Join us as we welcome the remarkable Valerie De La Garza, a trailblazing Latina and the pioneering CEO of Fenton, a social justice and impact PR agency. Valerie shares her compelling journey from the working-class neighborhoods of Southeast Los Angeles to becoming a beacon of leadership in the communications field. Her narrative, deeply rooted in her 11th generation Chicana heritage, sheds light on the racial, economic, and educational disparities that have fueled her commitment to social change. In this episode, we discuss the C-Suite and Boardroom representation when it comes to looking for Latinos and Latinas outside our familiar networks. This discussion serves as a call to action for bravery in stepping out of comfort zones, confronting the often risk-averse nature of organizations, and dismantling the cycle of sameness that hampers true diversity, especially within the public relations industry. Rounding off our conversation, we delve into the challenges facing democracy and the responsibilities we all share in advocating for social justice. Valerie brings her insights on the legacy of Unidos and the significance of representation and voting rights in today's complex political landscape. Furthermore, we reflect on the success of initiatives like Homeboy Industries and the transformative power of storytelling and community action. I am especially grateful to have Valerie share her experience from the board of Homeboy Industries, illustrating the monumental shift from intentions to actions that can reshape communities globally. Tune in for a powerful discussion that will leave you inspired to engage, vote, and be a part of the change you wish to see in the world.  Highlights: (00:00 - 00:46) Latina Success in Media and PR (07:29 - 08:37) Navigating Educational Opportunities for Latinos (18:26 - 19:09) Diversity Challenges in PR Industry and Boardrooms (25:53 - 27:21) Addressing Homelessness, Voting and Social Responsibility (34:51 - 35:25) Global Community Action and Impact Through Homeboy Industries Please share, rate and subscribe to our channels:  Website: www.latinasb2b.com  YouTube @Latinasb2b Join Our Newsletter: Monthly Facebook: @Latinasb2b.marketing  Instagram: @Latinasb2b  X (Formerly Twitter): @LatinasB2B  Podcast production by Theresa E. Gonzales and Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez.  To learn more about Latinasb2b.com and how you can work with us in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact us at info@latinasb2b.com.  Gracias. 

Today, we're joined by the creative and innovative founder of Nopalera,  Sandra Lilia Velazquez. Sandra takes us on a journey through a powerful narrative of embracing Chicana identity, to  her band Pistolera, to crafting beauty products with the Mexican cactus, the Nopal,  that encapsulates Mexican heritage.  The Nopal cactus isn't just a plant; it's a testament to the untapped potential within Latino communities, as we, Latinos,  know how utilize the entire Nopal: From The pads, which have medicinal purpose in being cooked, to the yummy “tunas” the reddish/purple fruit that grow from the cactus pads that you can eat!   But Sandra’s mission for Nopalera is clear:  to be bold and worthy of luxury.  Together, we discuss how we can elevate Latino goods in the marketplace, much like the esteemed European luxury brands, and to ensure these products evoke the respect and value they deserve from consumers. It’s about self worth, as we clearly saw in her famous SharkTank episode, and her pivotal start up journey, where the challenges of learning the operational ropes with technology and trademarks, demonstrated her resilience in entrepreneurship.  Overall, she presents a passionate appeal to all listeners to support Nopalera's mission, by showing the power of customer advocacy in shaping a brand's success-We need to ask for the products where we shop, such as Ulta and Sephora, the higher end retailers where we see other European beauty and bath products.  We belong there too.  Sandra's story is one of resilience, identity, and the bold spirit of entrepreneurship to change our narrative.  If you would like more information about Nopalera, you can visit their website at Nopalera.co and if you would like to learn more about Sandra, you can visit her website, which is full of valuable information, you can go to Sanda Lilia Velazquez.com  Highlights: (06:57 - 07:23) The Ordinary Nopal in Everyday Life (09:40 - 10:41) Community Power Dominates Brand Influence (16:48 - 18:11) Latinas in Leadership and Ownership (21:08 - 22:06) Importance of Business Licensing and Trademarks (26:19 - 26:45) Cost of Learning the Hard Way (34:57 - 36:04) Empowering Latinas in Corporate Leadership Connect with Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom Website: www.latinasb2b.com  YouTube @Latinasb2b Join newsletter: www.latinasb2b.com Facebook: @Latinasb2b.marketing  Instagram: @Latinasb2b  X.com: @LatinasB2B  Podcast Executive production by Theresa E. Gonzales and Creative Design & Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez. To learn more about Latinasb2b.com and how you can work with us in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact us at info@latinasb2b.com.  Gracias. 

We continue to celebrate Black History month with multi-award winner and Ambie award-winning host Anna DeShawn, as she pioneers the media landscape with a blend of rhythm and revolution from E3 Radio, to The Queer News Podcast and now, The Qube app that curates the best music and podcasts by BIPOC and QTPOC creators.  Recently inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame 2023, Anna's mission is clear - From her early days at E3 Radio.fm, Anna has been dedicated to creating a bigger platform for marginalized voices by creating the Qube and The Queer News Podcast. Her passion for elevating the stories and perspectives of BIPOC and QTPOC individuals has led to her becoming one of the most influential figures in the podcast media industry, as she brings us the Queer News as it happens, delivering stories and insights that traditional legacy media often overlooks. Her work is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what is considered mainstream, ensuring that the narratives of BIPOC and QTPOC communities are brought to the forefront of media consumption. Through her pioneering efforts and support through Tech Rise in Chicago, Anna is not only informing her audience but also empowering them by reinforcing the importance of building inclusivity and diversity in tech with the stories we share and consume. Gracias, Anna for joining us today on Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom. To connect with Anna on Social: TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@annadeshawn  Instagram - https://instagram.com/theannadeshawn    Twitter - https://twitter.com/annadeshawn  Facebook - https://facebook.com/annadeshawn To connect with Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom Website: www.latinasb2b.com  YouTube @Latinasb2b Join newsletter: www.latinasb2b.com Facebook: @Latinasb2b.marketing  Instagram: @Latinasb2b  X.com: @LatinasB2B  Podcast production by Theresa E. Gonzales and Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez.  To learn more about Latinasb2b.com and how you can work with us in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact us at info@latinasb2b.com.  Gracias. 

Talib Jasir is a lifelong creator and storyteller and his journey has been one of evolution and resilience. He takes us on a journey of how he was captivated by audio storytelling in the back of his mother’s car and from listening to audiobooks through the library dial up telephone. YES, it was a thing back in the day!   His narration of storytelling is profound through 5 generations of his family as lifelong storytellers through the women in his family, explaining the importance of keeping the family narrative together and passing it down to future generations. As POC keep moving through the digital world, it's even more imperative for us to tell our stories, to keep an archive of the events, to teach and inspire future generations.  As a leader, creative, founder and CEO, Talib hasn’t been without challenges as he mentions that every obstacle has served to fortify his belief in his abilities and underscored the importance of seeking support and fostering a community-centric, collaborative approach​​. Talib became a dual-certified life coach in 2015 and he’s partnered with high-performing creatives and business owners across various industries. His own personal journey through personal coaching led him to establish a creator space and event,  Afros & Audio in 2018, aiming to empower and unite Black audio creators and professionals in a field where our voices were just beginning to gain the mainstream recognition they deserved​​. Gracias Talib.  For more information about Talib, You can follow her here: LinkedIn IG X  Connect with Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom Website: www.latinasb2b.com  YouTube @Latinasb2b Join newsletter: www.latinasb2b.com Facebook: @Latinasb2b.marketing  Instagram: @Latinasb2b  X.com: @LatinasB2B  Podcast production by Theresa E. Gonzales and Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez.  To learn more about Latinasb2b.com and how you can work with us in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact us at info@latinasb2b.com.  Gracias. 

Tatiana Quaife is a purpose-driven leader using her authentic voice and experiences to inspire and empower other Corporate America professionals to turn inwards and unleash their authentic magic within. With fifteen years of leadership experience as a Latina executive at Airbnb,  The Walt Disney Company and Procter & Gamble, Tatiana experienced first-hand the pressure and challenges many professionals face during their journeys to success. Feeling burned out, stressed and overwhelmed by trying to “fit in,” Tatiana knew there had to be a new and better way of achieving her dreams. Tatiana went on a profound inner journey of unlearning and remembering so she could rise into her authentic power, purpose and potential.  Now, Tatiana is on a mission to support other women to rise within so together we can create a ripple effect of transformation, evolution and ascension as we create new ways of being, living and leading that are authentically aligned. Podcast production by Theresa E. Gonzales and Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez.  For more information about Tatiana, You can follow her here:   LinkedIn IG Facebook To learn more about Latinasb2b.com and how you can work with us in a sponsorship opportunity, please contact us at info@latinasb2b.com.  Gracias. 

 Nancy Flores, former journalist of the American Austin Statesman, founder of Cultura Media and Editor and Publisher of Austin Vida,  and I discuss how do Latinos find trusted news sources within our communites especially after Covid-19 and the election of 2020. Before the pandemic hit and the elections of 2016, local news resources began to disappear, leaving many community members vulnerable to fake information through social media and ROBO calls of false information of voting by mail,  due to a lack of local news resources, that left many rural and suburban areas  as News Deserts. However, Nancy is changing this narrative by creating trust and transparency from her community by asking the community what they want to hear and see and then by sharing through her platform of local news and cultura, Austin Vida a bilingual digital news platform. Nancy has won numerous awards, including the HABLA (Hispanic Business Advocates Business Leaders of Austin)  and LION (Local Independent Online News Publishers Local Journalism Awards) Awards in Austin, TX. Austin Vida is growing and looking for your support online!  Let’s support more local news outlets in the coming 2024 election year and beyond! To support Austin Vida, you can subscribe to their monthly Cultura Guide, which is a huge time saver for those traveling to SXSW for Latinidad events, shows and film screenings during the conference. Gracias.  To follow Nancy and Austin Vida:  IG: @Austin Vida X. @Austin Vida LinkedIn@Nancy-Flores366711122/ To Learn more about Latinasb2b.com and podcasting business resources, please subscribe to our newsletter @ Latinasb2b.marketing Follow Us on YouTube @Latinasb2b and IG @Latinasb2b  Podcast Produced by Theresa E. Gonzales and by 5-E Leadership & Marketing LLC. All Rights Reserved.  Audio Engineered by  Robert Lopez of CratesAudio.com

How do you build a technology platform from the ground up with music as your first passion? Once that is done, how do you distribute that content with all the digital platforms that are available and how do you get paid or set your price? Getting to point A to point B is what Patrick Hill is doing with his new engagement platform, Disctopia, for content creatives and content owners to drive engagement and monetization.  From his experience of 15 years in technology design, mar-tech, and internal communication software development, and from those around him in the community, he saw how folks can set their price on what they see as value for their content. We discuss the ideation process and mindset of how Patrick saw his worth and his skills as higher value outside of the corporate infrastructure, to provide a pathway for creatives, like himself, to set their own monetary value, to own their creative future. Tune in here: https://bit.ly/PatrickHillDisctopia Follow Latinasb2b.com  on  IG and YouTube @Latinasb2b  To follow Disctopia,  IG and LinkedIn  @ Disctopia  Follow Patrick Hill On Linkedin @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/acmceo/ Produced and supported by Theresa E. Gonzales of Latinasb2b.marketing and 5-E Leadership & Marketing LLC  Sound engineered and designed by Robert Lopez. 

Veronica Colon Rosairio. Executive director of Fundacion de mujeres en Puerto Rico was founded by women in the Diaspora and within Puerto Rico, which promotes social justice and supports the economic security, safety, health, reproductive autonomy and general empowerment of women, girls and gender-fluid individuals in Puerto Rico. Why is this so important? The women and outer communities of PR have continuously been left on the margins, particularly women, since colonial times of the island and it has been a corporate tax free haven to exploit folks and keep them in poverty. Think Hawaii 2.0. After Hurricane Marie hit her home country of Puerto Rico, Veronica went back home to leverage her US top tier educational background, with an 11 year career within a Washington, DC think tank, to help rebuild the country through an ecosystem of non-profits creating an entrepreneurial environment to help communities see ownership and organizing women at the forefront to lead a new transformation of Puerto Rico.  Veronica and I discuss the importance of this new leadership and a socio-economic change for women to be at the forefront due to the history of Puerto Rico and the US relationships over the years. Particularly the big corporations and Pharma which has had a long history of creating clinical trials with the first birth control pills tested on Puerto Rican Women which were hugely controversial and was also known as  The Pill Trials to lead into the first testing distribution of Opioids in Puerto Rico. The history of Puerto Rican people has long been colonized by Spain and the US by creating more profits to the wealthy since the early 1900’s as per this documentary we refenced call “La Operacion '' which at minute 7, is where we see the economic displacement begin of the farming communities and lower income neighborhoods, then by sterilizing women to control the populations. There is a lot to unpack in this episode, but the goal is to start discussions of our histories that are slowly being erased and how these policies of colonization, which we clearly opened our eyes to the concept through social media with Gaza and Israel, has long been a thing here in the US starting with the Indigenous populations. It’s time to start healing and moving forward by learning more and advocating for those that are not resourced to live humanely.  By providing women leadership and entrepreneurial skills to help rebuild communities, creates a pathways for the right investments getting to the people that need them the most, not to those who profit from the land ownerships and corporations that feed the broken policies of Puerto Rico. It’s time for us, women of color and our allies, to invest in social equity that  builds communities into better women’s healthcare and a new economic sustainable society for future generations.  For context in this episode, we referenced the Madrigal sisters which is in reference to the Madrigal ten, which was a legal case of  Madrigal v. Quilligan in Los Angeles California  from the 1970’s challenged  the forced sterilzation of latina women without their consent. But this is not anything new, and can not be forgotten, just as UnidosUS provides us with more information and context on forced sterization of Latinas here that is also happening in ICE detention centers.  Thank you for supporting this episode. If you’d like to get in touch with Mujeres en Fundación de Puerto Rico, Inc. you can visit them at the website here and follow them on social media here  If you would like more information about Latinasb2b.com, please reach out to us at info@latinasb2b.com. Executive Production and Host by Theresa E. Gonzales of 5-E Leadership and Marketing Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez of Crates Audio Subscribe to our Newsletter Latinasb2b.com Follow us: YouTube @Latinasb2b IG @ Latinasb2b LinkedIn @ Latinasb2b.marketing X @LatinasB2B Gracias

Welcome Karina Martinez, Co-Founder of the first platform for Latina & women's sports, called  DRAFTED, where she is harnessing the power of the Latina Sports FANDOM, where more people feel seen and heard in the world of sports, by the heartbeat that pounds throughout stadiums, arenas, muddy fields, and playground courts with no nets. She is helping fuel the heroes of yesterday, and finding our future ones. The Women's World Cup has put us on the map... GLOBALLY. The opportunity for women’s sports and to INVEST in women’s sports is NOW.. Why? Our viewership is now everything.  With the advent of streaming apps, YOUTUBE,  and social media, you can see EVERYTHING happening in the biggest arenas of sports. You could say, the women’s world cup and the WNBA has really put us on the MAP as far as global sports revenue to be generated and TRACKED with significant growth. We have diffenitiely been showing up bigger. A recent stat posted June 2022 to June 2023, there was a 22% increase in the number of females aged 18-24 who visited a sports website or app, more than any other age and gender breakout1. This is happening as women's sports are becoming more mainstream, with new leagues, more investment, increased screen time, and more marketing for brands. Ellevest, recently stated, "we are having a watershed moment  for US to invest as we are changing the dialogue on how we want to spend our money." Gracias Karina!  #playuntiltheycantlookaway. This podcast is supported by Latinas &  Power, a network of thousands of Latina Professionals and Entrepreneurs from Across the United States that are ready for leadership opportunities. Join today or inquire about their Latinas In Leadership Institute @ Latinasinleadershipinstitue.com  Production and Design for this podcast is by Theresa E. Gonzales , Founder of 5-E Leadership and Marketing. Audio Engineering and Design by Robert Lopez of CratesAudio.  For more information about this podcast or sponsorship opportunities, go to infor@Latinasb2b.com and get in touch with us. Please follow us on our YOUTUBE CHANNEL @LATINAS B2B and follow us on all social media at @Latinasb2b. To stay current on our events and workshops, sign up for our newsletter at Latinasb2b.com.  Thank you for your continued support and sharing this podcast. 

Kayla Castenada, of Agua Bonita who has broken into the Beverage industry with her Agua Bonita drinks, a non-alcoholic beverage,  saw an opportunity in the Non-Alcoholic Drinks market with Agua Frescas being something viable within a large industry, but wasn't recognized as an option by global brands. The market opportunity for 2023  amounts to US$496.50bn! That’s a lot of BEBIAS! The market's largest segment is the segment Soft Drinks with a market volume of US$328.10bn. Kayla, being from the heart of the Central Valley, Hanford California, where most of America receives its food, saw the opportunity and took her shot. Now, Kayla is the first Latina in her industry to raise more than $1 million dollars and has been honored with a Forbes 30 Under 30 lister, a Cartier global impact entrepreneur, a top 100 Female Founder as recognized by Inc. magazine. In addition,  Agua Bonita has now achieved success in retailers nationwide, 1300 stores and counting,  and part of their sales goes towards supporting farm workers rights.  Let's get into the business of seeing our super powers and presenting it to the world! Los Vamos! This episode was sponsored by Latinas And Power, a network of thousands of Latina Professionals and Entrepreneurs from Across the United States that are ready for leadership opportunities. Join today or inquire about their Latinas In Leadership Institute @ Latinasinleadershipinstitue.com Production and Host by Theresa E. Gonzales of 5-E Leadership and Marketing Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez of Crates Audio Subscribe to our Newsletter Latinasb2b.com Follow us: YouTube @Latinasb2b IG @ Latinasb2b LinkedIn @ Latinasb2b.marketing X @LatinasB2B 

 In this podcast episode,  We discuss the 369 Billion Dollar Inflation Reduction Act, from the Biden Administration… for  climate change investments, solutions to reduce the high costs of living, which can help with lowering costs for households that may not otherwise know they have access to such opportunities. Who is this green economy really for? We break it down with Michelle Romero, Chief Strategy Officer at Dream.org who is using policy for change. From early beginnings out of college fighting for immigration rights to seeing how we can we be the future for climate change at Dream.org for Social, Racial and Economic justice. Michelle has seen the "green" movement from a popular stand point or lens, from save the polar bears and turtles and hugging trees, etc.,  but as a Latina on the outside looking in, she states, "we support the brown and black folks in GREEN for ALL messaging and that's where she found herself working at the intersection to help our communities.  How can we invest and build for the future, invest in our communities for a sustainable future if economies are not investing and creating opportunities for communities of color. Thank you for listening and please follow us on: YouTube, IG, LinkedIn and X@Latinasb2b. We are a small but mighty little podcast! Please subscribe to our newsletter at Latinasb2b.com and get in touch with us at info@latinasb2b.com for a sponsorship opportunity, to keep our voices elevated. This podcast was produced by Theresa E. Gonzales and Audio Designed by Robert Lopez. 

Welcome to Season 5 with  Beatrice (Bia) Vieira, CEO of The Women’s Foundation California, a  publicly supported foundation dedicated to achieving racial, economic, and gender justice by centering the experience and expertise of communities most impacted by systemic injustice. Their vision is to build a feminist future for California by investing in, training, and connecting community leaders to advance gender, racial, and economic justice. In this episode, we discuss heading into the 2024 elections and communities most at risk,  and how we can not afford to stand on the sidelines.  Raising awareness of the unseen in our communities, giving voice to the power of movements are creating unbelievable change within  US policies and new technology that big media does not cover or follow. Podcasting our local movements and community initiatives has created a “boots on the ground” medium, with the change makers of tomorrow. This also builds our voices on the future of AI, which will represent us in more empowering light when prompted correctly. (That’s a whole another story, episode 42 for reference.)  I’ve said in the past, and speaking in person, “Technology has the power to change the narratives, because as we speak and write this, it is changing and making a new content data point.  WE now exist to understand that our  past generations worked their way through all these systems to provide a safety net and movements for education, access to food programs, ethnic studies, healthcare programs, STEM and technology access into schools. WE have the community power and just as much access to these  technology systems and their platform for community resources to leverage the power of our truth,  our voices, our resources and opportunities, to be a source of our truths. Thank you for listening and supporting this podcast. We are small but mighty! For more information, please subscribe to us on your podcasting platforms, Apple, YouTube, Spotify and subscribe to our newsletter at Latinasb2b.com This podcast was produced by Theresa E. Gonzales and audio engineered by Robert Lopez of CratesAudio. Follow us on our Social Handles: IG @Latinasb2b TW/X @LatinasB2B FB @Latinasb2b LinkedIn

Closing out our season 4 with Elsie Escobar from She Podcast and Libsyn's "The Feed" podcast! Elsie is a podcasting pioneer with 17 plus years as a podcaster, El Salvadoran immigrant, Co-Founder of She Podcasts with 20K members and the Director of Community and Content at Libsyn- a hosting, distribution, and monetization podcasting platform. However, she did not start out in podcasting, it came to her after being denied multiple times in Hollywood for not looking like what should be a “traditional stereotypical Latina.” Why are we deemed to all look like Jo-Lo, Selma Hayek or a ganster chola, with various degrees of accents in Hollywood! This is the lens we are still perceived in throughout many roles in our careers or have encountered here in the US, whether you’re an immigrant, 1st Gen, 2nd Gen or a 3rd generation Californian-Aztlan Mexican American, like myself.  Podcasting has accelerated tremendously with the influx of technology, specifically for our community narratives and the technology that is leveraging our voices. We break down the numbers, within the Latino community of listening and to recognize the opportunity to invest in our platforms. The Latino Edison Podcasting Report shows the data, and all the receipts of what our community is listening to our podcasting.  Podcasting is leveraging many voices and narratives, but it's our own narratives, not AI, as an uninterrupted 1:1 dialoge. As Elise states in this podcast, “it’s unbelievably freeing to me, to not be judged by who I DON’T look like.” More POC/women of color podcasting and our LGTBQ+ communities are moving into podcasting, to share HerStories, our ancestral narratives, and our legacy that will not be erased by AI, but will give power to new and stronger generations.  Elsie can be found on ShePodcasts, The Feed from Libsyn and her website ElsieEscobar.com. Graicas.  This podcast was produced by Theresa E. Gonzales, CEO and Founder of Latinasb2b.com and 5-E Leadership and Marketing.  Audio Engineered and Sound Designed by Robert Lopez of Creates Audio Follow and subscribe to on:  IG @Latinasb2b YouTube @Latinasb2b TW @LatinasB2B FB @Latinasb2b  Newsletter: Latinasb2b.com

Streaming platforms have created a whole new avenue, and revenue, for new content to be distributed, promoted and accessed. Covid shut down gave us a whole new avenue to search for our narratives, and our cultural dialogue.  Meet John Murillo, Founder of Chicano Hollywood, a media and film streaming platform based out of Los Angeles California, that brings their own narratives of the barrio and Chicano culture through their Chicano Hollywood App, ROKU, Amazonfire TV, AmazonTV, and through their website, Chicanohollywood.com. Chicano Hollywood is a movement born on the set of the feature film, "Horchata with Oat Milk". While on set,  a bunch of Chicano filmmakers created a story about the adjustments and effects of gentrification with the theme of "whether good or bad change happens". In similar fashion that story epitomizes the current social standing of Chicanos nationwide, including how we are hired within Hollywood. Chicano story tellers are growing in prominence, standing and influence as Producers, Directors, DP's, Crew and especially Talent. We are becoming a voice that reflects the majority of the English speaking Latinos of any decent here in the United States. You only have to look at the power of influence in the current narratives to know, now is our time as a community to build an ecosystem of support through these powerful platforms that share our voices, our lens.  To Learn more about Chicano Hollywood and their upcoming event, “Elevate” Conference, September 8th and 9th in Los Angeles, CA., you can view it here. You can also follow them on IG, Facebook and TikTok.  The podcast was recorded and produced earlier this year, by Theresa E. Gonzales of Latinasb2b.marketing and audio engineered by Robert Lopez.  Please follow us Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom on:  Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook, & LinkedIn. 

Did you know California is the largest producer of almonds and dairy here in California and largest exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables in the nation? The United States is  fortunate to have fresh foods grown here in California. 90% of workers that support the industry are Latino farm workers, with the highest poverty and live disproportionately in housing that is in the poorest conditions. The Agricultural Industry could not survive without the Latino farm workers that have been supporting this now 25 billion dollar industry for decades. The California Ag industry is one of the larger contributors to the worst air quality due to toxic emissions pollution, green waste incinerators and pesticide spraying, which are mostly concentrated around communities of color, here in California.  Climate change is real within California, and the Latino and BIPOC community members are being left out the conversations for climate change initiatives and policy making  towards cleaner air, regulation of pesticides and clean water! The  25 Billion dollar agricultural industry and commercial real estate developments. are building the self serving and tax free incentives to build and buy more land to create more wealth for the few.  These new initiative directly affect the rural and low income communities. Today, my guest Bianca Lopez of the Valley improvement Projects will discuss how she and the VIP organization is working diligently to bring our voices to the California State policy making tables for lower emissions programs and pesticide notification technology and data solutions for our Latino and BIPOC central valley communities. The California Ag Industry can not be a sustainable economy without the Latino farm working expertise and collaboration over these EPA policies that are lobbied for the benefits of the Agricultural Industries. Latino farmworkers and rural communities can be the solution to help create effective policies for our future generations, here, and across the nation. Gracias Bianca Lopez and the Valley Improvement Project Organization. If you'd like to donate to their cause, you can donate here. Stay in the conversations and follow Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom: IG @Latinasb2b TW@LatinasB2B YouTube@Latinasb2b Newsletter @Latinasb2b.com Podcast production by 5-E Leadership & Marketing LLC and produced by Theresa E. Gonzales. Audio Engineered by Robert Lopez. 

The journey to being an entrepreneur to a multi-million dollar company can be challenging when you don't have an uncle that's a banker. Jennifer Garcia, COO at LBAN,  Latino Business Action Network, a Silicon Valley based non profit, discusses how we can move beyond just the side hustle, to entrepreneur, to multi-million dollar business with conversations when we can build stronger networks. Latinos are the fastest growing entrepreneurial group and yet, we lack the financial backing to scale our business. Why? We discuss some of the financial barriers, that are not associated to the Latino Business but to the institutions that support the business entrepreneurship community. Fast facts: The odds of loan approval from national banks are 60% lower for Latino-owned businesses above $50K and Government Contracts are smaller and take longer for approvals. Latinos are the highest indexed to start a technology business, but receive less than 2% overall in VC funding. Latinos are 20% of the US population.  LBAN is partnered with the Stanford Graduate School of Business in this 8th annual report State of Latino Entrepreneurship for 2022 and was released earlier this year, from a  national survey of 10,000 business owners across the country. The survey respondent pool consisted of 5,011 Latino-owned employer businesses and 5,017 nonHispanic White-owned employer businesses, which served as a benchmark comparison group. All the companies sampled generated at least $10,000 in annual revenue and had one employee beyond the owner. You can find the report here. Gracias for following, listening and telling your community about this podcast. We can't sustain the mission of uplifting and bringing our community together without your support. If you'd like to know how you can support this platform, reach out to us at info@latinasb2b.com. This podcast is produced by 5-E Leadership & Marketing LLC, and by Theresa E. Gonzales. Audio Engineering and editing by Robert Lopez.  To stay in the conversation, sign up for our Newsletter at Latinasb2b.com Follow us on: Apple Podcast & Spotify IG @Latinasb2b LinkedIn @Theresalatinasb2b TW @LatinasB2B 

Marilyn Alverio, a corporate marketing strategist and community advocate who has spent decades dedicated to empowering women. Over the course of the past 19 years, the Latinas and Power Symposium, an annual event held in June, has created a network upwards of 10,000 women throughout the United States and in several countries around the world.  The Latinas & Power Symposium has now grown to become a global platform offering multiple hybrid virtual and in-person learning experiences for Latinas who want to lead in the their careers and navigate the corporate ladder. To attend her symposium virtually for June 2023, you can use the promo code: LPS23VirtualComp Marilyn and I discuss how we met through How Women Lead Latina Cohort, and how we both are on a mission of empowering women to become leaders and community advocates. We are both on ambitious about giving a platform to the unseen and the Latinas who are ambitious to learn more on how to navigate the corporate space. Through her Latinasandpower.com resources, events and webinars over the last 20 years, she was able to build a data report, " The Latina Pathway to Excellence In a Post Pandemic World" and is available as a download. As Marilyn states, "We are ready to lead and it's our time to do business together"  Gracias Marilyn for continuing to be a champion for future Latina Leaders with your Leadership resources and now, Latinas In Leadership Institute!   Stay in the conversations through our social handles and subscribe to newsletter at Latinasb2b.com Podcast production by 5-E Leadership & Marketing LLC and produced by Theresa E. Gonzales. Co-production and Sound engineering by Robert Lopez. 

Latinas wanna talk money! Time to level up with Olga Camargo and the Shenix.app! Latinas influence money, but we want to build our own money, save our money and learn how to invest our money! How can we see our dream of wealth when bills are on the table today?  However, it's important to realize, a little saved today, grows into financial accessibility later, especially building that financial future with that special someone! We are closing out financial literacy month and heading into graduations and wedding season! The two biggest life events that put you on the path to building your wealth legacy or can create anxiety around debt.  We need to have those big financial discussions for these types of events or when we need to level in our career building skills to ask for the money we require to build our generational wealth.  Olga Camargo,She is the CEO and Founder of SHENIX®app, an innovative financial company built by Latinas/x, for Latinas/x, providing culturally relevant financial services to the Latina/x community to help them accelerate their economic and social transformation while prioritizing their cultural mindset. SHENIX® offers financial education, digital financial services, career planning, and salary negotiation resources, and access to investment advisory services that support Latinas/x life goals, in English and Spanish.  Olga holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary or AIF® designation, an ethical certification issued by Fi360, formerly known as Center for Fiduciary Studies, and the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65 License. She has been named one of “Chicago’s Most Powerful Latinos” and serves on the Illinois State Treasurer’s Hispanic Advisory Council and is the Chair for Northeastern Illinois University’s Foundation Board; the Emeritus Board Chair for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, and served as Forbes Business Council’s Financial Services Chair (2020-21) Production for this podcast is by 5-E Leadership & Marketing, produced by Theresa E. Gonzales and audio engineered by Robert Lopez. Please leave us a review on Apple and Spotify to help our Latinas voice be heard and recognized on these platforms. To learn more about Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom, follow us on:  Apple Podcasts Spotify IG: @Latinasb2b FB @LatinasB2B TW@LatinasB2B LinkedIn@ theresalatinasb2b To get in touch with us at Latinasb2b.com and subscribe to our newsletter. 

In this episode, Karen Maldonado CPIO from Latinos for Education.org and the producer of Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom, Theresa E. Gonzales, discuss the necessary conversations and leadership opportunities we have in education as a Latino community.  Today, across the United States classrooms, there is only 8% representation of Latino educators and only 4% of Latinos on education boards. Yet, in the year 2025, classrooms will be 33% of students will be Latino, and that is not due to immigration. We discuss how the options for our learning to be a multilingual education systems is paramount to stay strategic in a global community and how we need to invest more in our communities with represented pathway in education for the Latino community.  Karen Maldonado, the Chief Program and Innovation Officer (CPIO) for Latinos for Education, the first Latino-founded and led national organization solely dedicated to creating leadership pathways for Latinos in education, inside and outside of the education sector, and to be positioned to increase their influence and impact to serve Latino students and families.  Karen directs and guides the overall vision, strategy, design, and evolution of all program areas nationally—and provides leadership around K-16 partnerships, fundraising, budget-setting, and organizational strategy. She's committed to excellence for Latino and Black children, adults, and families, which has been evidenced by her career path and her Ph.d in Education Leadership from Harvard University and Masters of Science in Education from Fordham University. Gracias to the Sarah and Anthony at The Raben Group and Latinos for Education in publishing a report on the Latino Action Agenda for Education, and you can download here. Listen in, give us a review and join the conversation at: Apple Podcasts Spotify IG: @Latinasb2b FB @LatinasB2B TW@LatinasB2B LinkedIn@ theresalatinasb2b Learn more about us at Latinasb2b.com and subscribe to our newsletter and our YouTube Channel. 

As Latinas who are multi-generational and indigenous, who continue to live in the Southwest in what was Mexico before 1849, our stories are steeped in survival and strength. Angela Salazar is a rising Arizona Phoenician leader who came from the block and found her ancestral light to break generational poverty. As she describes the “risk vs. reward” mentally, in her pursuit of leadership in a job for 20 years, she took a leap of faith into a new role that would put her onto a leadership path for her community. In a time of uncertainty, she believed in herself and to build a narrative of seeing the value in our communities as untapped talent. As a lifelong learner and sharing her success and gratitude towards mentors who challenged her thinking, she now shares the knowledge back to those on the block and in her sphere of influence.  Gracias Angela for sharing your story and may you continue to inspire others. You can find Angela Salazar on LinkedIn, her favorite technology tool, and listening to oldies in her free time with her daughter.   Production for this podcast is by Theresa E. Gonzales and audio engineered by Robert Lopez. To learn more about Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom, follow us on:  Apple Podcasts Spotify IG: @Latinasb2b FB @LatinasB2B TW@LatinasB2B LinkedIn@ theresalatinasb2b Learn more about us at Latinasb2b.com and subscribe to our newsletter.