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Latina women are severely underrepresented in corporate America.

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If you thought making it to the top ranks of leadership as white woman was hard, consider for a moment the plight of women of color.

That's exactly what the American Association of University Women (AAUW) did in a new report released on Wednesday. And the results are not pretty.

"Most minority groups and especially minority women are very underrepresented" in both the public and private sectors, says AAUW senior researcher Kevin Miller, who worked on the study. And while women in the corporate and political spheres might operate differently, the representation-or lack thereof-of female leaders is actually strikingly similar: In both cases, women represent about a quarter of leadership.

Yet that 25% stat doesn't tell the whole story, as the majority of these women leaders are white. When it comes to minority women, the numbers are much, much lower: Black women represent just 8% of the private sector workforce and a dismal 1.5% of senior leadership. Hispanic women represent about 6% of the workforce and 1.3% of leadership.

Women in public service don't fare much better. While 25% of state legislators are female, just 22% of those women are people of color -or about 5% of the total state legislature. The number in Congress are similar: Women make up 19% of the elected body, but women of color make up just 6%.

"We tend to think of women of color running for elected office and women seeking a promotion to a high-level executive position as facing different obstacles, but the similar levels of underrepresentation suggest that the barriers and bias they face may be similar," Miller says.

Another interesting finding: While black men make up a smaller percentage of the workforce-both in the private and public sector-than black women, the men are proportionately better represented in leadership roles.

Minority women are "subject to discrimination along two dimensions," says Miller, pointing out black women also earn less than their black male counterparts.

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american association of university women

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These Charts Explain the Lack of Minority Women Leaders

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If you thought making it to the top ranks of leadership as white woman was hard, consider for a moment the plight of women of color. That's exactly what the American Association of University Women (AAUW) did in a new report released on Wednesday. And the results are not pretty.

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-As with any client relationship, when working with Latina females counselors should first and foremost identify their own biases and assumptions regarding group and societal level influences on work and career (Swanson & Fouad, 2015). In addition, it is imperative that counselors are creative in forming a working alliance early, joining with the client to understand and validate their life experiences (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014).

-Each phase of the process should be viewed through the filter of culture, taking into account individual experiences (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014; Rivera, Chen, Flores, Blumberg, & Ponterotto, 2007).  However, it is just important to remember that just because a client may be first or second generation Mexican-American does not mean they hold the same traditional ideologies or beliefs about family/work life or even be aware of the cultural barriers that may surround and affect them (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014; Swanson & Fouad, 2015). This makes it extremely important to gather information about the client through use of genograms, life and career narratives, and career/life timelines (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014).

-Programs for Latina women should start young - this will help to establish positive self-beliefs and goals at an early age (Weiler, 1997).  It will help open awareness of other career options that go beyond traditional gender or social roles.  In addition, when Latinas have self-confidence, self-determination, and strong goals, they are less likely to report experiencing the "glass" ceiling phenomenon (Campbell, 2013).  The greater women perceive these barriers, the more likely they are to stay in female-dominated positions (Rivera, Chen, Flores, Blumberg, & Ponterotto, 2007).  Latina females should be encouraged to seek leadership experiences young - roles that will allow them to attribute deep & meaningful experiences that they can carry with them into their adult life (Onorato & Musoba, 2015).

-Programs should also address family/cultural expectations, as well as potential consequences of countering those expectations - "How will your family react?" (Swanson & Fouad, 2015; Rivera, Chen, Flores, Blumberg, & Ponterotto, 2007).  Positive family relationships can help Latina women feel empowered to explore various careers (Swanson & Fouad, 2015; Campbell, 2013) and counselors can help these positive relationships start young. Many Latina women report that they are encouraged to "be whatever they want to be" by their family members, but there is unspoken message of "...as long as it is within the confines of being a good Hispanic women...and puts family first" attached, which puts silent restrictions on Latina females, specifically hindering career development as a leader (Onorato & Musoba, 2015).

-Encourage Latina women to find a strong role model or mentor. Role models are vital in the leadership career paths.  Latinas in the leadership positions report having a strong mentoring relationship being vital to their success (Campbell, 2013). Not only does this help demonstrate successful coping behaviors, but al-Services should address not only career paths, but also explore sociocultural and personal experiences. Savickas et al. (2009 )calls this "life-designing" as individuals progressively build their own lives, which includes their work career.  This is especially important for Latina females, as the culture is traditionally deeply rooted in the family bond (Campbell, 2013).

-Draw on unique cultural experiences as strengths yet, don't be afraid to move against tradition. (forbes, monster).  Help Latina leaders understand how racism may have influenced their perception of opportunities, and how their own cultural values may influence their career options (Swanson & Fouad, 2015; Rivera, Chen, Flores, Blumberg, & Ponterotto, 2007).   Identifying cultural strengths will help Latina leaders develop resilience (Swanson & Fouad, 2015).

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With 40% of the American population composed of  ethically diverse individuals, Latinas are the lowest percentage to hold high school diplomas out of all demographics (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014).  Traditionally, Whites earn more than Latinos, keeping the poverty rate at 25.8%, with a median income of $35, 589 (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014).  When Latinas enter the workforce, not only are they faced with opposing the "traditional" Latin culture of a daughter/mother/wife role of staying at home, but they are also faced with discrimination in the workplace on many levels.  Sex, age, race, culture, and religion are just a few of the avenues that Latina women have to fight to rise above. In addition, Latinas are even more so underrepresented in the corporate and political fields - only 6% encompass the workforce, with 1.3% in leadership (Zarya, 2016).  While more and more Latina women are entering the workforce, there is a lack of women in leadership roles.

Career development programs for Latina women need to account for how race and social class intersect with their careers, especially with the lack of studies in regards to these populations (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014).   Latina women are strongly influenced by traditional culture with strong family ties and beliefs regarding women in the workplace.  Career development programs should be innovative, tailored to draw out unique cultural strengths, focusing on resilience skills (Pérez-Litwin, 2012).  Counselors should be aware of different biases that Latina women hold, both conscious and unconscious, and take into account the different intersectionality the impact their gender, race, culture, and age will have on their career path (Gysbers, Heppner, & Johnston, 2014; Swanson & Fouad, 2015).

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The importance of creating programs to help Latina women understand, cope, and deal with racism, sexism, and discrimination cannot be undermined.  School programs should be implemented at an early age to start young, especially in establishing positive role models.  This will specifically help in overcoming low self-esteems and poor parent expectations.

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ERIC Identifier: Publication Date: Author:
Source:

Career Development for African American and Latina Females. ERIC/CUE Digest, Number 125

Low-income African American and Latina adolescent females need extensive support for developing and implementing career plans. Many reside in economically depressed inner-cities where access to decent schools and opportunities for employment are severely limited. Thus they may lack academic skills and career-related experiences, and perceive narrow career opportunities for themselves, which combine to pose formidable obstacles to obtaining future jobs or careers (De Leon, 1996). In fact, unemployment rates for young African American and Latina women are higher than for white females or males of all ethnic/racial backgrounds; Latina adolescent girls drop out of school prematurely more often than other youth; the numbers of African American and Latina females heading households are steadily increasing, as are their poverty rates; and the gap in earnings between high school dropouts and high school graduates continues to increase dramatically (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1990; U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1996).

There is, therefore, an urgent need to provide female adolescents of color with a career education that will enable both economic self-sufficiency and personal fulfillment. This digest discusses ways for schools and other institutions to provide such an education.

THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

Much of the past research on career development has been conducted on groups of young white men, although career experts now question its applicability to development of career programs for women and racial and ethnic minorities. Traditional models of career development do not take into account the complex realities of women's career choices, preparation, and working lives (Fitzgerald, Fassinger, & Betz, 1995). The succession of career behaviors for women is far more complex than for men, because women frequently interrupt education and career preparation in order to integrate work and family life. They also must strive to overcome obstacles such as gender discrimination and sex stereotyping. Furthermore, for many people, particularly low-income, the traditional concepts of vocational decision-making and development are not that useful when their economic survival is the main motivation for getting a job.

Potentially more useful and relevant to understanding the career development of women of color, working class people, and others whose vocational behavior does not fit into existing frameworks has been the application of Bandura's general social cognitive theory to career development (1986). Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) considers several variables that guide people in their career development, such as self-efficacy, outcome expectation, and personal goals. It emphasizes the interplay between these psychological factors with other characteristics of a person (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity) and their environments (e.g., support, barriers) (Lent & Brown, 1996). For example, within the SCCT framework, five areas can be considered relevant to understanding the career development of women of color: their knowledge of the work world, family factors, environmental factors, the impact of socialization, and the impact of sexism and racism. Similarly, from a social cognitive perspective, Hackett and Byars (1996) discuss the impact of typical socialization experiences of African American women on career-related self-efficacy, and suggest implications for career counseling (discussed below).
LIMITATIONS ON YOUNG WOMEN'S CAREER CHOICES

Through gender role stereotyping, girls and boys learn early which occupations are suitable for them, with the result of limiting career choices and planning. In addition, girls suffer from limited career awareness because they lack information on nontraditional career choices, particularly those related to mathematics, science, and engineering. From an early age girls choose not to, and are not encouraged to, take courses in school that would prepare them for careers in these fields. Low self-esteem, lack of female role models, low parental expectations, stereotypes of scientists, and lack of hands-on experiences in science all contribute to girls' development of negative attitudes towards math and science (Bailey, 1992).

EFFECTIVE CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FOR YOUNG WOMEN

Although a variety of approaches and specialized programs exist today in schools to prepare youth for future careers, the majority of low-income urban girls are not enrolled in them, and many of the programs do not directly address their needs. Interventions shown to be effective with low-income African American and Latina adolescent females comprise the following components:

SCHOOL-BASED INITIATIVES

Teachers can play an important role in providing career development support for females even though it has not been a significant responsibility of school-based staff or a subject of special training. Indeed, a study on the career expectations of Mexican American girls found that those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds (also associated with lower levels of acculturation) perceived their parents as less encouraging of their career aspirations and support from teachers as extremely important (McWhirter & Hackett, 1993).

COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS

Collaborations between schools, agencies, and higher education institutions can develop especially relevant programs. For example, the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York and The Bronx Zoo have jointly designed a program to introduce urban adolescent girls to the natural sciences and increase their awareness of the range of career options related to wildlife sciences and conservation biology.

A collaborative effort by the University of Texas at El Paso, a local YMCA, and three local school districts has created a successful program for Latina girls and their mothers: The Mother-Daughter Program (Tinajera, 1991). It is designed to encourage participants to value education, improve academic and life skills, develop leadership potential, and aspire to careers. The program includes mothers because their expectations, involvement, and role-modeling will have lasting effects on their daughters' educational development. Often the mothers return to school to complete their education, providing an important example to their daughters.

Several model programs for low-income African American adolescent girls have also been developed. Steppin' Up and Movin' On, a counseling program providing career education for urban, non-college-bound female students, emphasizes four areas: (1) individual assessment--helping students become aware of individual aptitudes and abilities; (2) education and career information-examining careers from a broad societal perspective and their specific implications for African American females; (3) skill-building exercises; and (4) integrated experiences with peers and counselors (Fisher, 1982). NEW PASS was developed as a model program to improve African American girls' awareness of nontraditional careers (Kohler, 1987). Its curriculum provides activities to expand participants' knowledge of nontraditional career options, build self-esteem, develop problem-solving and decision-making skills, and increase their awareness of the importance of making life plans. The curriculum also covers special issues in participants' lives, such as parenting, male-female relationships, and sexual violence.

ACCESS TO CAREER INFORMATION

Interventions should include current and accurate information about the nature of different careers and occupations, career preparation and training, and lines of progression leading to job advancement. Many low-income African American and Latina girls lack such an education because they are isolated from the work world, and because there are limited employment opportunities for them and for others in their community (Smith, 1983).

GENDER EQUALITY IN OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION

Persistent sex-role stereotyping of occupations continues to circumscribe young women's employment choices. Young African American and Latina women need to be taught to critically examine how gender role socialization impacts on their career goals, and be helped to explore higher paying "nontraditional" careers for women.

For example, Taking Your Place, a two-week summer program designed to encourage nontraditional career choices for adolescent girls in Wilmington, NC, offers participants the opportunity to expand their career choices as well as to develop a positive self-image (Rea-Poteat & Martin, 1991). The project includes field trips to local businesses to highlight technological occupations; classroom instruction; lectures and discussions involving women in nontraditional occupations; and hands-on applications, such as building an AM/FM radio, collecting marine animals, and changing an automobile tire.

SKILLS TO COPE WITH RACISM, SEXISM, AND DISCRIMINATION

It is critical to help young low-income minority women understand and overcome the effects of perceived barriers and negative outcomes on their own beliefs in their career abilities, interests, and goals. They need to build skills to identify racism, sexism, and discrimination; and to develop effective coping strategies for dealing with discrimination and social barriers that can limit their career and educational development and participation (Hackett & Byars, 1996).

ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS

The most effective kind of role model intervention for African American girls is often exposure to models similar in age and social backgrounds (Hackett & Byars, 1996). Successful coping behaviors (e.g., discussing frustrations and problems) that are actively demonstrated by similar-age peers, rather than adults, may be more likely to influence their skill development, and exposure to college students can enhance career awareness. Outcomes for low-income female adolescents can also be enhanced by mentors (Rhodes & Davis, 1996). Experience has indicated that African American girls who identified with "natural mentors" (extended family members) were more likely to be engaged in activities related to career goals, suggesting that parents, extended family members, and community members need to be recruited to provide support and mentoring.

CONCLUSION

Programmatic changes in schools and counseling departments, along with creative collaborations among schools and other institutions in urban areas, are needed to fully meet the career development needs of African American and Latina girls. In addition, given the obstacles faced by many of the students, these organized effects should be combined with personal encouragement and support from family, teachers, and community members.

REFERENCES

Bailey, S. (1992). Shortchanging girls, shortchanging America: A call to action. Washington, DC: Women's Educational Foundation, American Association of University Women. (ED 340 658)

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Bingham, R.P., & Ward, C.M. (1994). Career counseling with ethnic minority women. In W.B. Walsh & S.H. Osipow (Eds.), Career counseling for women (pp.165-95). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

De Leon, B. (1996). Career development of Hispanic adolescent girls. In B. Leadbeater & N. Way (Eds.), Urban girls: Resisting stereotypes, creating identities (pp.380-398). New York: New York University Press.

Fisher, P.A. (1982). Steppin' up and movin' on: A career education program for the urban, non-college bound student. Washington, DC: Women's Educational Equity Act. (ED 236 298)

Fitzgerald, L.F., Fassinger R.E., & Betz, N.E. (1995). Theoretical advances in the study of women's career development. In W.B. Walsh & S.H. Osipow (Eds..), Handbook of vocational psychology: Theory, research, and practice. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Hackett, G., & Betz, N.E. (1981). A self-efficacy approach to the career development of women. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 18(3), 326-339. (EJ 245 430)

Hackett, G., & Byars, A.M. (1996). Social cognitive theory and the career development of African American women. The Career Development Quarterly, 44(4), 322-340. (EJ 529 064)

Kohler, J. (1987). NEW PASS: Nontraditional education for women, paths to economic self-sufficiency: A career awareness program for economically disadvantaged girls and young women. Springfield, IL: State Board of Education. (ED 291 899)

Lent, R.W., & Brown, S.D. (1996). Social cognitive approach to career development: An overview. The Career Development Quarterly, 44(4), 310-321. (EJ 529 063)

McWhirter, E.H., & Hackett, G. (1993). Causal models of the career commitment and aspirations of Mexican-American high school girls. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada.

Rea-Poteat, M.B., & Martin, P.F. (1991). Taking your place: A summer program to encourage non-traditional career choices for adolescent girls. The Career Development Quarterly, 40(2), 182-188. (EJ 442 545)

Rhodes, J.E., & Davis, A.B. (1996). Supportive ties between nonparent adults and urban adolescent girls. In B. Leadbeater & N. Way (Eds.), Urban girls: Resisting stereotypes, creating identities (pp.213-225). New York: New York University Press.

Smith, E.J. (1981). The career development of young black females: The forgotten group. Youth and Society, 12(3), 277-312. (EJ 243 357)

Tinajero, J.V. (1991) Raising career aspirations of Hispanic girls. Fastback 320. Bloomington: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. (ED 333 083)

U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1996. Statistical abstract of the United States: 1996 (116th edition). Washington, DC: U.S. Printing Office.

U.S. Bureau of the Census. (1990). Current population survey. Washington, DC: U.S. Printing Office.

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Career Development for African American and Latina Females. ERIC/CUE Digest

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Low-income African American and Latina adolescent females need extensive support for developing and implementing career plans. This digest discusses ways schools and other institutions can provide an education that furthers career development.

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Being a Latina usually means a strong work ethic was instilled from a very young age - careers can be enhanced by utilizing and implementing these same work ethics!

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How Hispanic-Latino Women Can Use Their Culture to Get into Leadership Roles

Lisa Manafian, Monster Contributing Writer

Hispanic/Latino women have a distinct advantage when it comes to competing for and succeeding in leadership positions: their culture. That is, provided they recognize and harness the gifts their culture has to offer, according to Marisa Rivera-Albert, past president of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI), an organization dedicated to the education and leadership development of Hispanic/Latino women.

Through her instruction, Rivera-Albert helps women realize and use their cultural assets to compete for top-level positions. "Your cultural background shapes you and the way you lead," she says. "Offer no excuses for your identity."

Rivera-Albert urges women to exercise these culturally distinctive leadership assets:

Consulting with others is an effective team-building strategy that boosts workers' confidence and taps into every available resource. "As Latinas, we work collectively -- we consult, we ask questions and we take advice," says Rivera-Albert.

Maintaining a strong work ethic reveals your character and builds trust among those you are leading. "This reflects an ability to be well-prepared and earnest leaders," she says.

Being bicultural and bilingual gives insight and enhances conflict-resolution skills.

According to Rivera-Albert, leadership happens on every level -- from setting personal goals and objectives, to leading groups of people in the workplace. Her first lesson is self-knowledge. "To lead others, you must first know yourself and be comfortable with whom you are," she says.

If your goal is to move forward -- whether to become a small-group leader or a CEO -- Rivera-Albert suggests you "develop a mission statement that defines personal objectives and outlines what you hope to accomplish in your work and what you expect from others."

Break Through the Cultural Ceiling: Assert Your Voice

While your culture is an asset, there will be instances when you might need to break away from cultural tendencies. "Your culture has taught you to be pleasant, noble and kind, and never to question authority," Rivera-Albert says. But if your goal is to move forward, asserting yourself may be required. "You have to be able to argue, negotiate or raise your voice if you need to," she explains. Leaders must be good communicators and need to establish an authoritative voice.

As the past president of a nationally renowned program, Rivera-Albert has taken deliberate risks and attributes her success to three things: persistence, performance and y mucho corazon, or a lot of heart. "You need to persist, because there will be many closed doors, but if you persist, you will triumph," she says. "And put your heart into everything you do. If you're doing something that you're just not into, you need to move on; you're in the wrong place."

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Learn how Hispanic-Latino women can leverage their cultural background to compete for and succeed in leadership positions.

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How Hispanic-Latino Women Can Use Their Culture to Get into Leadership Roles Lisa Manafian, Monster Contributing Writer Hispanic/Latino women have a distinct advantage when it comes to competing for and succeeding in leadership positions: their culture.

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Innovation Required for Successful Development

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Innovation Required for Successful Development

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"...addressing the sociocultural, personal and organizational elements that impact both personal and professional leadership — will prove to be most effective."

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Latinas are uniquely positioned to become the next cadre of powerful leaders in this country. Forbes' recent cover article: The Next Media Jackpot: The $1 Trillion Hispanic Market, featuring Sofia Vergara as television's best paid actress, sheds light into the increasing influence of Latinas as individuals and as a consumer market.

The promise of Latinas, particularly second-generation Latinas, is anchored in their increasing college enrollment rates, bilingualism, ambition, resourcefulness and parental and family support. Second generation Latinas are enrolling in college at the same rate (46%) as third-generation non-Hispanic White women, according to a study report released by Migration Policy Institute. Furthermore, an increasing number of Latinas are pursuing advanced degrees and professional careers.

But despite the educational strides and professional gains, Latinas continue to be generally absent in executive suites, university faculty boards and politics. A majority of talented professional Latinas remain confined mostly to administrative and middle management positions in the public and private sectors. They are seriously underrepresented in leadership roles in universities, research institutions and in Science, Technology and Engineering careers.

These disparities have important implications on the earning potential, career advancement, and leadership influence of Latinas in this country. As the fastest growing female population, one in six individuals in the U.S. will be a Latina woman by the year 2050. As the number of Latinas continues to grow and emerge in professional arenas, developing and promoting their leadership talent is imperative to this country's economic and social growth.
Barriers to Career Advancement and Leadership Roles
There are several compelling reasons for the disparity in leadership roles among professional Latinas. There are institutionalized, social and economic barriers that limit access to higher education, exclusive networks and leadership opportunities. Policy driven efforts need to continue to address these barriers.

Below, I highlight four micro-level barriers that leadership training programs can address to promote career success and leadership among Latinas:
Professional Latinas: Pioneers Navigating "New Spaces"
A good majority of professional Latinas are first generation professionals -- the first ones in their families and close social networks entering these new spaces, e.g., corporate America, academia, technology. As pioneers navigating unchartered sectors, they are challenged by the novelty of these experiences, and the lack of knowledge and strategies necessary to navigate these spaces. Furthermore, due to a lack of other influential Latina mentors (or other mentors, in general) in the workplace, Latinas often have no one to turn to for strategic career guidance and talent development.
Organizational Barriers at the Intersection of Ethnicity, Culture & Gender
A national study conducted by the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) on the status of Latinas in the Legal Profession, indicated that Latinas often confront gender and cultural expectations and assumptions that impact their professional experience. The women in the study reported that "their legitimacy, qualifications, and abilities as attorneys were often questioned or devalued by their employers, co-workers, clients, and the general population." Furthermore, the study points out that Latinas are often placed in token positions and are burdened by diversity-related roles and responsibilities. Pigeon-holed in these positions, professional Latinas find it difficult to climb the leadership latter.
Cultural Scripts Conflicts
Many first- and second-generation Latinas have grown up as Americanas, but have been raised as Latinas. While their bicultural existence is undeniably a commodity and offers valuable talents, it can also create conflict with cultural scripts that challenge their perceptions and expectations of themselves as a women, mothers and professionals. Often, the demands and values of her career in an American world conflicts with those of her culture and family. When left unresolved, these cultural conflicts can create confusion, frustration, and negative emotions that ultimately impact career pathways.
Powerful Feelings of Isolation and Self-Doubt
Through my professional work with Latina women, as a mentor and counselor, I have come to understand how these collective circumstances and barriers often result in powerful feelings of isolation and self-doubt. The erosion of self-efficacy and isolation can negatively impact work performance and career retention. One of the most valuable offerings leadership training programs can provide Latina trainees is the opportunity to connect and create long-lasting alliances with other influential peers and mentors.

To address the growing interest on leadership among Latina women, New Latina and the National Hispana Leadership Institute ( NHLI) recently held a "Latina Leadership" Twitter party. The two-hour discussion generated tremendous excitement, with over 1.4 million impressions and over 1,700 tweets. Towards the end of the event, participants began to request that we continue this conversation on Facebook. Five weeks later, the Latina Leadership Network has over 600 Latina women (and some men) actively sharing resources, information and discussion on personal and professional leadership -- demonstrating the need for aspiring, emerging and established leaders to connect and dialogue around issues of leadership.
The Need for Innovative Leadership Development Programs for Latinas
There is an abundance of leadership training programs out there, but most do not address the sociocultural realities of today's emerging Latina leaders. Beyond teaching skills, Latina-focused leadership programs need to integrate curriculum that offer insight and strategic solutions to the experiences that professional Latinas face in the workplace.

Another limitation of current leadership programs is the lack of reliance on research. We know very little about the experiences of Latinas as professionals and leaders. Ongoing state-of-the art research studies can help identify the best approaches to leadership training and curriculum development for this population.

Furthermore, Latina leadership programs anchored on a multi-layered theoretical framework of leadership -- addressing the sociocultural, personal and organizational elements that impact both personal and professional leadership -- will prove to be most effective.

Overall, current disparities in Latina leadership roles can be addressed by engaging career-bound and professional Latinas in leadership training programs that are innovative, data-driven and holistic. Combined with full access to influential networks of peers and Latina leaders, these training experiences can promote the number of Latina women sitting at boardroom table.

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The Need for an Innovative Approach to Latina Leadership Training

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Latinas are uniquely positioned to become the next cadre of powerful leaders in this country. Forbes' recent cover article: The Next Media Jackpot: The $1 Trillion Hispanic Market, featuring Sofia Vergara as television's best paid actress, sheds light into the increasing influence of Latinas as individuals and as a consumer market.

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Latina women don't have to be held back by their culture - they can use it to their advantage.

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1. Marketing/Advertising: With an increasing amount of advertisers and publications catering to Latino consumers, there's become a demand for Latinos (preferably bilingual) to fill these positions. According to the Association of National Advertisers, 88 percent of US marketers say they are targeting Hispanic consumers via digital media.

Median annual pay: $108, 260

2. Nursing: Barely 5 percent of registered nurses are Latino, not nearly enough to cater to the growing Latino population in the US. If you love helping people, this career is for you. Nursing continues to see some of the highest job growth than any other profession.

Median annual pay: $75,000

3. Human Resources Specialists : By 2020, Latinos are expected to make up 19 percent of the US workforce. More and more companies are hiring bilingual recruiters and HR specialists to help find qualified Latino candidates for businesses.

Median annual pay: $53,000

4. Pharmaceuticals : Cited as one of the top careers for women in 2012, this profession is in demand for Latinos due to language barriers as well. If you're bilingual, it's essential in aiding patients on taking medication or even selling products for pharmaceutical companies.

Median annual pay: $111,000

5. Construction Managers and Supervisors: Latinos make up a large part of the construction field, so supervisors who can relate to the workers are in higher demand. Women may be a minority in this field, but studies have shown that the number of women in manual labor continue to grow, and more and more companies are looking to hire women.

Median annual pay: $83,360

SOURCES: Bureau of Labor Statistics

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1. Marketing/Advertising: With an increasing amount of advertisers and publications catering to Latino consumers, there's become a demand for Latinos (preferably bilingual) to fill these positions. According to the Association of National Advertisers, 88 percent of US marketers say they are targeting Hispanic consumers via digital media. Median annual pay: $108, 260 2.

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                                                                                              References

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Campbell, N. (2013). Interviews with Hispanic women leaders: A sociological study. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press.
Gysbers, N. C., Heppner, M. J., & Johnston, J. A. (2014). Career counseling: Holism, diversity, and strengths (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA:          American Counseling Association.

Nagi, A. (2013, June 19). High paying jobs for latinas - Best jobs for hispanic women. Retrieved from http://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a4493/high-paying-jobs-for-latinas/

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Change the narrow definition of what it means to be a "successful" Latina

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Change the narrow definition of what it means to be a "successful" Latina

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"In a lot of cases our parents instill in us that traditional career paths are a guaranteed and safe way to get to success. But having lived in the US for most of my life, that was not my definition of what success is — this disconnect is challenging and disheartening at times. In the end, I’ve learned how to turn that into motivation."

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The first time I happened upon Denise Paredes was in an article by Darling Magazine that named her an entrepreneur to watch. The reason behind her nomination was the brand she started - Equal Uprise.

"Equal Uprise is a shop made up of hand-crafted objects for the modern dweller and accessories for everyday life," explains Paredes. "The name Equal Uprise is a sort of summary of my mission - to share the company's successes with the makers. I honor this mission by setting aside 10% of profits from sales and using that to fund business development projects for the artisans that craft each item in the shop."

The shop is full of aesthetically pleasing, artisanal products that seem to be made for bookmarking on Instagram. But beyond the branding of Equal Uprise sits a woman whose life story I was able to dive into in an episode of my podcast, Creating Espacios. There we narrowed in on the particulars of having the right tribe around you and starting a business that is rooted in your passions, here we explored what led her to quit her corporate job and how playing into fear won't get you far.

For Paredes, her entrepreneurial journey began on Etsy and has developed into a profitable, social good business.

"I realized that I wanted to take my chances and start something where giving back was embedded in the work I was doing," says Paredes. "I stumbled upon beautiful hand-crafted products from Ecuador (where I'm from) on Etsy and I was immediately intrigued. I started researching the towns, people and cultures where the goods were produced and became fascinated by the products themselves as well as the production methods they used. Very quickly I knew that this is what I wanted to do - help sustain small time artisans using responsible production methods while still turning out a high quality product."

Below she shares how her Latinidad has impacted her entrepreneurial endeavors, what her highest moment has been and what she considers her best lesson learned.
Vivian Nunez: What was the ultimate push to quit your corporate job and pursue Equal Uprise?
Denise Paredes: I definitely feel that taking that final plunge is the scariest thing about the whole process. The anticipation and anxieties of the unknown can really threaten your ability to see how capable you are of accomplishing your goals. In the end it comes down to whether or not you're ready to face your fears, to get vulnerable and learn a shit ton .
Nunez: What's been your biggest milestone with Equal Uprise?
Paredes: Definitely having enough capital to fund business development projects for the artisans. This is what I set out to do in the first place and the final piece of the puzzle for the Equal Uprise business cycle. Having conversations with each artisan about their businesses' needs and goals for the future is incredibly fulfilling, because I know that our collective efforts are making it happen.
Nunez: Did you ever negotiate with yourself before you took the jump? A "maybe I'll wait one more month until I'm 100% ready" internal dialogue?
Paredes: Yes, absolutely! For me that moment came when I realized Equal Uprise's Co-Founder, Ashton Eguchi was not going to be able to continue to be a part of it. She's got an extremely successful career of her own and the timing was off, for me it was very scary at the time. I definitely doubted myself and my abilities (something I still do from time to time), I wondered if I could do it on my own. Moving forward with Equal Uprise wasn't easy but the thought of backing out at that point felt like self imposed defeat, in the end that's just not me.
Nunez: What's been the most difficult part about being a Latina social entrepreneur?
Paredes: Changing the narrow definition of what it means to be a 'successful Latina'. In a lot of cases our parents instill in us that traditional career paths are a guaranteed and safe way to get to success. But having lived in the US for most of my life, that was not my definition of what success is - this disconnect is challenging and disheartening at times. In the end, I've learned how to turn that into motivation.

I take a look around and see other people thriving in the same career path I've taken and I know that I'm just as capable of achieving the same, because all that really counts is how hard you work and how determined you are. My mindset shift doesn't make the pressure of proving yourself to your family go away and at times that pressure can feel extremely heavy, but when this happens the most important thing for me is to allow myself time to process my feelings. I remind myself that it's normal to have stronger feelings of doubt when the pressure is high. Allowing this process of acknowledging your feeling is the only way to not let that pressure consume you. The quicker I acknowledge my feelings and allow myself to process it, the quicker I can get back to working towards being what I think is successful.
Nunez: What's your personal manifesto and how does the work you do align with it?
Paredes: Anne Lappe said it best - "Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want." This quote is deeply embedded in the work I do. Equal Uprise offers consumers a choice to support ethical and conscious products that help sustain rural communities. It's also how I spend my money. Connecting with the story or mission behind a product changes the way you see them. It also forces you to slow down and think your purchases through. I take deep pride in the companies I choose to support - I champion them and tell everyone I know about them. This is how I express my approval of what consumerism should look like.
Nunez: What's one thing you wish you'd known before jumping into the entrepreneurship world?
Paredes: That your network is one of your biggest assets and they're here to support you! I do a lot of research and try to get things perfect before I reach out for help. What I've realized is that trying to achieve perfection is time consuming and counterproductive . There are many mistakes that can be caught early on if you have the support/mentorship of someone familiar with whatever it is you're working on. As a one-woman band you have to wear every single hat required to run a company, which means that having a diversified network is key.

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This Latina Founder Explains How Giving Into Fear Can Be Self-Imposed Defeat

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The first time I happened upon Denise Paredes was in an article by Darling Magazine that named her an entrepreneur to watch. The reason behind her nomination was the brand she started - Equal Uprise. "Equal Uprise is a shop made up of hand-crafted objects for the modern dweller and accessories for everyday life," explains Paredes.