INTRODUCTION

Leading Latino Style

MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER DOLORES WAS born on the remote northwest coast of Peru. Her straight hair, as black as charcoal, fell to her waist; she stood tall and proud like the algarrobo tree that grows in the Peruvian forests. Her mother knew the only future for her strong-willed daughter was submission to one of the arrogant men that left Spain solitos (alone). So she searched for a better life for her daughter. Dolores would go by boat to the Nicaragua coast, which was alive and thriving. She had cousins there who sold goods to the pueblos and haciendas.

In the 1840s, freight boats exported coffee, bananas, and sugar, and precious wood from the Nicaraguan jungle. A creative and inventive woman, Dolita became a talented baker—the bread she made was like manna from heaven for the Spanish.

He was taking a morning walk when the wondrous aroma engulfed him. Manuel Bordas was taller than any man Dolores had ever seen, with pale skin and steel-blue eyes. But he had a respectful spirit that was rare in those who had ventured across the great ocean. He married the bright and spirited Indian woman. This union—of the Spanish man and the Indigenous woman—became my great-grandparents, reflecting the massive merger between two races that ushered in a new humanity in what was called the “new” world.

My ancestors remained on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, where I was born, until the 1940s, when my familia, due to a devastating tsunami, immigrated to Tampa, Florida. Tampa, where I grew up, is a cauldron of Latino culture, and in the tradition of Latinos we began to “mix it up”! Today, my extended familia includes Mexicans, Colombians, Spanish, Peruvians, Filipinos, and Cubans.

My own life path follows this tradition: I trained for the Peace Corps in Puerto Rico and love the rhythms and cultural vibrancy of la isla (the island). I served in Chile, so I consider myself Chilean by corazón (affinity). And I have lived in Colorado among my cherished Mexican American hermanos (brothers) for fifty years, which has instilled a deep love for these political, ranchera-dancing, and mariachi-loving people.

My ancestry and life experiences opened the doors for me to experience the kaleidoscope culture of my extended Latina familia. This allows me to put forth a comprehensive leadership model that brings together the nuances of the culture yet at the same time reflects our rich diversity.

I am also immeasurably fortunate to have worked with thousands of Latinos who have advanced our community and nation. Today, as an elder, I wish to integrate their knowledge into a viable theory of leadership based on our practical and collective experiences and woven from the beautiful culture that connects us. My abuela (grandmother) would simply have said, “Es tu destino” (It’s your destiny).

And speaking of destino, what luck that you are reading this book! Ah, perhaps it is not luck; perhaps it is your destino that your past and present have led you to this point of learning about the powerful leadership in the Latino community. Latinos can take pride in the immense contributions our leaders have made. Non-Latinos can become more culturally adaptive and start using the principles in this book to lead with a more inclusive and generous spirit. People of all ages can form partnerships and work together to build a more viable and inclusive future. And we can all infuse our leadership journeys with a renewed sense of purpose and a vibrant Latino flavor.

Oh yes!—claro que sí!—if you are wondering about this Latino destino thing, chapter 5 will highlight five steps that will align you with your personal purpose and life vision, which Latinos call destino.

This second edition includes a new chapter, “El Círculo: Inclusiveness Across Generations,” which features the voices, perspectives, and leadership practices of young Latinos and fashions an intergenerational leadership model. These practices are applicable to leadership development across all ages, communities, and sectors. Additionally, the book has been updated to include data from the 2020 census and information about the advancements Latinos have made in the past decade.

At the end of each chapter, I have added reflection and application exercise to expand your leadership practices. I recommend that you use a special notebook, or Latino Leadership Journal, to answer questions, consider what you are learning, and find connecting points or areas to practice. You also can share your perspectives and learning with others, and if the book is used in a class or book club, the exercises can be a catalyst for mutual learning and sharing.

Now let’s look at the dynamics that make leading Latino style a viable model for our rising global community and multicultural world.

The Future Is Latino

BEYOND OUR CULTURAL INFLUENCE, Latinos will drive the American economic engine in this century. Hispanics are projected to account for 78 percent of net new workers between 2020 and 2030.¹ The US labor force growth rate has slowed over the past couple of decades and was heavily impacted by the COVID epidemic. The growth that has occurred is largely due to the increasing number of Hispanic workers. Given the group’s strong entrepreneurial spirit, 80 percent of small business growth in the last decade was due to Latinos.² And US Latino spending power represents a $2.3 trillion market and the eighth-largest gross national product in the world, larger than Canada, Italy, or Brazil.³

On a more practical level, by the middle of this century, when Latinos become the majority workforce, organizations will do well to cultivate Latino talent and thus benefit from their dynamic work ethic. Companies who are part of the bilingual market economy will grow and prosper. The Power of Latino Leadership offers a hands-on, test-driven way to connect with and leverage Latino assets, energy, and values. It puts forth culturally specific leadership principles rooted in Latino history and tradition.

Another consideration is that, just as women left their imprint in the last century and changed every institution, Latinos will have a similar impact in the twenty-first century. Women began the 1900s as 18 percent of the workforce. Today, they are the majority of workers and 40 percent of managers. There are more women than men studying in colleges and universities, including law and medical schools.⁴ Women have made leadership more collaborative and relationship oriented.

The Power of Latino Leadership describes how Latinos will have a similar impact in this century and validates the leadership practices that have held Latinos together through the tribulations of being conquered, colonized, and deemed a minority. Their resilience, contributions, and cultural vibrancy are a testament to the wisdom and perseverance of their leaders.

During the twenty-first century, the Eurocentric cultural imposition and colonization of the past five hundred years will be transformed into a diverse multicultural form. Jorge Ramos, an award-winning Univision news anchor, notes that the Latinization of America is the fundamental influence that will change the monocultural nature of our society and replace ethnocentric dominance with a multiethnic, multiracial, and multicultural nation.⁵ Ramos observes that the melting pot is being converted into a delicious paella and that Latinos are adding color and flavor to our emerging rainbow nation. Now let’s look at an overview of our exciting Latino leadership journey!

Part I. La Historia: Latino Fusion and Hybrid Vigor

THE POWER OF LATINO LEADERSHIP begins with the complex history that birthed the Latino phenomenon. Be prepared for an exciting roller coaster ride that starts in ancient Rome, traverses the conquest of the Americas, and examines Manifest Destiny in the nineteenth century.

Part I starts with the Romans’ occupation of Spain and then traverses to the footprints of the Spanish conquistadores—both precursors of today’s Latinos.

Chapter 1, “Ancient Roots and Mestizo Ancestry,” surveys the Spanish racial and cultural dominion of the “new world”—a very different encounter from that which occurred in North America. Mestizos—the mixed-blood offspring of the Spanish and the Indigenous people of this hemisphere—became the prevailing population and are the ancestors of today’s Latinos. We will explore a “creation” story of the Mestizo birth almost five centuries ago that foretold the appearance of this cultural fusion.

Chapter 2, “The Latino Legacy in the United States,” describes the annexation of the US Southwest from México and the designation of Latinos as minorities. This was abetted by Manifest Destiny, which proclaimed that Indigenous/Native tribes, Blacks, and the ancestors of today’s Latinos needed to accept White civilization. Manifest Destiny swept in a belief in cultural superiority and laid the groundwork for the segregated society that continues until today.

Part II. Preparing to Lead: A Latino Perspective

BECOMING A LEADER IN the Latino community requires pondering questions such as Why do I desire to lead? What will be my unique contribution? How will I stay the course? Part II offers three culturally based principles that prepare a person for leadership.

Chapter 3, “Personalismo: The Character of the Leader,” explores the belief that every person has inherent value and must be treated with respect. Personalismo is the leader’s character—her persona—and prescribes that the leader establish genuine and caring relationships.

To become this type of person requires a leader’s deep connection with their inner self. “Conciencia: Knowing Oneself and Cultivating Personal Awareness,” chapter 4, highlights understanding one’s history, heritage, and culture. A leader also must deal with the aftermath of exclusion and discrimination, personally and in relation to Latinos as a whole.

The belief that every person has a distinct life path is considered in chapter 5, “Destino: Personal and Collective Purpose.” Individualistic cultures believe that a person determines their own future. Many Latinos believe it is impossible to control chance, fate, or unplanned events. (Having to deal with discrimination is a case in point.) Life presents certain opportunities, experiences, and challenges. Destino is a dance with the currents of life.

Part III. The Cultural Foundations of Leadership

LATINO INCLUSIVENESS IS EVIDENT in Latinos’ bienvenido—welcoming—spirit. As members of a blended culture, their inherent diversity presented a conundrum for the Census Bureau, which since 1790 has counted, delineated, and described the US population. We will learn about the evolution of Latino identity, and how the inclusion of thirty Hispanic subgroups, transformed the census.⁶

Chapter 6, “De Colores: Culturally Centered Leadership,” looks at shared values such as respect, honesty, and service, from which leadership flows. In most cultures, values are imparted through proverbs or adages, which for Latinos are called dichos. “Mi casa es su casa” (My house is your house), for instance, encourages generosity, sharing, and taking care of people. Dichos allow Latinos to tap into the wisdom of their abuelos (grandparents). For non-Latinos, dichos increase cultural adaptability and open the door to become Latinos by corazón. (More on this as we continue.)

“Fe y Esperanza: Sustained by Faith and Hope,” chapter 7, explores the spiritual values and the abiding faith that grounds leadership. How else could Latinos have survived five hundred years since the conquest of this hemisphere? Faith, or fe, is a living current prescribing that people take care of one another and work together to improve their lives. César Chávez upheld spirituality as part of the activist nature of leadership. “I don’t think I could base my will to struggle on cold economics or on some political doctrine,” he said. “I don’t think there would be enough to sustain me. For the basis must be faith.”⁷

Part IV. Putting Leadership into Action

LATINOS ARE A WE, a collective culture in which the familia and community take precedence over the individual. Leadership, therefore, is not driven by individual success or credit but by contributing to the group welfare. The culture’s humanistic core propels people-oriented collective leadership.

Leaders are community stewards who encourage dispersed, shared, and reciprocal power and cultivate the leader as equal—where everyone contributes. People power has primed many to work for change. This critical mass theory of leadership is described in chapter 8, “Juntos: Leadership by the Many.”

Chapter 9, “¡Adelante! Immigrant Spirit, Global Vision, Multiracial Identity,” depicts how Latinos are international, and the integrating force of the Western Hemisphere. Moreover, there are three dominant subgroups in the United States—Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban—but the past twenty years have also seen the appearance of substantial populations of Dominicans, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, and Colombians.⁸ These international connections make Latinos a prototype for global leadership.

Forty percent of Latino growth in the past century has been through immigration.⁹ Any organization or business experiencing 40 percent growth must scramble to find the resources to integrate this type of expansion. Furthermore, leaders must constantly help the newly arrived with education, English classes, and basic services. Fighting for immigration reform remains a cornerstone of leadership and a testament to the social responsibility and activism of Latinos.

According to the 2020 census, more than half of the nation’s population under age sixteen identifies as a member of a racial or ethnic “minority.” Their fastest-growing identity is multicultural.¹⁰ Additionally, the number of Latinos reporting more than one race increased 567 percent.¹¹ Because of their mixed heritage, this chapter affirms how Latinos will guide our transformation to a multicultural nation.

Chapter 10, “Sí Se Puede: Social Activism and Coalition Leadership,” defines a leadership form that challenges inequities. Sí se puede! (Yes, we can!) was a rallying cry for the farm workers and coined by Dolores Huerta, the vice president of the United Farm Workers, who marched with César Chávez in the 1960s. Farm workers advocated for fair pay, decent working conditions, and adequate housing. Dealing with immediate issues while providing the skills and knowledge to address the institutional barriers that perpetuate injustice is core to leadership today.

The struggle for social and economic equality has endured because of consistencia—fierce determination and a lifelong commitment. Consistencia predicates that social change will take generations and multitudes of people. The most powerful Latino organizations are coalitions that bring the diverse Latino groups together. Coalition leadership is sorely needed today in a divided America.

As one generation departs and a new one ascends to power, there is an urgency to transfer leadership to younger people. Chapter 11, “El Círculo: Inclusiveness Across Generations,” recognizes the intergeneration nature of Latinos, where age is venerated and young people are the promise of tomorrow. This new chapter integrates the voices and experiences of young Latinos into an intergenerational leadership model. Young Latinos are building on the activism of the past and are crafting a new social identity that is multicultural, global, and gender nonbinary.

In chapter 12, “Gozar la Vida: Leadership That Celebrates Life!,” we discover that leadership has a social, family-oriented, and celebratory quality. Check out most Latino events and you will see music, dancing, good food, and socializing. Gozar la vida means “to enjoy life.” For the 70 percent of Latinos who are working class or have dealt with discrimination, celebrating life replenishes their spirit and strengthens their resolve.

Part V. Latino Destino

IN 2045, LATINOS WILL be one-quarter of the people in the United States—certainly a critical mass that will influence the twenty-first century.¹² What lasting contributions will Latinos make to our nation? How will they achieve this? What actions are needed to coalesce their growing numbers, work with other groups, and actualize Latino power and contributions?

Chapter 13, Latino Destino: Building a Diverse and Humane Society,” discusses how Latino values can create a compassionate society—where people and community come before material wealth or individual achievement. Second, as a mixed people, Latinos are cultural adaptives who connect across differences.

I propose that Latinos put forth an expanded definition of inclusiveness—one with an open door policy. This final chapter invites non-Latinos to join the familia and become Latinos by affinity, or corazón. And more good news: becoming a Latino by corazón is a springboard to experiencing other cultures, to becoming a cultural adaptive—a person who respectfully adopts and acknowledges beneficial behaviors, values, and reference points from a variety of cultures. The final section summarizes ten steps to actualize Latino power, increase collaboration among Latino organizations, and build bridges with mainstream groups.

La Bendición

OUR VENTURE INTO LATINO history, culture, and leadership ends with an ancient spiritual tradition. When people embarked on a journey or a new stage of life, during times of change or challenge, they would ask for a bendición, or blessing, from their abuela or another respected person, to protect them and prepare them for a good outcome. In that light, may this book inspire you to embrace and appreciate the contributions and promise of Latino people and join with us in bringing our generous, bienvenido, and people-centered values to our country.

The ending of this book heralds a new beginning: Latinos are ready to integrate their assets and unique leadership into the US mainstream and to create a diverse and humanistic society. As we embark on the good work of creating this noble future, we will contemplate a vision about today’s increasing multicultural people and the contribution Latinos are making to this evolution.

Ten Latino Leadership Principles

Special Contributions: Latino Legacy Leaders

THE ROOTS OF LATINO leadership run deep. Our leaders have transformed the tribulations of being deemed minorities into the incredible influence Latinos have today. Leaders are building on a tradition of people-centered, socially responsible, and community-based leadership exemplified in the 1960s, when César Chávez and Dolores Huerta led the United Farm Workers and marched for fair pay and decent working conditions.

The first edition included the voices and good counsel of nine outstanding leaders who follow this tradition and left a legacy to guide the Latino community. You will be inspired by their stories and life contributions. (Unless otherwise noted, all the quotations from these special contributors in this book come from personal interviews conducted with them, which were transcribed verbatim and then coded for common themes and patterns.) These leaders have brought the Latino community to where we are today. One of the book’s purposes is to secure that legacy by describing the powerful ways these leaders served their communities.

I want to underscore that the intent of Latino leadership is to grow as many leaders as possible—to create a critical mass or leadership by the many. We believe this is the way Latino influence, values, and power will transform the mainstream. For this reason, many people, including Latinos, do not know who our leaders are—but the good news is that there are simply too many of them! My hope is that by getting to know the renowned leaders profiled here, you will understand the power, contributions, and generous spirit Latinos are bringing to leadership across this nation every day.

The second edition includes the voices of four young Latinos and recognizes the urgency to prepare young people to lead. La cultura Latina is intergenerational, and our leadership practices reflect this tradition. May this book reinforce the circle of leadership that has brought Latinos to where we are today, inspire the next generations to never forget where they came from, and infuse the American mainstream with a vibrant multicultural Latino flavor.

Legacy Leaders

I have termed these leaders “legacy leaders” because of the ongoing contribution they have made.

Honorable Anna Escobedo Cabral was US treasurer under President George W. Bush. From 1993 to 1999, she was deputy staff director for the US Senate Judiciary Committee and executive staff director of the Senate Republican Task Force on Hispanic Affairs.

Honorable Julián Castro was elected the youngest mayor of a top 50 US city in 2009. He was tapped as President Barack Obama’s secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 2014 and was a 2020 presidential candidate.

Janet Murguía was named one of USA Today’s 2022 Women of the Year. She serves as president and CEO of UnidosUS, the largest Hispanic advocacy organization in the United States. Murguía served as senior White House liaison to Congress under President Bill Clinton.

Carlos Orta was president of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility, where he launched the Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers program. He worked in corporate philanthropy and government affairs at Anheuser-Busch, Ford, and Carnival Corporation.

Dr. Antonia Pantoja was an institution builder. Her legacy continues through ASPIRA (to aspire), a leadership program for Puerto Rican youth and Boricua College. Pantoja was the first Latina to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest US civilian honor.

Honorable Federico Peña served as cochair of the Obama campaign in 2008 and 2012. He was elected mayor of Denver in 1983 and 1987, the first Latino mayor of a city with a minority Hispanic population. Peña was US Secretary of Transportation and US Secretary of Energy in the Clinton administration.

Honorable Hilda Solis was the first Latina elected to the California state senate and the twenty-fifth US Secretary of Labor—the first Latina to sit on a president’s cabinet. She was a California congresswoman from 2001 to 2009 and won a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2014.

Arturo Vargas is executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund. Previously he was vice president for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. For five years he was named one of the most influential Latinos by Hispanic magazine.

Raul Yzaguirre was cochair of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidency bid. As president of the National Council of La Raza for thirty years, he built it into the largest US Hispanic advocacy organization. Raul was ambassador to the Dominican Republic. He received the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest Mexican honor awarded to a citizen of another nation, and the US Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Young Latino Leaders

Honorable Ruben Gallego became chair of the Arizona Democratic Party at thirty and was elected to the Arizona house of representatives at thirty-four. Two years later, he ran successfully for the US Congress. He attended Harvard and served in the Marine Corps in Iraq.

Cristina Jiménez Moreta cofounded United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth–led network in the country. She influenced the enactment of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012. Jiménez was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2018.

Jamie Margolin is an activist, organizer, and author of Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use It—a road map for a new generation of social activists. She cofounded Zero Hour, which led the official 2018 Youth Climate March in Washington, DC, and more than twenty-five sister cities around the world. Her contributions are predominately drawn from her outstanding book.

Honorable Ritchie Torres grew up in a housing project in the Bronx. At age twenty-five, he was the first Afro-Latino and openly gay person to serve on the New York City Council. In 2019, he was elected to New York’s Fifteenth Congressional District—the nation’s poorest in terms of median income—with 91 percent of the vote.

Latino Diversity

THE LEADERS WHOSE VOICES grace this book have ancestry from Nicaragua, Cuba, Puerto Rico, México, Ecuador, and Colombia. Three were born outside the United States and one in Puerto Rico. Dr. Antonia Pantoja, who passed away in 2002, would be more than one hundred years old, Congressman Ritchie Torres is thirty-four years old, and Jamie Margolin, our youngest leader, is twenty-two. This reflects the intergenerational, intercultural, and international perspectives of Latinos in the United States.