Latinas From The Block To The Boardroom Theresa E. Gonzales

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

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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

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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

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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:



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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:
 
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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
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LinkedIn@Nancy-Flores366711122/
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Podcast Produced by Theresa E. Gonzales and by 5-E Leadership & Marketing LLC. All Rights Reserved. 
Audio Engineered by  Robert Lopez of CratesAudio.com