by Linda Castillo
Today is a good day to invest in yourself is what I thought as I headed out to the Lean In Latinas 2nd Annual Retreat last year. Working full-time and juggling all my roles as a mother, wife, blogger and other life activities it’s a challenge for me to carve out time to invest in myself. This retreat was just what I needed to focus on my personal, professional and entrepreneurial goals and to be energized to take action.
This event is one of the many activities hosted by Lean In Latinas founded by Anna Dapelo-Garcia. The mission of Lean In Latinas is to provide a platform of encouragement and support for Latinas in the workplace to achieve higher levels of performance. Anna shared how she started the Lean In Latinas meetings in her backyard with a handful of ladies and now it has grown to have over 700 members with 23 active circles across the United States. Anna and her amazing leadership team have also made strides to raise awareness to close the wage gap with Latinas Equal Pay Day. Presently, Latinas on average are paid 46% less than their white male counterparts.
Being a member of the Lean In Latinas Chapter has impacted my life in so many ways from the professional development opportunities to making connections with other Latinas striving to better themselves and their communities. I am starting the Monterey County Aspiring Latinas to carry on the Lean In Latinas mission and energy to the Monterey County area.
What is a Lean In Circle?
With the support of the Lean In organization founded by the chief operating officer of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, the Lean In Circles are small groups of peers who meet regularly to learn and grow together. According to the Lean In organization, there is real power in this kind of support: research shows we are able to learn and accomplish more in groups.
It took me a several iterations to formulate the Monterey County Aspiring Latinas circle’s purpose statement. I wanted to ensure it truly captured what my aspirations were for the circle. I am excited to share it with you below.
The purpose of this circle is to connect and empower Latinas in Monterey County by providing professional resources and a supporting network. We will focus on career and leadership development, promoting one’s personal brand while collectively encouraging the growth and success of each member.
If you are interested in joining or know of anyone else who may want to join, please click here.
Linda Castillo is the Founder and Executive Editor of www.ModernLatina.com. She writes on topics that empower and inspire Latinas including art, motherhood, green living, culture, travel, and issues transforming the Latino community. Linda has earned a B.S. in Business and a M.S. in Mass Communications from San Jose State University.