The Power of Latino Leadership, Second Edition, Revised and Updated

177 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 2h13min.
Experience the power of inclusion, community, and taking action! An updated, expanded edition.By 2045 Latinos will make up 1 in 4 Americans. They are projected to be 78% of the new entries into the labor force in the next ten years. By sheer numbers alone, Latinos will shape the 21st Century. What does it take to lead such a varied and vibrant people who hail from twenty-six countries and are a blend of different races? And what can leaders of all cultures and ethnicities learn from how Latinos lead? Juana Bordas takes us on a journey to the very heart and soul of Latino leadership. She offers 10 principles that richly illustrate the inclusive, people-centered, socially responsible, and life-affirming ways Latinos have led their community. This model is uniquely suited to this century's multicultural, global age. This new and expanded edition includes a chapter on intergenerational leadership that recognizes vast generational shifts are occurring: ten thousand Baby Boomers retire every day and Millennials and Zs are the largest generations in history. Six out of 10 Latinos are millennials. This new chapter can guide us in preparing the next generations to take the helm of leadership. This unprecedented and wide-ranging book shows that Latino leadership is indeed powerful and distinctive and has lessons that can inform leaders of every background.INTRODUCTIONLeading Latino StyleMy great-grandmother dolores was born on the remotenorthwest coast of Peru. Her straight hair, as black as charcoal,fell to her waist; she stood tall and proud like the algarrobo treethat grows in the Peruvian forests. Her mother knew the only future forher strong-willed daughter was submission to one of the arrogant menthat left Spain solitos (alone). So she searched for a better life for herdaughter. Dolores would go by boat to the Nicaragua coast, which wasalive and thriving. She had cousins there who sold goods to the pueblosand haciendas.In the 1840s, freight boats exported coffee, bananas, and sugar, and preciouswood from the Nicaraguan jungle. A creative and inventive woman,Dolita became a talented baker-the bread she made was like manna fromheaven for the Spanish.He was taking a morning walk when the wondrous aroma engulfedhim. Manuel Bordas was taller than any man Dolores had ever seen, withpale skin and steel-blue eyes. But he had a respectful spirit that was rarein those who had ventured across the great ocean. He married the brightand spirited Indian woman. This union-of the Spanish man and theIndigenous woman-became my great-grandparents, reflecting the massivemerger between two races that ushered in a new humanity in whatwas called the new world.My ancestors remained on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, where Iwas born, until the 1940s, when my familia, due to a devastating tsunami,immigrated to Tampa, Florida. Tampa, where I grew up, is a cauldron ofLatino culture, and in the tradition of Latinos we began to mix it up!Today, my extended familia includes Mexicans, Colombians, Spanish,Peruvians, Filipinos, and Cubans.My own life path follows this tradition: I trained for the Peace Corpsin Puerto Rico and love the rhythms and cultural vibrancy of la isla(the island). I served in Chile, so I consider myself Chilean by corazn(affinity). And I have lived in Colorado among my cherished MexicanAmerican hermanos (brothers) for fifty years, which has instilled a deeplove for these political, ranchera-dancing, and mariachi-loving people.My ancestry and life experiences opened the doors for me to experiencethe kaleidoscope culture of my extended Latina familia. This allows meto put forth a comprehensive leadership model that brings together thenuances of the culture yet at the same time reflects our rich diversity.I am also immeasurably fortunate to have worked with thousands ofLatinos who have advanced our community and nation. Today, as an elder,I wish to integrate their knowledge into a viable theory of leadership basedon our practical and collective experiences and woven from the beautifulculture that connects us. My abuela (grandmother) would simply havesaid, Es tu destino (It's your destiny).And speaking of destino, what luck that you are reading this book!Ah, perhaps it is not luck; perhaps it is your destino that your pastand present have led you to this point of learning about the powerfulleadership in the Latino community. Latinos can take pride in theimmense contributions our leaders have made. Non-Latinos can becomemore culturally adaptive and start using the principles in this bookto lead with a more inclusive and generous spirit. People of all agescan form partnerships and work together to build a more viable andinclusive future. And we can all infuse our leadership journeys with arenewed sense of purpose and a vibrant Latino flavor.Oh yes!-claro que s!-if you are wondering about this Latino destinothing, chapter 5 will highlight five steps that will align you with yourpersonal purpose and life vision, which Latinos call destino.This second edition includes a new chapter, El Crculo: InclusivenessAcross Generations, which features the voices, perspectives, and leadershippractices of young Latinos and fashions an intergenerationalleadership model. These practices are applicable to leadership developmentacross all ages, communities, and sectors. Additionally, the bookhas been updated to include data from the 2020 census and informationabout the advancements Latinos have made in the past decade.At the end of each chapter, I have added reflection and application exerciseto expand your leadership practices. I recommend that you use a specialnotebook, or Latino Leadership Journal, to answer questions, considerwhat you are learning, and find connecting points or areas to practice. Youalso can share your perspectives and learning with others, and if the bookis used in a class or book club, the exercises can be a catalyst for mutuallearning and sharing.Now let's look at the dynamics that make leading Latino style a viablemodel for our rising global community and multicultural world.The Future Is LatinoBeyond our cultural influence, Latinos will drive theAmerican economic engine in this century. Hispanics areprojected to account for 78 percent of net new workers between2020 and 2030.1 The US labor force growth rate has slowed over thepast couple of decades and was heavily impacted by the COVIDepidemic. The growth that has occurred is largely due to the increasingnumber of Hispanic workers. Given the group's strong entrepreneurialspirit, 80 percent of small business growth in the last decade was dueto Latinos. And US Latino spending power represents a $2.3 trillion market and the eighth-largest gross national product in the world, largerthan Canada, Italy, or Brazil.On a more practical level, by the middle of this century, when Latinosbecome the majority workforce, organizations will do well to cultivateLatino talent and thus benefit from their dynamic work ethic. Companieswho are part of the bilingual market economy will grow and prosper. ThePower of Latino Leadership offers a hands-on, test-driven way to connectwith and leverage Latino assets, energy, and values. It puts forth culturallyspecific leadership principles rooted in Latino history and tradition.Another consideration is that, just as women left their imprint in thelast century and changed every institution, Latinos will have a similarimpact in the twenty-first century. Women began the 1900s as 18 percentof the workforce. Today, they are the majority of workers and 40 percentof managers. There are more women than men studying in colleges anduniversities, including law and medical schools. Women have made leadershipmore collaborative and relationship oriented.The Power of Latino Leadership describes how Latinos will have asimilar impact in this century and validates the leadership practices thathave held Latinos together through the tribulations of being conquered,colonized, and deemed a minority. Their resilience, contributions, andcultural vibrancy are a testament to the wisdom and perseverance oftheir leaders.During the twenty-first century, the Eurocentric cultural impositionand colonization of the past five hundred years will be transformed intoa diverse multicultural form. Jorge Ramos, an award-winning Univisionnews anchor, notes that the Latinization of America is the fundamentalinfluence that will change the monocultural nature of our society andreplace ethnocentric dominance with a multiethnic, multiracial, and multiculturalnation. Ramos observes that the melting pot is being convertedinto a delicious paella and that Latinos are adding color and flavor to ouremerging rainbow nation. Now let's look at an overview of our excitingLatino leadership journey!The Latinization of America is the fundamental influencethat will change the monocultural nature of our societyand replace ethnocentric dominance with a multiethnic,multiracial, and multicultural nation.Part I. La Historia: Latino Fusionand Hybrid VigorThe power of latino leadership begins with the complexhistory that birthed the Latino phenomenon. Be prepared for anexciting roller coaster ride that starts in ancient Rome, traversesthe conquest of the Americas, and examines Manifest Destiny in thenineteenth century.Part I starts with the Romans' occupation of Spain and then traversesto the footprints of the Spanish conquistadores-both precursors oftoday's Latinos.Chapter 1, Ancient Roots and Mestizo Ancestry, surveys the Spanishracial and cultural dominion of the new world-a very different encounterfrom that which occurred in North America. Mestizos-the mixed-bloodoffspring of the Spanish and the Indigenous people of this hemisphere-became the prevailing population and are the ancestors of today's Latinos.We will explore a creation story of the Mestizo birth almost five centuriesago that foretold the appearance of this cultural fusion.Chapter 2, The Latino Legacy in the United States, describes theannexation of the US Southwest from Mxico and the designation ofLatinos as minorities. This was abetted by Manifest Destiny, which proclaimedthat Indigenous/Native tribes, Blacks, and the ancestors of today'sLatinos needed to accept White civilization. Manifest Destiny swept in abelief in cultural superiority and laid the groundwork for the segregatedsociety that continues until today.Part II. Preparing to Lead: A Latino PerspectiveBecoming a leader in the Latino community requires ponderingquestions such as Why do I desire to lead? What will be my uniquecontribution? How will I stay the course? Part II offers threeculturally based principles that prepare a person for leadership.Chapter 3, Personalismo: The Character of the Leader, explores thebelief that every person has inherent value and must be treated withrespect. Personalismo is the leader's character-her persona-and prescribesthat the leader establish genuine and caring relationships.To become this type of person requires a leader's deep connection withtheir inner self. Conciencia: Knowing Oneself and Cultivating PersonalAwareness, chapter 4, highlights understanding one's history, heritage,and culture. A leader also must deal with the aftermath of exclusion anddiscrimination, personally and in relation to Latinos as a whole.The belief that every person has a distinct life path is considered inchapter 5, Destino: Personal and Collective Purpose. Individualisticcultures believe that a person determines their own future. Many Latinosbelieve it is impossible to control chance, fate, or unplanned events.(Having to deal with discrimination is a case in point.) Life presents certainopportunities, experiences, and challenges. Destino is a dance with thecurrents of life.Part III. The Cultural Foundationsof LeadershipLatino inclusiveness is evident in Latinos' bienvenido-welcoming-spirit. As members of a blended culture, their inherentdiversity presented a conundrum for the Census Bureau, whichsince 1790 has counted, delineated, and described the US population. Wewill learn about the evolution of Latino identity, and how the inclusion ofthirty Hispanic subgroups, transformed the census.Chapter 6, De Colores: Culturally Centered Leadership, looks at sharedvalues such as respect, honesty, and service, from which leadership flows. Inmost cultures, values are imparted through proverbs or adages, which forLatinos are called dichos. Mi casa es su casa (My house is your house), forinstance, encourages generosity, sharing, and taking care of people. Dichosallow Latinos to tap into the wisdom of their abuelos (grandparents). Fornon-Latinos, dichos increase cultural adaptability and open the door tobecome Latinos by corazn. (More on this as we continue.)Fe y Esperanza: Sustained by Faith and Hope, chapter 7, explores thespiritual values and the abiding faith that grounds leadership. How elsecould Latinos have survived five hundred years since the conquest ofthis hemisphere? Faith, or fe, is a living current prescribing that peopletake care of one another and work together to improve their lives. CsarChvez upheld spirituality as part of the activist nature of leadership. Idon't think I could base my will to struggle on cold economics or on somepolitical doctrine, he said. I don't think there would be enough to sustainme. For the basis must be faith.Part IV. Putting Leadership into ActionLatinos are a we, a collective culture in which the familia andcommunity take precedence over the individual. Leadership, therefore,is not driven by individual success or credit but by contributingto the group welfare. The culture's humanistic core propels peopleorientedcollective leadership.Leaders are community stewards who encourage dispersed, shared, andreciprocal power and cultivate the leader as equal-where everyone contributes.People power has primed many to work for change. This criticalmass theory of leadership is described in chapter 8, Juntos: Leadership bythe Many.Chapter 9, Adelante! Immigrant Spirit, Global Vision, MultiracialIdentity, depicts how Latinos are international, and the integrating forceof the Western Hemisphere. Moreover, there are three dominant subgroupsin the United States-Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban-butthe past twenty years have also seen the appearance of substantial populationsof Dominicans, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, and Colombians.These international connections make Latinos a prototype for globalleadership.Forty percent of Latino growth in the past century has been throughimmigration. Any organization or business experiencing 40 percentgrowth must scramble to find the resources to integrate this type of expansion.Furthermore, leaders must constantly help the newly arrived witheducation, English classes, and basic services. Fighting for immigrationreform remains a cornerstone of leadership and a testament to the socialresponsibility and activism of Latinos.According to the 2020 census, more than half of the nation's populationunder age sixteen identifies as a member of a racial or ethnic minority.Their fastest-growing identity is multicultural. Additionally, the numberof Latinos reporting more than one race increased 567 percent. Becauseof their mixed heritage, this chapter affirms how Latinos will guide ourtransformation to a multicultural nation.Chapter 10, S Se Puede: Social Activism and Coalition Leadership,defines a leadership form that challenges inequities. S se puede! (Yes,we can!) was a rallying cry for the farm workers and coined by DoloresHuerta, the vice president of the United Farm Workers, who marched withCsar Chvez in the 1960s. Farm workers advocated for fair pay, decentworking conditions, and adequate housing. Dealing with immediate issueswhile providing the skills and knowledge to address the institutional barriersthat perpetuate injustice is core to leadership today.The struggle for social and economic equality has endured becauseof consistencia-fierce determination and a lifelong commitment.Consistencia predicates that social change will take generations andmultitudes of people. The most powerful Latino organizations are coalitionsthat bring the diverse Latino groups together. Coalition leadership issorely needed today in a divided America.As one generation departs and a new one ascends to power, there is anurgency to transfer leadership to younger people. Chapter 11, El Crculo:Inclusiveness Across Generations, recognizes the intergeneration natureof Latinos, where age is venerated and young people are the promiseof tomorrow. This new chapter integrates the voices and experiences ofyoung Latinos into an intergenerational leadership model. Young Latinosare building on the activism of the past and are crafting a new social identitythat is multicultural, global, and gender nonbinary.In chapter 12, Gozar la Vida: Leadership That Celebrates Life!, we discoverthat leadership has a social, family-oriented, and celebratory quality.Check out most Latino events and you will see music, dancing, good food,and socializing. Gozar la vida means to enjoy life. For the 70 percent ofLatinos who are working class or have dealt with discrimination, celebratinglife replenishes their spirit and strengthens their resolve.Part V. Latino DestinoIn 2045, latinos will be one-quarter of the people in the UnitedStates-certainly a critical mass that will influence the twenty-firstcentury.12 What lasting contributions will Latinos make to our nation?How will they achieve this? What actions are needed to coalesce theirgrowing numbers, work with other groups, and actualize Latino powerand contributions?Chapter 13, Latino Destino: Building a Diverse and Humane Society,discusses how Latino values can create a compassionate society-wherepeople and community come before material wealth or individual achievement.Second, as a mixed people, Latinos are cultural adaptives who connectacross differences.I propose that Latinos put forth an expanded definition of inclusiveness-one with an open door policy. This final chapter invites non-Latinosto join the familia and become Latinos by affinity, or corazn. And moregood news: becoming a Latino by corazn is a springboard to experiencingother cultures, to becoming a cultural adaptive-a person whorespectfully adopts and acknowledges beneficial behaviors, values, andreference points from a variety of cultures. The final section summarizesten steps to actualize Latino power, increase collaboration among Latinoorganizations, and build bridges with mainstream groups.