Latino Heritage: Gratitude Achievement Purpose

Latino heritage and leadership, an ongoing dedication to higher causes

Last Saturday afternoon I sat in my garden, in Northern California.  I was enjoying the gorgeous bright blue sky and the fresh air coming from the Pacific Ocean, just west of my home.  A sense of purpose was running through me.  A moment can pack so much joy.

My mind then turned to recent activities.  Week after week, I have been attending events in the San Francisco Bay Area to celebrate the achievements of Latino leaders.  The Latinos recognized at these events are remarkable visionaries and effective leaders.  The thousands of Latino trailblazers present at these gatherings are equally impressive and inspiring.

Latino Heritage Celebrations

Here are some of the events I attended:  The Commonwealth Club held a Latinas in Business forum; the Latino Community Foundation also had a forum, focusing on  Latino policy, and it hosted a gala in San Francisco; Latina Style Magazine held a conference in San Jose; Latino Leaders Magazine presented the Maestro Awards Celebration in San Francisco; the California Hispanic Chamber had its convention in Oakland; Union Bank and KQED (the PBS local station) held the Local Heroes Awards Ceremony; the Mexican Museum of San Francisco had a ribbon cutting ceremony on Mexican Independence Day at the site where its new home will be, and just a few days later the Chicana Latina Foundations Gala attracted over 800 guests.

Event Insights and Latino Leaders

Here are some insights on what these events represent:  Speakers and awardees were recognized for achievements that have had major impact at the local, state and national levels.  These accomplished leaders have paved the way for past, present and future generations of Latinos in education, healthcare, the arts, science, politics, entrepreneurship, and more.  Repeatedly, they all addressed the importance of education for the Latino community.

Jerry Porras, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, and co-author of Built to Last, spoke about his Latino heritage and was honored for his visionary leadership at the Maestro Awards event.

Mexican born Andrew Kluger, Chairman of the Board of The Mexican Museum of San Francisco, celebrated the richness and vitality of Mexican, Chicano, Latin American and Latino arts, and The Mexican Museums contributions to the artistic and educational communities in and beyond San Francisco.  Mr. Kluger highlighted the importance of having a museum solely dedicated to these art forms in the Yerba Buena District, right in the heart of San Francisco’s cultural and arts hub, along with other world-renowned museums and art galleries.

At the Commonwealth Club, Aida Alvarez, a former Clinton cabinet member, spoke about her experiences growing up Puerto Rican in New York, surmounting educational barriers in high school and holding on to a vision she had for herself.  That vision led to her graduation from Harvard University, and a distinguished career in journalism, business and government.  Currently, she serves on the Board of the Latino Community Foundation.  Ms. Alvarez works tirelessly to improve quality of life for Latinos and understands the importance of a thriving Latino community for the U.S., given the rapidly changing demographics in the nation.

Stephanie Bravo, Founder and President of StudentMentor.org was one of the awardees at the Local Heroes Latino Heritage Month celebration.  Ms. Bravo, a first-generation college graduate, is indefatigable when it comes to education.  In 2012, she partnered with the Obama administration to jointly address the importance of education, and expanding college retention and graduation among Latino students.

Latino Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship was equally lauded with education at these events.  Amelia Ceja received a leadership award at the Chicana Latina Foundations gala for her remarkable work and leadership in the wine industry.  Emigrating from Mexico as a child, Amelia started out in a farmworker household and is now President of Ceja Vineyards.  A trailblazer, Ms. Ceja is the first Mexican American woman to become President of a winery in the U.S.  She has been recognized by the California Latino Legislative Caucus for her achievements in business and community leadership.  Ceja Vineyards has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for worthy causes and is fully committed to supporting the Latino community.

Another outstanding farmworker spoke at the Chicana Latina Foundation gala that is, after a standing ovation of more than 800 people eventually sat down and gave Ms. Dolores Huerta the floor.  In her speech, she talked about the importance of looking back and looking forward in terms of Latino history and leadership.  Hence, reflecting on the plight and achievement of Latino farmworkers, Ms. Huerta, with razor-sharp focus, homed in on what’s to come. With radiating optimism, she spoke about the present and the future.  She centered on the passion, leadership and achievements of young Dreamers across the U.S.  Striving to succeed in education, Dreamers have united to work at the local, state, and national levels to advocate for and vigorously pursue access to higher education for all immigrant youth.   We have a new chapter to make, Ms. Huerta remarked, and it hinges on our Latino youth and their education.

Latino education

In my view, it’s all about education.  Clearly, I’m not the only one thinking this way as the brief references to speeches above show.  Yes! Education, education, education.    I recently worked with Independent Television Service [ITVS> as they produced Los Graduados, a film by Director Bernardo Ruiz shown on more than 100 PBS stations and in community screenings across the U.S.  Los Graduados features six Latino high school students who overcame seemingly insurmountable barriers and resolutely refused to drop out despite clear odds against them, ranging from immigration status to teenage pregnancy.

These students, following their dreams with conviction and strong support networks, graduated from high school and became leaders in their own right.  Indeed, these educational and leadership achievements are emblematic of what’s possible for Latino youth.  Dr. David Lopez, Chancellor of the National Hispanic University in San Jose, knows this full well.  I saw him the other day at one of these events and we talked at length about education.  He’s on 24/7 to ensure that Latino youth enroll in and graduate from college.  His visionary work too, symbolizes what Latino leaders in education know is possible for our youth.

Three words keep streaming through my head as I continue to attend events, hear stories about honorees, speak with them and other Latino leaders, and engage in my work:  Gratitude.  Achievement.  Purpose.  These three words move through as if on a ribbon circling my mind, orbital and fulfilling.

So many people doing so many wonderful things, I am grateful for their dedication to higher causes.  Their achievementsare a true testament to their Latino heritage, and their dedication to community in the U.S.  In all this, I continue to find a true sense of purpose for my work and volunteering with the Latino community.  In fact, I know for sure that every month is Latino Heritage Month in the United States.

Back in my garden today, I’m looking at that blue sky again.  I think I know why I’m looking up:  That sky is as open, bright and vast as the paths Latino leaders are creating for their communities and for the U.S.  That breeze coming from the Pacific Ocean feels good. I’m grateful.

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