His View 46 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 26, No. 1, 2020
Iam a firm believer in the power of diverse leadership and potential in
our community, so it’s an honor to serve the Congressional Hispanic
Caucus Institute (CHCI) in our mission to develop the next generation
of Latino/a/x leaders across all industries. CHCI’s track record of success
is owed in large part to the women who led the organization before me.
Therefore, I have the dual responsibility of guiding CHCI into its new chapter and
filling an immense role.
I have so much respect for my colleagues at CHCI who work daily to
increase the diverse leadership pipeline for the nation and over the years have
successfully helped develop thousands of engaged CHCI participants into
community and industry leaders.
And while we have many CHCI alumni who have ascended to the highest
offices and boardrooms across the country, our work continues as disparities
in representation and leadership still exist. But I am optimistic because I know
firsthand of the tremendous potential for Latinos - and specifically, Latinas - to
contribute to our society as leaders.
When I think about the most significant influences in my journey, the
examples set by strong women inevitably come to mind - starting with my
mother, two older sisters, and wife, as well as several mentors and bosses. I have
often been amazed by their strength, humbled by their brilliance, and inspired
by their tenacity. The fact simply is that women, and especially Latinas, are
some of the most effective and impactful leaders that exist. And yet, their
abilities, unfortunately, are sometimes like a hidden superpower. They lead in the
workplace and in communities, often with little recognition or support.
On average Latinas in the U.S. are paid 54 cents for every dollar a white,
non-Hispanic male makes, losing out on an estimated $1.1 million during the
course of their careers. It’s an unacceptable reality that we must collectively
work to change.
And yet despite this fact, Latinas persist in rising and are leading. Latinas
are choosing to start their own businesses at higher rates than any other
demographic. Latino-led businesses in total are the fastest-growing segment
of business in the U.S. contributing an outstanding $700 billion to the economy,
as part of the overall Latino population’s purchasing power of $1.7 trillion.
When Latinas are championed, compensated fairly, and supported in
decision-making roles, communities thrive.
There has never been a more important time than now to ensure Latinas
have the resources they need to flourish. From equal opportunities to lead within
every industry, to equal pay, to securing funding to grow their businesses —
Latinas can and will do more with more support.
With a population of more than 60 million, there is no lack of leaders in our
community, there is a lack of ladders.
I’m proud to work with the outstanding CHCI staff, half of whom are
women, and a leadership team that is majority female.
Together we are serving and elevating cohorts of emerging leaders - of
whom well over 50 percent have been Latina - not just for the Hispanic
community, but for the nation.
CHCI will continue to uplift and champion all Latino/a/x leaders and
we invite everyone to engage with us, as a supporter, partner, or program
participant. Learn about our events, programs, and opportunities at
https://chci.org/. We look forward to building a brighter future for our
community and the country with you.
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Elevating Our Leaders
By Marco A. Davis
President and CEO
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
Marco A. Davis is President and
CEO of CHCI and has more
than 25 years of experience
in leadership development,
educational achievement,
community advocacy, and civic
engagement. Prior to joining
CHCI he was a partner at New
Profit, a national nonprofit
venture philanthropy, where he
led an initiative now named
Inclusive Impact – an effort to
create a more equitable social sector, and served as organizational
lead on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Davis served in the Obama Administration as Deputy Director of
the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
and as Director of Public Engagement for the Corporation for
National and Community Service. Previously, he was Director of
Global Fellowship and Regional Manager for Latin America at
Ashoka’s Youth Venture and led leadership development for
UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza), creating the
Líderes Initiative.
Davis serves on the boards of Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC)
and Independent Sector, and represents CHCI on the boards of the
National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA) and the Hispanic
Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR). He was a
Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and Hispanics in Philanthropy NGen
Lideres Fellow, and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
and an alumnus of Yale University. A New York native, Davis now
lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and daughter. LS
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