¡Sí, se puede!

At the University of San Francisco, diversity, in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, and culture, is very common. However, it is not often that one culture is brought to the forefront and spoken about. In Journalism class, my professor asked us what we knew about Latinas in leadership in the Bay Area. The dead silence in the classroom perfectly displayed how necessary a forum like "Latinas in Leadership" was, not just for Latina women or students, but for all of us who need to acknowledge all types of people in power.

Although I missed Aída M. Álvarez and Deborah Álvarez-Rodriguez, two nationally recognized businesswomen's, initial talk I was able to grasp their influence on the audience members I spoke to during the lunch break. I'm hesitant to say audience members, because it was very clear that this forum was a transactional experience. It wasn't just the Alvarez sisters who inspired the crowd; it was the diversified women of all ages who left a mark on everyone in the room. I first sat with a group of seven women comprised of university ambassadors, service coordinators, community action chairs, members of Latinas Unidas de USF, and the like. One senior in particular, Stephanie Ortiz, spoke of an experience that brought her to tears, having given a tour to a Latino family at USF in which they pulled her aside after the tour and congratulated her as if she were family. The prospective student and family praised her for achievements and prestigious position as a thriving Latina at a private university. Ortiz explained how going to this school was a privilege, something not every student takes into account. Similarly, another woman spoke to the crowd and touched on the idea of having to always prove herself because of her ethnicity. Since a young age, she felt the need to dress a certain way and be the best student. She claimed that in school,  "if everyone was studying until 12, [she] studied until 3AM". She compared this feeling to having a job and a half, especially as a woman of color. She went on to remind the crowd "¡Sí se puede!". Melanie Berru, a professor in the Psychology Department at Modesto Junior College, had a similar charisma surrounding said motto as she volunteered her opinion to the room. When I sat down with an older group of women to get their take on the forum, Berru immediately introduced herself and made me feel part of the circle. As each woman went around the table telling personal anecdotes, ranging from Belen Cindy Reyes' feeling that she had to excel at everything to prove a point, to Jessica's story about standing up to her Caucasian male boss, Berru was able to relate every personal account to something powerful the Alvarez sisters mentioned just an hour before. It was the same woman who summed up the whole experience for me when she pointed out that "if you're not conflicted, you're stagnant".