From the youngest elected mayor to CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Fidel Vargas is dedicated to educational access and community empowerment. As a former recipient of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund turned CEO of the HSF, Fidel's tireless efforts have reshaped the landscape of scholarship programs and catalyzed opportunities for countless young Latino scholars nationwide. Through strategic advocacy and innovative programs, Fidel has built pathways to success for underrepresented communities and opportunities for younger generations. Today, Vargas continues to drive a new perception home: L ..read more

For Julie Chavez Rodriguez, becoming a dynamic leader in today’s America could be her destiny as the granddaughter of civil rights icon Cesar Chavez. From her roots in the farmworker movement, Julie has emerged as a pivotal member of President Biden’s re-election campaign and stands among one of the highest-ranking Latinas in the White House. It was her upbringing, Julie says, that instilled dedication and determination in her at an early age. As she navigates her current role in politics, Julie provides a glimpse into the strategic efforts to engage the Latino voter.  With an estimated 3 ..read more

When Carlos Huereca immigrated to El Paso at the age of 13, he had no choice but to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. His parents showed him how. It was at the dinner table where they often made tough decisions about their furniture business. Carlos had a front row seat to conversations about financial management and talent recruitment. It was during that time when he learned to heed the words his mother would repeat over and over: “Stay focused and committed.” He still treasures that early education and has used it to propel his career growth. First it was in sales at Dish Network. Then ..read more

For Marta Tellado, memories of the marketplace she used to frequent in Havana, Cuba aren’t just memories — they’re a living paradigm for a better world. They’re a model of an ecosystem where people help each other. And they’re a never-ending source of drive, passion, and perseverance to advocate for others today. From serving as a translator for the older generation, to being a champion for safety and transparency for consumers, to shaping policy in Washington DC while shaping minds with her no-holds-barred book, Marta is the epitome of advocacy in action. As the President and CEO of Consumer ..read more

Raquel González doesn’t play witness to the changing Latino narrative, she helps author it. With a career spanning decades at Bank of America, González is not only a leading example of what can be achieved through longevity and commitment to a revered financial institution, she actively invests in Latino entrepreneurs to help give them their own clear vision of success. As market president for Bank of America Silicon Valley and the Hispanic-Latino Strategy Executive for Consumer and Small Business, González focuses on high impact work—whether that’s lending to small business owners or inspirin ..read more

For Director Ángel Manuel Soto, Blue Beetle is for his younger self. As a kid growing up in Puerto Rico, Soto didn’t have the opportunity to see an Indiana Jones that looked like him—to see Latinos in heroic spaces of power on the big screen. Through Blue Beetle he set out to change that. His recent blockbuster not only highlights the truth that the Latino community is no monolith—and that it features everyday moments of superhero strength—it also shows how communities too often seen as ghettos are in fact full of rich, tight-knit relationships that span generations. Any young Angel Manuel Sot ..read more

“Latinos don’t play hockey.” It’s a phrase that Xavier Gutierrez has heard often since becoming the first Latino to lead an NHL team. As president and CEO of the Arizona Coyotes, Gutierrez sees the massive opportunity in welcoming Latinos to the hockey rink. It’s a vision he shares with friend and team owner Alex Meruelo, the first Latino owner in the NHL. With the Coyotes expanding its presence across Arizona, it’s the perfect place for Gutierrez to be. He leads with a passion for serving the Latino community, which makes up nearly one-third of the state’s population, because he knows firstha ..read more

The story of Siete Family Foods starts with a challenge: how to better manage an autoimmune disease through dietary transformation while staying connected to your culture. Miguel Garza watched his sister Veronica find a grain-free solution for tortillas by using almond flour, which she would then sell to family and friends in Laredo, Texas. Fresh out of law school and inspired by the entrepreneurial culture in Austin, Garza saw an opportunity to expand Veronica’s side hustle into a full-time business. Since 2015, Garza has led the family-owned company with the mission of catering to the Latino ..read more

For Orlando Bravo, the story always starts in Puerto Rico. Even today, as the billionaire founder and managing partner of private equity investment firm Thoma Bravo, he recognizes that where he came from will forever influence where he is.  Bravo attributes his meteoric rise in the early 2000s—when he made a name for himself in software acquisitions—to his upbringing in Puerto Rico. His unique journey instilled in him a confidence to think differently in the Wild West of Silicon Valley and to ultimately separate himself from other tech entrepreneurs. Bravo’s incredible success has since a ..read more

For most ten-year-olds, managing a grocery store would be daunting. For Teresa Barreira, it was a learning experience. Growing up in a small village where her parents ran three businesses, Barreira discovered what it meant to be entrepreneurial and scrappy. That background—in combination with an unflinching pride in her heritage—informs her today as a marketing and thought leader who sits as Global Chief Marketing Officer at Publicis Sapient. It also inspires her work with younger generations of Latinos who don’t see careers in marketing as viable options. Barreira knows that a diverse perspec ..read more