Creating Espacios: Interviews With Self-made Latinas Who Are Innovating In Their Spaces

As the founder and CEO of ELLAS, Pilar Pinel has invested her life in mentorship. ELLAS creates clear pathways for young women, particularly high school students, to achieve their dreams. By pairing them with Latina role models, the girls learn that their goals hold value. In this episode we discuss the importance of understanding the cultural approach to mentorship and what it means to give back to the communities that raise us.

Ana Flores is the mastermind behind #WeAllGrow Latina Network, formerly known as Latina Bloggers Connect. As the first brand and blogger network in the nation for Latina digital creatives, #WeAllGrow has gone from connecting influencers with brands to hosting events across the nation. On this episode, Ana highlights how authenticity played a pivotal role in setting the tone for the LBC community and how you can apply her lessons learned to your own entrepreneurial endeavors.

As CEO and co-founder of lingerie company Naja, Catalina Girald has worked tirelessly to keep empowerment for all women at the root of her company. Throughout her episode she shares tips on how to build an empowering brand, why mentors are important and how being socially responsible could go a long way. All things she’s learned by strategically monitoring that Naja’s growth is in line with her own core values.

Dior Vargas is the Creator behind the People of Color & Mental Illness Photo Project, a social media campaign that took over Twitter and emphasized the importance of representation in the conversation around mental health. As a Latina who has successfully launched her career and embraced self-care, Dior sheds light on how prioritizing your mental health doesn’t have to go against having the career you want.

As a Senior Producer at “On Air for Ryan Seacrest,” owner of two businesses, and mother of two, it’s safe to say that Patty Rodriguez has a lot on her daily to-do. In this episode we talk to Patty about her Mexican-American upbringing and how her community has grounded her in the midst of chaos. Patty shares her wisdom on how in a world of stereotypes, defining yourself first is key and how bad days serve as strength training for the big accomplishments.

As a Senior Editor at Giphy, Tiffany understands how one well placed gif can change an entire conversation. It’s why she strongly believes that Latinas can impact culture at large, if they just start embracing their big dreams. Embracing her own led her to a dream role as Turner Classic Movie’s first female host. Tiffany shares tips on how to make sure you’re cultivating the best support system, embracing your roots and not ignoring all the ways you can make your presence felt.

Oftentimes being a Latina Millennial is synonymous with being a first-generation American. When it comes to finances, this means that we know both ends of the money spectrum  — the privilege of having and what it takes to survive. Ramona Ortega, Founder of Mi Dinero, Mi Futuro, caters to this reality. Through her website she is making financial literacy available for all Latinos, while elevating the notion of what savings, paying off your student loans, and budgeting mean.

As the producer and creator of the SuperLatina Show, Gaby Natale knows what it means to put everything into a side hustle with the dream that it will one day turn into a full-time gig. For Gaby, the “some point” happened after many weekends of work, small steps and a lot of betting on herself and her dreams. Let Gaby convince you that small steps can definitely make big dreams come true.

Aurora Anaya-Cerda shows us how quitting can be an intentional part of success. As the owner of La Casa Azul Bookstore, she worked in New York City’s Spanish Harlem and built a dedicated community around the bookstore. After years of operating successfully, she realized her business plan needed to be revisited if she wanted to serve her customers and community in the most effective way. Anaya-Cerda shares how some advice from her mom propelled her dreams, why quitting doesn’t have to be a bad thing and the agency that comes from taking time for yourself. Keep listening for our conversation and listen in every other Tuesday for new episodes of #CreatingEspacios.

Nathalie Huerta sat down with us to talk about how vulnerability, community building and Google helped her build The Perfect Sidekick Gym, the first queer gym in the nation. Nathalie works tirelessly to create safe spaces for those in the LGBT community in a life-changing way, a hustle that seems almost second nature to her. Keep listening for our conversation and don’t forget to check in every other Tuesday for new episodes of Creating Espacios.

In this episode of #CreatingEspacios we talk to Janel Martinez about how to make a profit while still being true to who you are, your culture and your passions. Growing up Afro-Latina, Janel immediately noticed the lack of representation of her identity in the media and so she started “Ain’t I Latina?” — a digital destination to highlight and uplift conversation about Afro-Latinidad in the media, society, and business world. In addition to “Ain’t I Latina,” Janel is also a full-time freelance multimedia journalist and Chief Content Officer at 2020 Shift.

Andrea Guendelman knows that as a Latina it’s hard to build a network around yourself. This is why she helped start BeVisible.soy, a website that helps Latina millennials network both in real life and online. Their focus is mentorship, fostering lasting connections, and giving all community members a platform to be seen. In this episode we discuss how to embrace your Latinidad and use that to create a network that will help you in your next career step.