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Leading Latinas: Small Steps Done en Masse Can Make a Big Difference

Leading Latinas: Small Steps Done en Masse Can Make a Big Difference

On May 11, Latina leaders and allies gathered in celebration of Hispanic Executive’s fifth annual Leading Latinas issue and shared an in-depth discussion on authentic support within the Latina community.

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On May 11, Latina leaders and allies gathered in celebration of Hispanic Executive’s fifth annual Leading Latinas issue and shared an in-depth discussion on authentic support within the Latina community.

Capital One hosted the event, which featured #WeAllGrow Latina Network founder and CEO Ana Flores in a conversation with Capital One managing vice president and head of HR for Commercial Bank Amy Yates.

Flores shared her history of innovative content creation, the values built into the #WeAllGrow Latina Network, and more. Here are some of the key takeaways from their conversation.

Inclusivity Leads to Authentic Growth

Many of the leaders present committed to increasing representation in their organizations and creating an authentic sense of community to ensure an inclusive environment for everyone.  

“It might sound basic, but it really is about everybody,” Flores said. “Everybody wants to feel seen and heard.”

She noted that #WeAllGrow Latina Network values deep listening and co-creation, not just with brands and partners, but with community members. To this end, it’s critical to listen to one’s community­–including reading social media comments and emails­–to get a sense of what people are talking about, the founder said. Additionally, it’s important to give people the space to express themselves and to let them know someone is listening to and valueing their opinions.

“For us that’s always what has been at the center of community building,” Flores said. “How are we fostering? How are we listening to them? How are we nurturing what matters to them? It’s by creating all these safe spaces online and in person for them to come together.”

“We Have No VIPs”

Flores made it clear: everyone is equal at #WeAllGrow Latina Network. When partners try to create special VIP perks for an extra cost, Flores’ response is simple: “We have no VIPs.”

The way Flores explained it, Latinas are already a marginalized community, so there is no desire to further propel that sense of marginalization.

“Those are just little things that are core to our values, are core to how we conduct ourselves, and how we invite even our partners and our sponsors to present themselves in these spaces so that we can continue fostering that sense of community and equality and the things that we know that actually matter to us,” she said.

Start with Your Wallet

Elevating Latinas doesn’t have to mean making large financial donations or grand gestures, Flores said. If anything, Latinas who want to do their part to help elevate their Latina peers can get started by taking small steps. She encouraged attendees to start with their wallets and invest in products and services made by Latinas, including buying books by Latina authors, streaming shows featuring Latina directors and actors, purchasing Latina-made products, etc.

“We have a choice every single day in where we put our dollars,” she said.

This attitude also extends to hiring Latinas when building businesses and elevating Latinas within our organizations. Such steps are even more impactful when more and more Latinas participate.

“It starts with those small choices that we make every single day that actually add up, especially if it’s all of us making those choices,” she said, adding “Make the choice that supports our community.”


To watch the full interview, visit and subscribe to Hispanic Executive‘s YouTube channel.

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