some of the best as a friend because of this group like I travel to all these different places with my job or just personally and I get to just see what I have known on zoom for years, and I actually get to see them in person I'm like oh my gosh I remember when you got this shopper you did this and just to like be able to make those connections that started out virtually to now in person is something so big for us but I mean, like you were saying it's definitely underrepresented, you know behind the scenes and I think something that a lot of organizations have put into play is that they want to now match their front office to what is going on so I think a lot of more teams and leagues are really listening to what is going on with like their players like I had one of my friends today, she works I think in marketing and she's translating the social in Spanish for her team because there's no one in that on the social team that speaks Spanish like those are very real things that I think organizations don't really know that they need until they put into practice or like oh this is a gap that needs to be fulfilled because we can't really keep pointing it to like somebody else that we know. I think another common term to is like being like the token Latino is very real, because you might be one of five or one of one so that's something as well that you know it's a lot of responsibility, kind of like what you guys were saying you know it's like we're now like the focus group for organizations and I think it's very important to share those ideas and a lot of organizations come to Latinx and they're like hey, we want to like put our jobs on your social pages or we want to have you come in to talk to a DEI group like Kennedy. So really being able to be provided these opportunities from something that really came from social media to now and kind of be seen as a consultant or some sort of expert like a lot of times people like oh you're an expert in this space and I'm like no, I just like learned along the way and there's a lot of people that gave me their opinion then you know we really listen to our community similar to you, you know, we have a board and there's two of us at the top but really at the end of the day like we send emails and surveys like you want because at the end of the day, I came out of grad school and created this but there was people in the industry that wish that they had this and I was like okay, you're C-suite what do you want to like see like come out of this and I think really listening to all the different communities and age groups and industry experience within us is something that's very important as well that we want to be able to serve. Yeah, and it's really, what I keep hearing is like we're in a different position of power now. Like people want to batch the back office or the front office and I think it's in these spaces it sounds like a great space to make yourself seen as someone that can build that role and also do everything else you talked about right. I wonder how that applies to how you've seen it grow and how you've seen partners come to you what you see if you see like a growing need just how that has evolved in your sector. Yeah, I think what's interesting about the LTC and the people that are in the steering and advisory committee is that you know it's a volunteer steering advisory board and so everyone holds different positions in their day jobs. So Christy is part of it we have people who work for universities, there are actors, there are people who work for theater companies, there are people who work for healthcare companies and like theaters are passionate and so they serve on on our committees. And I think what I see is that opportunity to build mentorship and to build those skills like oftentimes these people when they're in their organizations they're very siloed they are the only Latin person in their organization or one of a few and so we all get to come together and like talk about things that we don't often get to talk about in our organizations because we might get like, get the boot, you know. And so we provide hopefully that safe space for for conversations to happen, and for people to, to dabble into different things and, and make connections for someone who is just graduated for undergrad to be able to talk to a dean at a university for grad school because everyone serves on the same committee. And because when we come together we kind of try to throw our titles out the window and it's just like we're all, we're on the same playing field now like nobody is up here nobody is down here, we're all just like, share the same values which is really awesome like Kennedy was saying like, when you're part of the LTC, if there's like a common understanding that we all share the same values of a common space approach, and like moving the field forward without having so many hierarchical structures because we all have an innate value. That's the same thing right finding value aligned books finding value on communities and I think these spaces can really just take the first step off of that like your for letting us let next people we can move there. I want to just say that we're going to open it up for questions soon to get questions keep them in your mind zoom folks you can. I'm not sick I sound safe thank you for your patience, the zoom, the zoom folks. If you can make your questions in the chat, I will get them eventually. I wonder if everyone keeps talking about and this is my experience to being you know one of a few or the only in your workspace or in other spaces. And we've talked about the personal impacts of these spaces on you but I wonder can dig in a little bit more on how this impact how these spaces that impacted me on the friendship center but impacted you personally, and your community personally. And maybe we start, we start with Kennedy with the community. I think that's something for me was. At least in the last year or so. Being part of a signals. I realized that we had a voice and we can help. We can help a lot of nonprofits in the community. A lot of a lot of these nonprofits were impacted because of the, because of the pandemic, and they're struggling to survive like that will say. And that the secret and love mentoring and dream. And one thing that I did was this year I made one of the goals for the signals was how to help these nonprofits survive and evolve. A lot of times it's corporations we support, you know, ref, you know, Salvation Army all these big nonprofits, but there's a lot of a lot of local communities. There's a lot of nonprofits that are doing a lot of the heavy lifting within our communities that don't get the same amount of support. And what I did this year to kind of start bringing that bridging that gap was that I invited a lot of these corporate heads to a meeting. And I brought a lot of these nonprofits here to the meeting as well. And I had each one of those nonprofits presents all these corporate heads. And I think for me it was about, look, there's a lot of good people trying to make a difference in our communities. And if you don't see them you don't know they're there. And for me it was about connecting those two because if you have all this money all this investment that you're ready. You're giving to all these big nonprofits, but the little nonprofits also need that help the same ones that are in your backyard that are right down the block from your offices. How do you build that relationship that honesty, and how do you grow that and for me that was one of the goals this year is really to elevate each of these local nonprofits to get to continue doing the job that they they've always wanted to do all they've been trying to do. Yeah. How long your friend also wants to jump in. Thank you for that answer. Well I wanted to add that. And in addition to that with NYU community service is really such a core value, right and culturally as Latina people being going and volunteering at your church or your local food bank, bringing your neighbor bringing food down the block to the to the elderly person that lives there. We're a very giving culture and so with the Latina with the NYU Latina alumni network, we said, how can we leverage our position to do the same right to forge these partnerships to create visibility, and to get folks to be able to give them the holidays, but throughout the entire year, right and and people are in need 365 days. So how can we use our position to help better those in need, and those impacted by whatever is affecting. So it's really such a privilege to learn. I wonder if anyone else has thoughts on. Yeah, like what I hear is I, what I heard kind of you named your specific goal this year is you just named our priority of giving back and I wonder if there's a top goal that everyone had in their organizations beyond just representation, even recently how you how that's evolved and where you're going next, where you're trying to go. Maybe we start with you Patricia. I think, I think my goal is very, it's a long game. And we've, I think we've spoken about this all of us. But one of my goals is to make a collective a hook for my kids for our kids. I think if you think about other spaces, other ethnicities, you know, the community that the husband has a friend who's a judge. So their son can get an internship easy. Or I know a dent my friend works at this school and I can get I can get you in this private school. And because we're kind of starting a little bit on some of us on the floor, we don't have that group of folks I can say oh, my friend works at Princeton and my son is trying to get in so I can see if I can get you an interview. And as I continue to get older, and you know, my, I evolved in my career and I meet not just people my age you know, older than me younger than me. We all have books that we can literally provide each other where I can say, you know, like, so I have to have twins that are seven and my son is eight, and they all want to go to Princeton. Right. And then we talk about how my parents told me at nine right, I guess it's you know I've lived in a faulty park and three. So the goal is, you know, when and if they decide they want to do whatever I have somebody that I can literally call and say hey, my kid wants to, like my son is into cartooning, and I know somebody who's a cartoonist, like, that would never have had that's just the most random thing and it's not law based, it's just being able to provide hooks for people, creating a network of professionals in it that looks similar to us that have similar goals and you know, the way that I mother is very different the way other people mother was probably it's the way that most people are like me mother right so like shy of you know, excluding other people like there is a lot of commonalities and in in culture, and so being able to have that network of folks that can support, not just you but your kids your kids kids, your friends kid your neighbor whoever, you know, Kennedy calls me he's like my kid needs an internship, I'll just make one up. I'll just be like, I'll bring in right and, and I'm lucky enough to have that kind of cloud right now, but I didn't have that 10 years ago, you know, and I hope that that continues on. The one other thing I want to say because it will bother me if I don't say it, but sorry, I always go the sideways but you know the idea in my space my career and I'm sure it's a lot of other other spaces as well but I feel like a lot of minority people think well there can only be one top dog top lawyer, Latin lawyer, only one in my company. So it's me and you're going to fight against you. And so we're not allies right now, you know, so maybe we show up to the affinity group but I'm like, Oh, at the end of the day like I'm going to crush you and I'm going to become partner and, you know, like get out of my way. That's not it doesn't have to be a thing and it is a thing for a lot of people. A lot of folks feel like, you know, we have to work harder to get recognition in certain spaces. I can't mess up as much as other people can, because more eyes are on me. And that's, I think, depending on where you are that's a real thing that actually happens that people are like, well, you know, English was your first language or because you have a bunch of, you know, grammatical errors and it's like, Well, this guy had a bunch to like nobody said anything about it. Right. So I do think also, trying to remind yourself because I go through this myself and it's part of what I do in my organization is like thousands of lawyers, not just women but all like you know lawyers that we remind ourselves to not be that way. It doesn't have to be you or me, right. It could literally be me first then I'm going to grab you up right and then we grab the person underneath. And I think we're trained to think that way like our families are like, it's one right like you beat that's that's your spot, push them out of the way. It doesn't have to be that way. I feel like that's a really calm theme across the board of gay keeping and feeling like I want to space for certain people that there is space for everyone who just been taught that there isn't. It's really important to distinguish. I want to get back to make sure we talk about goals for everyone so maybe you want to continue. Sure so like I mentioned the LTC is about 10 years old now so we're coming up on our 10 year anniversary celebration and thinking about all the work we've done but also about all the work we've yet to do and that we want to do and what the next 10 years looks and all of our programming like I said is really decided by the field and the people who want to contribute to the LTC and so we'll be opening up proposals for people to pitch us programming that they believe aligns with our values and could use our ideas for so if anyone's like, here's interested in theater or in the zoom room interested in theater highly encouraged. You can reach out to me or go on our website because that that we will be really seen that soon to think through our next few years of programming which is really exciting and thinking through how we can continue to push boundaries because there's so much work to be done still. Yeah, so for a lot of sports, I kind of said in our intro but we are a soon to be nonprofits so that's definitely like top goal for this years to complete our process we started late last year so that's our big number one, but kind of related to that are one of our really big missions is to create grant programs and Chrissy kind of touched on it, unpaid internships, especially in the sports industry is something that is very real and I think it is a large hurdle that our culture needs has to overcome or can't overcome and then it like sets us back because you know all these internships are to get the experience so then you can apply to a full time job and then you you know climb up but if these unpaid internships, you know, could continue to persist and where we might not be able to take on that experience to continue so we want to be able to create some sort of grant or like stipend for college students that are looking to break into the sports industry and taking on those internships whether unpaid or very minimum wage pay. So that's something that's really big for us to kind of support our community to be able to get the experience but being able to also know that there's some sort of like financial backing to it when, unfortunately the organization team, university, whatever it may be, may not offer that to you you're still able to take on that opportunity and not, you know, I guess like set yourself back in other ways which is something that's very big for us. And then also just continuing to grow our different regions and our different database just all over the country, LA and New York and Arizona are very large for us and I kind of also said at the beginning, we're going to be Texas is an event that we're going to put on in July's and we also have eyes on Florida so really trying to be now intentional with where we continue to grow and make all these different events and spaces so that we soon become all over the country we have people in Mexico Canada also didn't didn't think about that when we started out so we've definitely somehow gone internationally but want to continue being able to grow here and be very intentional where the places that we go in the future. So it all makes a lot of sense and I just, I keep hearing kind of this, this theme of like it just doesn't have to be the way we've been taught it is right internships don't have to be unpaid the way I will be a lot of us did like it's it sets us back it's a barrier and it's harder for us and creating grants, being created about everything that's happening here is, it changes the norm, which isn't the norm it's just what we've been taught is the norm. So thanks for everything and all they're doing it's really impactful. Any questions in the room or in this. I'll keep it in mind. Um, did anyone come here to say something that hasn't been said the one on your way for you like, I, this is the fun or coming up now. I mean, thanks. No, I mean, I'm just super fascinated by these amazing. I'm very happy. And, and I think this is the last thing to say that we build like physical conflict. You're a takers of black. There's no country. That sounds fun. This could be brand one. I was just thinking about it because you were mentioning how you were redirected through a career or something like that. Were there any roadblocks or anything that you guys have faced that kind of made you where you are now that really pivoted you towards it. And I guess, and I mentioned are alluded to it at times, but thank you specifically that you can think off the top of your mind. What, what are you referencing from your path? Yeah, career path or just where you're, you know, and you talk about it. See, I was like, well, what was it in that. I know you mentioned it before, like we felt like they didn't have a voice. Um, but is there something else that you can think of or something that you specifically were like, okay, like this, let me create this and it could be that or like career wise. Like, you also mentioned that how you were like, not talking to someone has to kind of figure that spotlight deal. You know, I have a roadblock off my money. Money. I had $250,000 of student loan debt that I paid for by myself. I got married. I had three kids in a year and a half and I could no longer try fun jobs. Like I was like, oh shit, I have to make this amount of money to do to survive right. So, you know, they're my career moved into space in which I had to make this kind of money. So I could no longer explore things that maybe were of more interest because I needed to maintain this thing I kind of created and then, you know, everybody jokes around like the more you make the more you spend and it gets worse and worse and, you know, which is a gift right so not to say it but you know I do think when you're thinking about career shifts and how that works and very intentional in the spaces you drop yourself and like tell younger people now or even people might anybody. If you're going to take a $60,000 pay cut, make sure you can maintain that you're going to take a $60,000 increase which is great. Make sure that if this job you get laid off. How are you going to do if you're scrambling and your skills that didn't really actually lie to you know like you didn't make you hadn't learned enough to maintain that. So I do think money does unfortunately dictate a lot of your career path, and people don't want to say that because it sounds ugly and it sounds like you're being greedy, but that's just reality. And as you get older, and you buy a house or you have a car note or you have insurance or any grown up. Being a grown up is not what's trapped up to be it kind of sucks. You got to pay for everything. So you know I think that creates a lot of hurdles, because things that you might have considered you just can't anymore. Yeah, I do share that excited. I mean about undergrad I came out with a bunch of loans and stuff like that, but I got paid off myself, and then later on now like, I'm that free but I still think about like, well that's amazing person that free. That's huge. Yeah. So I'm glad you brought that up as a connection. I think for me personally was, I got frustrated in the workplace, had been a manager for a long time, and I kept getting skipped over for director roles. And I had been there longer than a lot of employees I had trained some interns that became coordinators that became managers that became directors ahead of me. And it became frustrated it was like, what am I doing wrong. And what I realized it was not me it was just that I was not visible. And the only way to get visible I didn't know how to become visible because me personally being a conservative person being a quiet person. I needed to come out of my shell, if I wanted to evolve. And the only way to ball I didn't have a blueprint, I didn't have mentors. I had to go search for them. And for me was like where do I start, and it started with the affinity groups, and those affinity groups kind of opened those doors for me little by little. And now I've been I've graduated to be in a director now. Now I'm aligned to be a senior director. And the lanes of possibilities are open and I'm more confident about it. And sometimes it's about that is sometimes when you're in the workplace you struggle or evolve. And sometimes you need resources and the affinity groups became that sometimes let's be honest our HRs don't sometimes they help you out sometimes they don't. And you have to find other avenues to make it happen. Absolutely. I mean, that's how it started right and I think so many industries I mean, even me I used to have I used to be in film and there's no HR to go to when someone is, you know, exploiting you in this way, you know, it's it's been what I think about my own transition career transition it's been different spaces that affinity spaces not just my next spaces but many spaces that I've gone to to explore transitioning because there wasn't that. That round where I was previously better than the other. That's common. I think one of the bodies that I've gotten these groups is that you get to meet other people. And then, at least for me, I walk away thinking, okay, I'm not the only one. Sometimes that nothing specific is just that you're part of it, something that you were not aware of. You see other people that I'm making it. And that kind of gives you the impetus limit. Let me find out the state and I know that the three groups like that sometimes nothing specific is just the part of something that you're not aware. And that I conference and stuff like that I woke up. I'm not the only one so I can come back retooled. So that I think is the value that I find in this group. Absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you for sharing that so we're getting a little long time so I want to ask everyone to speak one last time either with something that you came here to say, or just here and go. With something that you came here to say, or with, we've said a lot. One thing that you really want us to take away from you being here you came here today you gave us your time. We heard what we heard, but what is your intention that we leave with. I say my intention is start building a network of allies that will have your back through thick and thin. Yes, we chose affinity groups, because they helped us evolve. But it can be a colleague right next to you. It could be your best friend. You don't know how big of a network you have unless you until you start reaching out to folks and asking for help. And I think that's always been a big thing for me, you know. I think for me, for me it seems like just a network of a whole bunch of Latino colleagues that are helping each other evolve. And I think for you guys, we kind of all join for six, not similar reasons but something along those same lines. I think that's what I probably would want to take my advice for you guys, grow your network, because when the time comes that you need help have someone that you can reach out to to help you out along the way, because you I don't have anything else to say, I would just say believe in yourself and trust that you know, like, trust your skill set. I've had people tell me before like, that I couldn't have x jobs because they didn't think I could do them when they'd never see me do it or given me the opportunity to do it. And it's really frustrating because you're like, you're not even giving me a chance you're not even having a conversation about it. So I've told folks before like, never let someone tell you you can't do a job that they've never seen you do or given you the opportunity to do. Go find somewhere else that will let you that will let you explore that. Thank you. Today, if you have an interest, find an event, a meetup group, talk to friends, and go explore. If you found that you always like photography or taking pictures, sign up for photography class, find other people who take photos, and over time you'll build a community of photographers and who knows, maybe you'll start doing weddings, and you have a side hustle. And I would say that, for me, it was community and being in spaces with other Latina folk other spirited folks who love to give back and love to have a good time, and at the core that's my heart and so I love celebrities like JLo. She has her glam squad. I say create your own version of glam squad for yourself. You're the CEO of your life, right. So, who do you need to hype you up, who do you need to help you with your makeup with your outfit, who do you need to, you know, give you mentorship or guidance or teach you skills for interviewing. Find them, find them, go on Instagram, go to these networking events, introduce yourself, and it'll come. That is the best example I have ever heard. I'm going to use it everywhere. Yeah, I'm going to definitely use it again. I think for me, it's about like, be you like Patricia said, she was Jordan's support, I were sneakers in the office every day, and I'm, I embrace it because it's part of me and that's part of like who I am and I think there's a lot of value and being authentic within yourself because you never know who else wants to be authentic but maybe you're not going to be around that co worker or that friend to like be like in a safe space with so building those like relationships based off what you, you believe to be true and the things that you like even outside of like the workplace and things like that can go so far to make friends with coworkers or other colleagues in the same industry as you're even different industries that you're interested in so I think that's the biggest thing is to always remember to be authentic and be yourself because that's the most important version of yourself. I'm going to steal everybody's, but I think being open minded is is incredibly important and I think, for me, there was many years of my life where I wasn't as open minded right I just assumed, well, you look white so you must be white. You're pregnant so it must have been easy for you, I had no idea if you were an IVF baby look I had no idea I don't know you look I don't know how this worked out for you. I would see people with a beautiful house and I'm like oh they must be rich well turns out that they're, you know, their parent passed away they fell into bed, you know money that they would have rather not had. So, being open minded about people you meet I think first impressions are horribly important but they're not everything. And sometimes people rub you the wrong way, but they just something about them you're like, you're not for me, but you don't know if they had a shitty day they missed the bus. In the bank you have no idea. So, being open minded about people trying your best to meet people where they present themselves and if you see any sort of good, and you want to like poke at it do it because you just don't know who you'll connect with. You don't know like I met Kennedy last year at an event, like a random event. And then we're like, Oh, I could do this for you I could do this for you like you're talking about your nonprofit I'm like you need a lawyer because I can help you do that. You just never know what people where they can fit into your life and I don't mean to what you can get from them to physically use but you just never know. So be open minded about you know people and and how they come off and you know don't make assumptions that are likely horribly untrue. Thank you. All excellent advice. I just want to confirm. Is there a question DJ. Somebody's hands. Go ahead. Let me ask it out here. I think they have to. Okay. Okay. Thanks. Um, but do you just go ahead. Hi everyone my name is top piano. So my question is, I think you're all great. I think your organizations are all excellent, but how are you strategically leveraging each other. And because there's a lot of us doing this work for years in the room, and also my mind. It's great that we've achieved all of this and wonderful but what's the next step and how can we move a bit later. I think for us, the next step is to create a pipeline for the next generation. But for us, one of my long term goals is to become an incubator. I want to I want to educate the next very similar to Alana. There's a lot of Latino kids that are coming up without the experiences or the knowledge to enter the workplace, and I want to be able to educate them and prepare them to enter the workplace because I don't want them to go to the same struggles I went through. I want them to once they enter the workplace I wanted to take off and excel, because a lot of times, my struggles should not be their struggles and the only way to do that is to educate. And in order to do that you also have to invest time and resources, like something I'm doing this summer starting in July is we want to brothers discovery teamed up with the new year public school system. And we're taking 160 kids and teaching them how to create marketing campaigns for five weeks I got to sit there and educate these kids from a to Z. But that's a that's an invaluable lesson how many of us would love to go into marketing and develop that skill set, a lot of us don't get that experience until we work in the workplace, these kids are getting it at the high school level. And for me it's really about building that pipeline hey how can I, how can I elevate our culture 1% how can I make them 1% better. And it's never easy, you know, for me, at least personally for me, I see my struggles and I and I want to make the next the person who's following my kids. That are entering the workplace, better prepared so we can compete. Because I think that if we are ever given the opportunity to enter the workplace at the same rate as everyone else. We can, we can beat them. It's not it's not a competition I would say, but we want to be a part of the dynamic we want to be game changers. And the only way to do that is to educate our kids and create that pipeline. Thank you. I think I think it's not for me, and it's not just kids right I think it's everybody, every age. There's a ton of folks. And it's almost the reverse right the older generation of folks that are so ingrained in old school mentality, in that put your head down, right like in the, I'm the woman at the workplace so I'll bring the cake for the birthdays I don't want to bring cake you bring the cake on my birthday like these old school thoughts like, and that is who you are those are systemic stereotypes that are layered generationally like over and over so. You know for me the next step is figuring out a way to help break those kinds of thought processes at your workplace wherever it is that you work because it a lot of how I behave at work is how my mother was like, make sure you do this like you never leave without lipstick on right, you can be in sweats but you never leave with your hair looking like like silly things but you know that ultimately turns into work stuff right in these these old school thoughts. So I think breaking out of those norms at any age at any phase in your career will help us feel more into our own skin whatever that is for you. Right like doesn't have to be the same but I think that's super important. Absolutely. I probably just want to add it. I acknowledge that there's a lot of organizations that are doing a lot of this work in the community for us. No, and it is true look, there's been a lot of organizations I think for us is very similar we just we're not aware. And us not being aware we're like you know what something is missing. And we decided to create that within the workplace. But there's a lot. There's a Hispanic star Hispanic Federation a lot of these times you name their exist and we have to support them on that that's the even I support them as much as I try to evolve as as much as I try to do stuff for this you know why because we all trying to accomplish the same thing is that's to make a difference in the community. If I may follow up with a comment as to the reason why I asked the question is because. You know, all of you represent these cohorts and groups, but we need to strategically leverage each other. And so I represent my being as in fact, for about 27,000 members of us to globally the US colleagues here also representing the idea and ship the world so part of the, you know, not being as in tech, kind of room. And so we do all this amazing work and it's wonderful, but we still see that there's so much we need to achieve and accomplish. And I'm wondering, you know, what are we not doing correctly, because we're putting so much work, and how can we be more efficient in bringing into the future. Again, leveraging each other strengths to really not be so silent. And, you know, like you mentioned, rate that pipeline I think a lot of words, like should have wonderful pipeline development that doesn't affect not as much. Probably many of you do. So, let's come after this to do something at a higher level where we can have a greater impact. Much, much faster. Much much faster. I agree with you. It's, it's easier said than done. I might say, like, I infiltrate both like stuff and they change things, and changing burning man from like, 0% of you know I'm black people, whatever pocket is today, which I think was 7% last year took me. Many years. No, no, no, but that took me like nothing. I mean, you know, banging at it for 12 years and what have we done. So, people are in the end. Exactly. We found things, but I'm saying the rate of change can be much faster. The rate of change will be. Well, that's the goal right to work together to change the rate. Thank you so much for bringing it up and what I would offer is that I don't think we're doing anything wrong, I think we really are trying to figure it out. I think we're also up again and not to like say that, you know, it's just think we're really up against a lot of systems and a lot of systems that are in place separate from the people within them. I think that's what systemic people don't like realize what systemic means it's like separate from the people that are in there it's going to help. It's like that. Yeah, it's complicated. No, no, we are more complicated. Like you can only say like oh, that's what that's all there is to say here we need like 200 pounds. Okay, but so thank you for that I just want to keep us on time we do have to wrap up but I want to give us as much time as possible to talk. Thank you so so so much each of you for taking your time. Yeah, I'm just really excited to see what happens and what partnerships happen so we started we have a little bit of time maybe some networking can happen, and we'll see you with the next one. Yes.