San Diego Group Working To Increase Number Of Latina Leaders

PEOPLE WHO ARE OF HISPANIC ORIGIN ARE THE LARGEST SINGLE ETHNIC MINORITY IN THE US. IN CALIFORNIA, LATINOS MAKE UP MORE THAN 30% OF THE POPULATION. WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO FIND LATINOS IN LEADERSHIP ROLES EITHER IN BUSINESS OR POLITICS? THAT IF THE QUESTION BEING ADDRESSED IN A FIRST OF ITS KIND SEMINAR IN SAN DIEGO. LATINO ELECTED OFFICIALS WILL BE SPEAKING IN A SERIES OF LECTURES AT NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. 70 WOMEN HAVE ENROLLED IN THE LATINO SUCCESS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. JOINING ME TO DISCUSS OUR ARE DELLA GARCIA, A FORMER IBM EXECUTIVE IN ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE PROGRAM. WELCOME TO THE SHOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALSO A MID-LEVEL MANAGER WHO IS TAKING PART IN THE PROGRAM. NOW, WITH THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE UNITED STATES AND THE GROWTH OF THE LATINO POPULATION, HOW ARE LATINOS DOING WHEN IT COMES TO BEING IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS? NOW WELL AT ALL. A STUDY BY THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS WAS RECENTLY DONE AND WOMEN OF COLOR MAKE UP A THIRD OF THE WORK FIRST -- FORCE. IN PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS WOMEN OF COLOR ARE 11.9%, BUT LATINOS ARE ONLY 3.9. THAT IS A TERRIBLE NUMBER. IT IS NOT GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY TO HAVE THAT BIG OF A POPULATION IN SUCH SMALL DECISION-MAKING JOBS. HOW ABOUT LATINOS IN ELECTED OFFICE? THAT IS EVEN WORSE, WE ARE LESS THAN 2% NATIONWIDE. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THAT? VARIOUS REASONS. I REALLY BELIEVE OUR CULTURE AND A LOT OF OUR WOMEN ARE MOTHERS WHO COME FROM WORKING JOBS. THEY ARE NOT LIKE MYSELF OR AMANDA WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE PROFESSIONAL WOMEN TIDING THEM. A LOT OF THEM WORKED VERY HARD, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT. ACROSS THE BOARD I THINK THERE IS THIS TENDENCY FOR WOMEN TO NOT UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE TO RISE IN A JOB OR GO INTO ELECTED OFFICE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS. THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE HOPE TO DO WITH THIS PROGRAM. DO YOU SEE THE EMPLOYERS RESISTING TO HIRE LATINOS FOR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS? I REALLY DO NOT SEE THAT. I THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE IS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THE ALSO THINK THAT WOMEN THEMSELVES NEED TO SEE THEMSELVES. THEY NEED TO SEE THEMSELVES AS LEADERS. THEY NEED TO TAKE FOR. THE YEARS FROM WHEN I FIRST STARTED AT IBM AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT BEING DONE BY MY MANAGER. IT WAS A DUAL RESPONSIBILITY TO GOT MY CAREER. AS THE YEARS WENT ON, THE FOCUS WAS THAT I NEEDED TO DRIVE MY OWN CAREER. I HAVE TO BE IN CHARGE. THEY PROVIDED RESOURCES, BUT I HAD TO BE THE DRIVER. I THINK WHEN YOU DO NOT HAVE THAT EXPECTATION AND WHEN YOU ARE NOT SEEING WILL MODELS OR UNDERSTANDING HOW VALUABLE IT IS TO HAVE A WOMAN OR A LATINO WOMAN IN A PARTICULAR POSITION, GUIDING THE COMPANY, GUIDING POLICY. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD IN ORDER TO BRING VALUE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THEMSELVES NOW WANTING TO ACHIEVE THOSE POSITIONS. THAT YOU HAVE WILL MODELS? IDEA. THEY WERE ALL INSIDE OF MY COMPANY. MOST OF THEM -- I STARTED AT IBM WHEN I WAS 20 YEARS OLD. I DIDN'T START AS AN EXECUTIVE, I STARTED AS AN ENTRY-LEVEL PERSON, THE LOWEST SECRETARIAL POSITION IN THE COMPANY. BECAUSE I HAD GREAT BEEN TOURING AND BECAUSE THEY HAD WONDERFUL PROGRAMS -- WOMEN OF MY GENERATION COULD WORK IN A COMPANY FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, BUT THE MILLENNIAL'S, THEY ARE TURNING JOBS EVERY FIVE YEARS. IN FACT, SOMETHING THAT I JUST WENT ON FORBES SAYS AT 4.4 IS THE AVERAGE YEARS THE MILLENNIAL'S STAY IN A JOB. IF YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF A TIME, CUSTOMERS ARE NOT GOING TO BE INVESTING IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. YOU HAVE TO BRING THAT WITH YOU WHEN YOU ARE ON THE JOB. RIGHT. AMANDA, YOU ARE PARTICIPATING IN A LATINO SUCCESS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. WHY DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN THIS PROGRAM? I FIRST ATTENDED THE SUCCESS CONFERENCE IN THE FALL. THAT REALLY INSPIRED ME TO GET MORE INVOLVED. AND MAYBE THIRSTIER FOR MORE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. IT WAS REALLY INSPIRING TO SEE OVER 400 LATINO WOMEN FROM ALL OVER SAN DIEGO COME TOGETHER IN THAT THIRST FOR PROFESSIONAL AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. THE CALIBER OF THE PROGRAM IS ALWAYS OF EXCELLENCE. AS SOON AS I SAW THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM WHERE WE COULD MEET MORE FREQUENTLY, I WANTED TO GET ON BOARD. EXPLAINED TO US WHAT THE GROUP IS. IT IS MEXICAN-AMERICAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. IT WAS FOUND THAT OVER 40 YEARS AGO, BUT OVER TIME, THIS IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION. WE ARE THE LARGEST CHAPTER IN THE US. IT IS A CHAPTER FOCUS ON LATINO WOMEN. WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER WITH MENTORING, SCHOLARSHIPS AND ALL OF THAT. WE ALSO ARE AN ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN THAT WANT TO COME TOGETHER TO DO THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY. AMANDA, WHAT DO DO DO NOW? RIGHT NOW I MANAGED FEDERALLY FUNDED CONTRACTS. ABOUT $3 MILLION THAT BOND DIFFERENT LOCAL NONPROFITS TO HELP AT RISK YOUTH. WE SERVE ABOUT 1500 YOUTHS IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY. I DO EVERYTHING FROM BUDGETS, CONTRACTS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A POSITION THAT HAS ITS OWN SORT OF POWER AND LEADERSHIP. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO PICK UP FROM THIS PROGRAM THAT MIGHT HELP YOU TO ADVANCE FURTHER INTO LEADERSHIP? IT IS BEEN VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THAT THE PEOPLE THAT NEED OUR SERVICES ARE PRIMARILY PEOPLE OF COLOR. I WOULD SAY THAT OVER 60% OF THE YOUTH THAT ARE AT YOU ARE EITHER LATINO OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN. WHEN I GO TO OUR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEES AND I SEE THAT THERE ARE NOT AS MUCH DIVERSITY OR A REFLECTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE, THAT IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME. LEARNING MORE ABOUT GOVERNANCE AND DECISION-MAKING AND HOW DOES THE FUNDING COME DOWN TO THE COMMUNITY. IS THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF THE FUNDING THAT IS AVAILABLE AND THE SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP INCREASE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITY? PATELLA, I WAS READING SOME ARTICLES ABOUT THIS AND APPARENTLY A LOT OF LATINOS WORK IN THE SERVICE SECTOR. YES, OVER 32%. LOIS PAY SECTOR WITH FEW BENEFITS. WILL THIS PROGRAM ADDRESS HOW TO ADVANCE IF YOU ARE STUCK IN THAT KIND OF A LOW-PAYING JOB? THE PROGRAM IS REALLY GEARED TOWARD WOMEN THAT HAVE BEEN IN THEIR JOBS FOR FIVE YEARS AND ARE LOOKING FOR UPWARD MOBILITY. WHEN WE SAY UPWARD MOBILITY IT COULD BE IN YOUR JOB, IT BEFORE YOU TO GO AHEAD AND ENTER POLITICAL OFFICE. WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT AS WELL. WE HAD A SESSION ON SATURDAY ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE. AT A BREAKFAST MEETING NOT TOO LONG AGO, ONE OF THE WOMEN SPOKE UP AND SAID WE ARE LOOKING FOR BOARD MEMBERS FOR OUR ORGANIZATION. IT IS A VERY REPARABLE PLACE HERE IN TOWN. AND WE NEED BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE WE WANT TO CHANGE SOME THINGS, BUT IF WE DO NOT HAVE THAT REPRESENTATION, THEN WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD. THAT IS ONE OF THE GOALS OF WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE. IS IT THE IDEA THAT HAS MORE LATINAS WOULD ENTER POLITICAL OFFICE OR WOULD ADVANCE IN MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT THERE WILL BE MORE ATTENTION PAID TO THE LATINAS WHO ARE STUCK IN THESE LOW-PAYING JOBS? ABSOLUTELY. I THINK LORENA GONZALES JUST LAST LEGISLATION THAT WAS TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY GOT TIME OFF WITH PAY. IF YOU ARE A WOMAN AND YOU HAVE CHILDREN AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE OFF TIME FROM WORK TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILY AND YOU CANNOT TAKE OFF BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO BE DOGS, THAT IS A REAL SERIOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT AS WELL AS WHAT IT DOES TO THE FAMILY STRUCTURE. FOR THERE TO BE A UNDERSTANDING FOR THE KNEE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT IS THAT WHEN I HEAR THAT LESS THAN 2% OF LATINOS ARE IN ELECTED OFFICE. THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS, WHY SHOULD I CARE? I SHOULD CARE BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE THAT VOICE. THEY NEED TO BE DRIVING THAT SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION AND UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES THAT WE FACE AND ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. I TELL YOU, AT IBM, WHEN I WAS A MANAGER ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IS I USED TO HAVE -- MY LITTLE GIRL WAS LITTLE AND I USED TO TAKE HER TO MY MOTHER. WE USED TO HAVE A 7:30 PM STAFF MEETING. FROM CHULA VISTA TO UTC, DRIVING THROUGH TRAFFIC, THAT MEANS THAT I HAVE TO GET UP AT 4 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. BY THE TIME THAT I WILL GET TO THAT STAFF MEETING, I WOULD BE SITTING THERE LIKE THIS. IBM MAY CHANGE AND A FLAT IN THE ORGANIZATION. WE HAD A WOMAN NAMED BARBARA HOGAN THAT BECAME OUR SENIOR LOCATION MANAGER. DO YOU KNOW THE FIRST THING THAT SHE DID? ALBERT OF THOSE MEETINGS? SHE WILL BE TIEBACK TO 9 O'CLOCK, BECAUSE SHE KNEW THAT WHAT I WENT THROUGH WAS WHAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH. WE WERE JUST AS PRODUCTIVE, IF NOT MORE SO AT 9 O'CLOCK THAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO THE 730 MEETING. I AM AN ADVOCATE THAT SAYS YOU PUT IN THE RIGHT PERSON AND YOU BRING UP THE ISSUES AND I THINK THEY CAN SOLVE. AMANDA, YOU ATTENDED THE FIRST OF THESE FOR SEMINARS THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND, IS THAT RIGHT? YES. IN SPEAKING WITH THE OTHER ATTENDEES, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO LEARN OR WHAT THEY FEEL PERHAPS IS LACKING IN THEIR RESUMES OR IN THEIR DETERMINATION WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING THAT STEP AND BECOMING EMPOWERED AND GETTING INTO MANAGEMENT OR GETTING INTO POLITICAL LEADERSHIP ROLES? I WANT TO SAY THAT THE RECOMMENT THINGS WERE ASSERTIVENESS. WE KNOW THAT WE ARE CAPABLE. WE KNOW THAT WE ARE EDUCATED. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, WE ARE QUIET BECAUSE IT IS PART OF OUR CULTURAL TO BE HUMBLE AND NOT TO OUR OWN HORSE. THAT WAS A RECURRING THEME. DEVELOPING OUR SELF-CONFIDENCE IN OUR ASSERTIVENESS. THE OTHER IS UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS OF HOW TO GET INVOLVED. I WANT TO HELP MY COMMUNITY. THEY WANT TO BE OF VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW OR WE DON'T KNOW HOW. THAT WAS ANOTHER VALUE OF THE CONFERENCE ON SATURDAY AND THAT WAS DURING THE PROCESS. THE WEBSITE AND THE FORMS. WHAT OTHER THINGS DO WE NEED TO DO SO THAT WE CAN SELF NOMINATE TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES AND REALLY GET INVOLVED WITH OUR COMMUNITY. LASTLY, I THINK WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS THE CULTURAL ASPECTS. IN OUR CULTURE WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES. MANAGING THAT WITH EXCELLING IN OUR CAREERS. THERE WAS GREAT, POSITIVE ROLE MODELS SHARING HOW THEY WERE CAREGIVERS AND SINGLE PARENTS AND HOW DO YOU DO IT ALL. WHAT ARE THE FUTURE LECTURES ABOUT? OUR NEXT SESSION IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE ON JULY 18 AND THE FOCUS IS ON EMPOWERMENT. WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT THE CENTER FOR CREATIVE LEADERSHIP IS GOING TO BE CONDUCTING OUR NEXT TWO SESSIONS. ON JULY 18, WE WILL BE DOING THE EMPOWERMENT TO HELP THE WOMEN UNDERSTAND THE POWER THAT THEY HAVE AND THEN TAKE THEM THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS. ON AUGUST 22, I RECESSION IS GOING TO BE ON NETWORKING, BRANDING AND INFLUENCING. NETWORKING WITHOUT PURPOSE IS NOT VALUABLE. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT OR SHOULD KNOW THAT, BUT I THINK THERE ARE VERY UNIQUE THINGS THAT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW YOU ADVANCE THE WHAT KIND OF NETWORK YOU NEED AS WELL AS THINGS YOU NEED TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH. AND THEN EVEN WHAT THINGS ARE OUT THERE BEYOND WHAT WE OFFER THAT WE CAN CONNECT YOU TO? THERE ARE A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS HERE IN SAN DIEGO, AND EVEN ON THE WEB. IF YOU WANT TO RUN FOR OFFICE, THERE IS A GROUP CALLED LATINOS REPRESENT. IT IS AN INITIATIVE THAT WAS FORMED BETWEEN THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP AGENDA TO TEACH WOMEN. THAT IS ON THE WEB. WE WANT TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THOSE. AND THE LAST OF THESE SERIES ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE IN SEPTEMBER. IF SOMEBODY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN MAYBE JUMPING IN ON THIS? THIS IS A FASHION THAT IS FOR SESSION SPREAD ACROSS FIVE MONTHS. YOU WILL BE HAVING OTHERS? YES WE WILL. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK IT IS VERY NEEDED. I HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH A DELLO GARCIA. SHE IS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE PROGRAM. AND AMANDA CHANEY IS TAKING PART. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANK YOU.