Past Event Coverage

National LATINA Symposium 2004

On Sept. 8, 2004, LATINA Style hosted the first annual National LATINA Symposium, our first-ever national convention of Latina leaders. The event brought together influential Hispanic women in business, politics and education for a day of workshops and networking.

The Symposium was inaugurated the evening of Sept. 7 with a reception aboard the Spirit of Washington cruise ship on the Potomac River. Guests were treated to a buffet banquet and live entertainment, and were introduced to the Symposium’s guests of honor and leadership award recipients, four young women currently attending the nation’s military academies: Jessica Tomazic of the Military Academy at West Point, Maia Molina-Schaefer of the Naval Academy, Cindy Nieves of the Air Force Academy, and Lily Zepeda of the Coast Guard Academy.

The next day began with a breakfast at the Capitol Hilton, which featured opening remarks by Elizabeth Nieto, the diversity director of Citigroup's Corporate Center; Dixie Axley, the vice president of learning and development at State Farm’s corporate headquarters; Mercy Jimenez, the senior vice president of Fannie Mae’s National Business Center; and Michelle Cook, the senior manager of equal employment opportunity programs at DaimlerChrysler. These women set the stage for the rest of the day, speaking of the influence of Latinas in business and other sectors. “Investing in Hispanics is not only a great thing to do, but investing in Latinas is very good business,” said Jimenez.

Five workshops were held in the morning. The first, Advancing Latinas in the Workplace, was moderated by Nieto and featured Linda Garcia Cubero of HP Managed Services and Ruth Sandoval of Sodexho. Panelists focused in on the obstacles and keys to professional success, such as the stereotypes Latinas will inevitably face in the workplace and the risks it will be necessary for them to take to overcome those preconceived notions. “We are stereotyped,” said Sandoval. “We’re all going to be faced with obstacles and challenges.” Nieto agreed. “Fight them,” she said. “Don’t fulfill those expectations.”

“Taking risks is part of the leadership that you have to have,” continued Sandoval. “I take them every day. You can’t have success unless you push the brick wall down.”

“Stepping outside of your comfort zone … [is] very risky,” added Garcia. You must “be able to take risk — not blind ambition but calculated risk — to advance in your career.”

The Wealth Creation & Financial Security panel was moderated by Jimenez and featured Haydee S. Toetman of Citigroup, Adriana Comellas-Macretti of State Farm and Alice Perez of US Bank. The panel discussed the importance of being flexible and independent. “We’ve got to start with our dreams and goals,” said one panelist. “[But] nothing is written in stone. Life changes.”

Theresa Alvillar-Speake of the Department of Energy moderated the Political Leadership Development panel, which encouraged audience members to pursue political careers. Panelists included Esther Aguilera of Dewey Square Group, Lizette Jenness Olmos of the Young Hispanic Republican Association, and Alma Morales Riojas, the president and CEO of MANA, A National Latina Organization. The panel emphasized the importance of working together, in spite of partisan and political differences. “The issues are nonpartisan,” said Alvillar-Speake. “That’s what we really need to look at. … We should be working towards the issues together.”

The Engaging in Education panel was moderated Kathleen Leos, the associate deputy under secretary of the Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students in the Department of Education. Leos and panelists Maria Goldberg and Margarita Benitez spoke off the problematic status of education in the Hispanic community — 35 percent of Hispanic students do not graduate high school. “I’m here because I believe the women in this conference have the ability and responsibility to advance Hispanic education,” said Benitez. She added that everyone needs to be invested in education because it affects everyone. “Whatever topic interests you in education, do it for someone you love. … Every Latina in this country has an obligation to other Latinas.”

Goldberg told the audience that Hispanics were “the only under-represented group in federal government right now in all grade levels, all across.” So, she said, it is crucial that Hispanics come forward to change those statistics. “We need to be at the table making the policy. … The Latino community has to be sitting at the table in the federal government.”

The final panel of the morning, Balancing Health, Career & Personal Life, suggested ways to successfully manage a full plate without jeopardizing any aspect of it. Moderator Christine Beato, the acting assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services, was joined by panelists Jane Delgado, the president and CEO of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health; Cecilia Pozo Fileti, a fellow of the American Diatetic Association; and Elena Alvarado of the Latina National Health Network. Said Alvarado, “We need to put Latinas first. We need to step back and say, ‘This is my life. I need to take care of myself and my family.’”

Delgado encouraged the audience to maintain a sense of humor about things. “We strive to make more fairness, we strive for balance,” she said. “Keeping a sense of humor about things helps you with that balance.” The panelists agreed that achieving balance is not easy, but that that is no reason to give up. “If I can do, you can do it,” encouraged Fileti.

Following the panels, guests made their way to the Capitol Hilton’s Presidential Ballroom for the Symposium’s luncheon, whose focus was to honor Latinas in the armed forces. Symposium attendees were treated to a delicious meal and a smorgasbord of presentations and speakers.

Shirley Martinez, the deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for the Equal Opportunity Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the luncheon, introducing the lunchtime speakers, including John Molino, the acting deputy under secretary of defense for equal opportunity; Michael Montelongo, the assistant secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller; Linda Garcia Cubero, the first Latina to graduate from a military academy; and keynote speaker Brigadier General Maria Owens, the director of manpower and personnel for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In recognition of the magazine’s 10th anniversary, Alma Morales Riojas of MANA and Marisa Rivera-Albert, the president of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI), paid tribute to LATINA Style’s founder, Anna Maria Arias, with an inspirational video presentation about the influential Latina’s life and legacy.

Garcia Cubero and Owens spoke about their service in the U.S. military, leading up to an introduction of the day’s honorees. Owens, who spoke of the influence her mother had on her while she was growing up, said, “I learned about strong women early in life. … I was raised to believe we could do and be whatever we set our sights on.” Garcia Cubero spoke of the significance of military service. “Serving your country is not just about wearing a uniform,” she said. “It’s about pride, honor, character and being part of a team.”

Both women had glowing remarks to make in regards to the day’s honorees. “When we think about role models like our … Latina military academy cadets,” said Owens, “we celebrate women. We celebrate women who in a variety of ways have provided the shoulders that boost others up, that allow others to reach and to grow.” Said Garcia Cubero, “As cadets and midshipmen you’ve already proven your measure in one environment, and I encourage you to go out in your future and do it again and again and again.”

LATINA Style president and CEO Robert Bard assisted Montelongo and Cubero Garcia in presenting the Symposium’s Latina Leadership awards to cadets Jessica Tomazic, Cindy Nieves and Lily Zepeda, and midshipman Maia Molina-Schaefer.

Learning and sharing were not done for the day, and after the luncheon guests returned to the Hilton’s meeting rooms for two final panels. The Latina Leadership Development panel was moderated by Anna Escobedo Cabral, the director of the Smithsonian Center for Latino Initiatives, and featured Elizabeth Martinez of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), Marisa Rivera Albert of NHLI, and Rima Matsumoto of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR). They could not stress enough the importance of mentoring as a crucial aspect of leadership development — from the perspective of both mentor and mentee. “There’s always time, there’s always room, to bring someone around,” said Cabral.

Rivera-Albert urged the audience not to pass up any opportunities. “The way I got here is taking every opportunity presented to [me],” she said.

The Entrepreneurship & Business panel featured moderator Edie Fraser of the Business Women’s Network, and panelists Maria de Lourdes Sobrino of LuLu’s Desserts, Sheila Guarderas of Superior Services, Inc., and Adela Soriano of the Small Business Administration. The panel advised its audience to take risks. “It’s okay to bring on new people who have new ideas,” one panelist said. “A la ventura and let’s see what happens mañana,” said Sobrino.

The day concluded with an hors d'oeuvres and champagne ceremony at which a microphone was offered to participants and sponsors who wanted to say a few words. The atmosphere of the day was best exemplified by the enthusiasm and humility of the Symposium’s four young honorees when they took to the stage to address the Symposium.

“I think one of the first things that all of us have said to each other is how overwhelming and how humbling this experience has been,” said Coast Guard cadet Lily Zepeda. “I think we all walked in here not aware of how important we were to the community. … Thank you for supporting us and for showing us again why we’ve been doing what we’ve been doing.”

Continued Air Force cadet Cindy Nieves, “We’re not used to being recognized for something like this. We’re used to everyday things, and it’s our usual everyday lives.”

The girls turned the attention to the audience. “You’re the reason we’re here today,” said Maia Molina-Schaefer, a Naval Academy midshipman. You have paved the way for us to come here. … You say we inspire you all, but you all are our inspirations. You are what we want to become.”

Added Jessica Tomazic, of the Military Academy at West Point, “I do want to recognize all the women here because if it weren’t for them we definitely would not be where we’re at today.”

The young women’s comments brought the Symposium to a close in a particularly fitting way as the leaders of tomorrow addressed the leaders of today. The audience left confident that Anna Maria Arias’s legacy and the legacy of so many other Latina leaders would be carried out on the shoulders of the young women standing before them.