Kevin Lima is the senior advisor for public engagement at the White House. The work he does within the Biden-Harris administration allows him to uplift young Latino voices in places that have historically excluded them.
What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
My greatest career accomplishment is helping drive a historic youth voter turnout in the 2020 election. Being able to travel around the country talking to young people about the importance of voting and encouraging them to participate in civic discourse was one of the most fulfilling accomplishments of my life. Helping young people understand the power of organizing and how they can use their voice and their vote to effect change in their communities remains a blessing.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
Graduating from Penn State University is my greatest personal accomplishment. Being a first-generation student with limited access to financial resources made going to college especially challenging. I also had to move across the country from Los Angeles to Pennsylvania. I have a close-knit family and being so far from them was very difficult. However, the personal growth and knowledge I gained from that experience made me a much better person.
What do you do today to impact your community?
My work allows me to uplift young Latino voices in places that have historically excluded them. Whether it be by identifying students for roundtables at the White House or bringing leaders from the Biden-Harris Administration to engage on the ground in Latino communities, I work to ensure that Latinos are represented in all the important conversations. Being able to leverage federal resources and ensure that I am advocating in top leadership circles within the federal government to shine a light on issues impacting Latino communities and bring important resources to the local level is how I serve my community every day.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I see myself owning a home, raising a family, [and] continuing work to empower young Latinos. And also watching Star Wars movies for the 343rd time.
What is the biggest issue that you want to help solve, and why?
I want to make sure that every young person from my community has the same opportunities that I’ve had. There aren’t enough Latinos who are doctors, engineers, in politics, or senior leaders in universities. This has a serious impact on our communities and the nation as a whole. When doctors don’t speak our languages or understand our culture, we are less healthy. When we aren’t included in political decision-making, our communities don’t get the resources we need to thrive. When we don’t become engineers, our creative ideas get lost.
To solve this problem, I am working to ensure that Latino youth can access colleges and universities and once they are there, they have the resources they need to succeed and become professionals. In addition to making higher education more accessible, I am focusing on building pathways to make sure Latinos are included in executive leadership of their industries, so that they can be at the table making decisions.
What is a moment when you realized the impact of your work?
Helping elect the first Latina senator in the country through my first job as an organizer was a moment when I realized how powerful organizing and motivating young people to vote was. I had just graduated college and knocked on doors all summer and fall in the Nevada heat, barely making enough money to feed myself, but seeing the impact made it all worth it.
Who inspires your leadership?
My Dad. He was up at 5:00 a.m. working two jobs to get the bills paid. Whether it was him showing up at school meetings, taking me to soccer games, or sacrificing himself to work long hours in the sun, he showed me what it is to be a man and a leader.
What is a surprising hobby or interest that helps you stay creative and energized?
Working out is a hobby that keeps me creative and energized. Waking up every morning at 6:00 a.m. to workout has helped me create routine, stay focused, and release stress, which then allows me to stay energized to tackle the day.
What is your Latino background?
I am Guatemalan American. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Both my parents were teachers in Guatemala before they immigrated to this country in the 1980s. My mom is a housekeeper, and my dad is house painter.
What song do you listen to that motivates you?
“My Way” by Frank Sinatra.
