Career Cheat Code
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Career Cheat Code
064 | President & CEO of Latino Victory feat. Sindy Benavides
What if only 2% of elected officials represented 20% of the population? Join us as Sindy, President and CEO of Latino Victory, reveals her strategic efforts to bridge this significant representation gap. Discover how Latino Victory's unique structure, including its C3, C4, and super PAC components, is building a robust pipeline of Latino leaders. Sindy introduces us to the Afro Latinas Lead program, aiming to elect the first Afro Latina to Congress, and shares her own journey from shy student to a confident leader advocating for Latino empowerment.
Navigate the joys and hurdles of Latino leadership with Sindy, as she recounts her experiences meeting diverse Latino candidates and the satisfaction of elevating their voices. She candidly discusses the demanding aspects of her role, from extensive travel to combating social media negativity. Anchored in the historical context of Latino presence in America, Sindy emphasizes the importance of reclaiming our narrative and offers practical advice for aspiring leaders, particularly on the power of public speaking and resilience.
Witness how Sindy's personal story intertwines with her professional advocacy, from addressing worker rights during the pandemic to her unexpected path to public service. Learn about her transformative experiences, such as engaging with political figures at a young age and navigating salary negotiations as a nonprofit executive. As we conclude, Sindy highlights the importance of community support and continuous learning, encouraging listeners to follow Latino Victory's Path to Victory training program. Tune in and be inspired to join the mission of amplifying Latino political representation.
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Host - Radhy Miranda
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Producer - Gary Batista
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We have a lot of power, we influence a lot of people, and oftentimes we give nosotros mismos our power away, and something that I live by is that, with every decision that we make every single decision, whether it's to comerme un helado o no comerme un helado to a major, major decision that only you would know of, we're either choosing to walk towards love or we're walking to. We're choosing to walk towards fear, and some of the decisions when you walk towards love are really, really hard, but they are worth it in the long term, and so I always tell everyone to choose to walk towards love.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Career Tree Code. In this podcast, you'll hear how everyday people impact the world through their careers. Learn about their journey, career hacks and obstacles along the way. Whether you're already having the impact you want or are searching for it, this is the podcast for you. All right, cindy, welcome to the show.
Speaker 1:Thank you, happy to be here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thanks for taking the time to connect with us. I know you have a pretty hectic schedule, especially around this time of the year, so you know excited that you were able to take some time to talk to us today.
Speaker 1:Thank you, Radi. I will tell you, I still have the ojeras under my eyes. It's been that type of week and it's going to be like that until election day.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, absolutely. So let's dive right in, cindy. Let's tell the world what it is you do for a living.
Speaker 1:So I will tell you, rady, I feel that at times my title should be chief troublemaker in charge, and it's just, you know, like causing a lot of good trouble for our community, our beloved Latino community, and making sure that you know our civil rights are protected and you know, and that we are represented right Like representation really does matter. But truly, my title is president and CEO and I serve at Latino Victory, which mission is to increase Latino representation and grow the Latino community's political power.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's great. So what does that mean when you walk into the office on a Monday morning Like, what does your week look like, what does your day look like?
Speaker 1:Let me tell you, every day feels like a Monday because there's just so much going on, and you know, when you're serving in a president, ceo level, you're never off. Right, like your phone is never off. There's, no, not necessarily a time when the phone is on silence, because so many things could be happening. I will tell you, though, my boundary is when I go to church, so everyone is aware, like Cindy's in church, de esta hora, esta hora. She's not going to pick up her phone, but other than that, I could, you know, work as early as seven in the morning and work as late as two, three in the morning. It just depends on what's happening any particular day.
Speaker 2:So tell me something some more about the priorities, or like the ways that Latino Victory does this job, Like how do you all functionally help the Latino community?
Speaker 1:So with Latino Victory we are 10 years young and we were founded by Henry Munoz and Eva Longoria, so we have that celebrity star power and no, Henry has a long track record of working in democratic politics specifically. But we have the foundation, which is C3. And what that means is that we're completely nonpartisan. We have the Latino Victory Project, which is C4. And that's where we do a lot of our programmatic work and we'll probably dive into that in a little bit.
Speaker 1:And then we have a super PAC and what that means is that we have an independent expenditure side, which is where we have unlimited amount of investment. That happens in two particular candidates. And then we have a federal PAC and we do have amount limits there that we can give to federal candidates. We work directly with building that pipeline. Know, if there's any takeaway that folks can take away from listening at this moment is that in America there's 500,000 positions and of those 500,000 elected positions, Latinos occupy a little bit over 7,000, or a whopping 2%, and when you start thinking of Latino representation overall, we're 20% of the total US population. But when you look at elected official positions, we only represent 2%, and so what that means is that we have long ways to go and that we want to see more Latinos elected at the local, state and federal level.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's huge. State and federal level, wow, that's huge. And that's, you know, one of those kind of heartbreaking stats. But also give us hope, especially with the work that you all are doing to kind of help close that gap and to help make sure that you know that is not the case long term, right? So we're at 2% now. That means we have a lot of room to grow. So tell me, tell me more about some of the programmatic ways that you're doing it. You mentioned your C4, you mentioned the C3. So how are you all attacking it?
Speaker 1:So well, first I will take a state back, Radi, and say that in our community, and in most communities, it's not like our parents say oh hijo, hija, cuando ustedes crezcan, yo quiero que ustedes sean políticos. I don't think I've ever met anyone that has told me that, including myself, and I would tell you just, you know, we also have to look at how we perceive politics and how we perceive serving in politics. On the programmatic side, Ravi, you know, part of my job, you know, aside from that title of president, CEO and chief troublemaker, is really thinking strategically about where the gaps are. And so, to give you a sense, we just launched a program called Afro Latinas Lead, and although Afro Latinas is under the pack because our goal is to get the first Afro Latina elected to Congress we know that we already have three Afro Latinos who serve there Congressman Richie Torres, Congressman Adriano Espaillat and Congressman Maxwell Frost Congressman Adriano Espaillat and Congressman Maxwell Frost but no Afro-Latinas have served. And so part of that program is building that pipeline and what we found last year as we were convening roundtables with Afro-Latinas who had ran for office, Afro-Latinas who are serving in the media, Afro-Latinas who are involved in some way or are really interested in being part of the electoral process is that the data doesn't exist.
Speaker 1:And so you know, for so many of us Latinos, making sure that there's data is so important because you don't have anything to measure up against, so we can't say right now there are X number of Afro-Latinos who are serving in elected office. So we have to literally build that data. And why that's important is because it tells you just the massive gap that exists. You know, we do thankfully know that there's no Afro-Latinas in Congress. We're able to look at the 535 positions and know that clearly. But when you look across the 500,000 positions in America, we don't have that firm number Radi of who identifies as Afro-Latina. And I think you know, sometimes we also forget that you may not necessarily have a Latino surname, right, Like your name could be Cindy Williams, right, and you could very well identify as Latina and be Afro-Latina. And so for us there's a lot of work ahead, I would say.
Speaker 1:On the programmatic side, under the project we also have Path to Victory, and Path to Victory is where we actually train our candidates for free. We even provide scholarships. We want to make sure that our Latino community doesn't feel any obstacle or any barrier when they're thinking of running for office. And we already know, Ravi, that the biggest obstacle is raising money right, Like really tapping into those networks of asking our friends, our family, people that we know and people that may be complete strangers for donations to support the campaign. And so this is where we do a lot of that training around fundraising, around communication, around the compliance and legal side. We don't want any of our candidates to get into trouble, so we want to make sure they know the law and they know what they have to file and when they have to file it, and all of this depends on what state they're in.
Speaker 1:And so we're very, very strategic in that sense, Radi, in terms of really thinking of the long term and building that pipeline. And just to say that, you know, when we started Latino Victory 10 years ago, we were endorsing, on the PAC side, about 7 endorsements for Latino candidates. So that just tells you the opportunity exists. And also, you know, this is when you totally break down that myth that there are no qualified Latinos who can run for these positions, right, Like that is a complete myth that is circulating, and for us it's important to note that we have so many qualified Latinos that can run at the local, at the state, at the federal level. We've already seen someone like Julian Castro, who ran for president of the United States, and so we know that we are here and we can absolutely win some of these seats.
Speaker 2:That's absolutely, you know, amazing that y'all are doing this work, and I completely agree. I think there's just a lot of misconception and myths, you know, and I just think we have so much untapped talent and potential and just room to grow and to showcase that throughout the country and for the betterment of this country. Right clear on what a PAC and a super PAC are. Can you break that down a little bit more so we understand kind of what the power of those are, why those are created and what their mandate are?
Speaker 1:Sure, and so about 10 years ago, latino Victory, when it was formed, was formed because we saw that lack of Latino representation and positions. But as the PAC was being formed, it was a way for us to fundraise dollars from our community and be able to track it right. So we have, radi across the country, thousands of Latino donors, people who give to the campaign, any given campaign, and in this instance, this was, you know, like back when Obama was running right, and so what we wanted to do was really see that collective power of our community. And we're talking about individuals who give, you know, like hundreds of thousands of dollars. But those are not the only donors that exist, radhi. We have donors who give $25, and we have donors that can cut a check for $250, or can cut a check for $5,000, or can cut a check for $100,000, or can cut a check for an X amount, and so we classify them as donors and, through the PAC, what we do is that we receive that funding.
Speaker 1:We do have to abide by federal election rules and report who gives us that money. But on one side of the house we have the non-contribution side. It's unlimited amount. So if someone came to us and said, we want to write a check for $500,000, we're able to accept it. On the federal side, it cannot be more than $5,000. And so we are very conscientious of making sure we're always following those rules. And I will tell you that the money that's given to us on the federal side goes directly to candidates, so it goes to support our Latino candidates. So not only are we training them, ravi, but we're also making sure to contribute to the campaigns of our Latino candidates so that they're more successful.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's great. Can you tell me what's your favorite part of this job?
Speaker 1:Radi, I would say that I am blessed to serve. It's funny because I always get asked did you ever imagine yourself in this position? No, I did not. I never imagined myself serving in this position in this organization. In fact, radi, I am most comfortable behind the scenes, I'm most comfortable propelling and pushing a principal into the light and me just getting things done behind the scenes sin que nadie lo sepa. And so with you know, with serving at Latino Victory, I really do feel blessed because, although I've had a long political career and I know we're going to dive into that I never knew, radi, that I would be serving in this executive role representing a really large, significant organization in this country that's very close to the current president, the current vice president Biden and Vice President Harris in the White House, right Like I never knew that this was going to be part of my journey.
Speaker 1:But I am so excited because the issue of representation is one that I have worked on since the very beginning of my career, and to be able to meet Latino candidates, whether it's in California or Washington State or Texas or Arizona, or like Michigan and Ohio or Virginia or Florida or New York, is absolutely amazing, radian. I tell you, I get goosebumps because in the process of getting to know our candidates, we get to know their journeys and their stories and there's so much that connects us and there's so much inspiration out there in nuestra propia comunidad. And I feel that if we learn more of each other and I know this is what you do in your podcast, ravi I feel like we would be more inspired, more filled with a sense of pride of who we are and who our community is and, I think, more filled with a sense of urgency in terms of our purpose in this life.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, because the Latino community is so diverse, right. We have different backgrounds, different upbringings. If you know one Latino, you know one Latino. If you know one Dominican, you know one Dominican. Like we have, you know so many different backgrounds and so many different walks of life, but we all, just like any other group of people, have so much to contribute, right, and so much to bring to this country to further its promise and its mission. Um, and all of the things that you know, we, as the United States, take pride in, right? So you told me some of your favorite parts of this role. What are the most challenging parts of this role?
Speaker 1:I would tell you, rady, that some of the most challenging parts is that you know when something needs to get done, it's going to get done, and it doesn't matter if you're running on 30-minute nap to make sure it gets done in a 24-hour cycle. And I would also say that there's a lot of travel involved, right, and I'm blessed to be able to travel a lot and to be able to be in different locations across the country. But it also takes a toll on you, right, like especially if you have to take a red eye or you're literally running from an event. And, yes, I have been that person that has, like, changed in the airport to go to a meeting because there was like no time in between to check in my maleta at the hotel. I had to just bite the bullet and go straight. And I would also say, radhi, that you know, just as I meet really wonderful people, we're living in an era where we have technology and where we have social media and where we often see trolls as well on social media presence. You know, like just saying really disruptive, negative, racist remarks and you get to see a little bit of like the ugly part.
Speaker 1:I would also say, radi, that you know, part of our work is making sure that all of the communities, not only the Latino community, have the facts right.
Speaker 1:In an era of disinformation and misinformation, where you don't know anymore what's true, what's like, our own community doesn't get confused right, and certainly what we've seen, ravi, in the last several years is a narrative to try to divide nuestra comunidad, a narrative that also pits one ethnic community against another, a narrative that even within our own community, it plays to racism and colorism.
Speaker 1:And so for us, it's really making sure, radi, that we continue to be spokespeople, but also that we continue to elevate our own positive narrative of Latinos in America. And what people forget is that before America was America, the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty happened, which annexed a significant portion of this country that included California and Colorado and Texas, and that our community was already there, so literally the border crossed us. But we live in a country where Latinos are made to feel like we're a guest and not part of this country. And that's where we have to take the narrative back, ravi, and stand up and know our own history and make sure that anytime we walk into a room although we're made to feel less that we walk with our head high and understand who we come from, whose we are and our own history, right All that we contribute to this country to make it what it is today.
Speaker 2:I love that line that you know we're made to feel like guests in this country, when that is not the case, Right? And no one group has more ownership than others in this, and if anything, it would be the Native Americans, right? Not the folks that are actually perpetuating some of these thoughts. So I appreciate that. I think that was really insightful. So, you know, we'd love to hear a little bit about how does one become the president of this type of organization, cindy, like, how do you, what do you have to do in your career to actually, you know, get to a point where you are, like, helping to serve in this type of position where you support Latinos throughout the country?
Speaker 1:So I would start it off with the one, two trees and then I'll dive into my story, because this, this definitely, definitely, was not part of what I was thinking when it came to my career. But I would say, you know, if you're an introvert and by all means I am an introvert, which means I'm going to be super exhausted after this interview is that I had to learn how to do public speaking, and anytime Radi that I am giving a major speech at a conference or doing public speaking, it does take a toll on me, only because I can tell you I prefer to be on a hammock with a book with no one around me. But I have had to learn to be an extrovert for my job and specifically to learn how to do public speaking, and the biggest advice that I can give you is that I know it's uncomfortable and you can get nervous, but you know how I was able to overcome. It was with practice, along the way I was able to hire a speech coach who was able to tell me, like okay, cindy, this is what you're doing wrong. This is how you need to change your tone, and something that I do once in a while already, especially when it's, you know, a long day, I don't have a lot of energy, but I have to make sure that I come across and that my message comes across is one I'll do a prayer first and ask God that he guides my words so that I may change people's hearts, and second I'll do a superwoman stance in the bathroom, right, and that's just to kind of like just shift my energy around and remember that I'm a superwoman because of my ancestors and the people that have paved the way for me, and so remembering who stands with you, remembering your own journey, remembering all the people who have made it possible to get to this specific moment, actually really helps to clear my thinking.
Speaker 1:I would say the second thing, radi, is that we have to be able to jump at the opportunity, and a lot of times people will ask us whether it's like hey, cindy, could you cover this meeting? And maybe you know you're only given like a few minutes notice, right, and you're like, oh shoot, I'm not prepared. And you're like, try to figure out what to do minutes before going into a major meeting. But I think being able to be nimble and being able to jump at an opportunity, even if you're not an expert in it can be a learning lesson, and it's okay to say you know, listen, I'm not an expert in this field. I'm going to listen and I will provide input as needed. I think that's completely okay, because has helped me be successful is being completely authentic. And so you know, when you talk to me, I will always give it to you straight. I don't beat around the bush. I will tell you if I have an agenda. Typically I don't, typically it's, I just want to get this done and this is why, and so people have come to really appreciate that style of leading.
Speaker 1:And I would say that, you know, read a lot of books and take a lot of courses, and for me, what really helped me, ravi and I never knew that I was being prepared for this role again is that a lot of people that were around me saw something in me that I could not see, and so they said Cindy, you should, you know, do the National Hispana Leadership Institute when I was 24 years old. I got into it at the age of 25, which is why they had to do actually a vote for me to get in, because I was too young to do the program, but I was able to get in because the board voted to get me in, and through that program, radhi, I was able to go to Harvard and get my certificate in executive nonprofit management program, although I was serving in government. I was able to go to the Center for Creative Leadership at the age of 25. This is where Fortune 500 CEOs go to get their training. I was able to understand how I make decisions right, and a lot of times for me to make a decision I have to kind of look at everything that's going around, that's around me, which for some people it may appear as being indecisive, but truly what it means is that I'm pragmatic, right, I have to have like the 10 different things that I think could happen before I say like, okay, this could be number one or two, and so I've learned to be able to communicate that to the people that work with me so they understand my leadership style.
Speaker 1:But I will tell you, rady, that I never thought again that I would be serving in a president and CEO position, and part of it was, you know, in my first role leading as CEO of LULAC and LULAC is the oldest and largest national Latino civil rights organization in the country. I was actually the immigration and civic engagement director for several years and then I was promoted to be the chief operation officer. I was asked several times, when the CEO stepped down, radi, if I would consider being the CEO, and I said no. I said no multiple times. And I said no because at that time I was a mother of a one and a three-year-old and I understood the sacrifice that it would take. But on the very last day to apply for that position, which was April 30th, a Sunday, my husband asked me at that time if I would regret not applying.
Speaker 1:And then we went to church and at church the pastor talked about sacrifice and being uncomfortable, and so, before the mass ended, we got in the car. Before the mass ended, we got in the car, I called Lenny Gonzalez and Tony Tijerino, who leads a major national organization, and said hey, today's the last day to apply. I just made up my mind, could you do a letter of recommendation for me in the next two hours? And they did. Going through three rounds of interviews, I was selected to lead LULAC as the first Latina in 90 years to ever lead the organization. And not only was I the first Latina, but the first immigrant. And when you looked at all the national legacy organizations, whether it was the NAACP or Unidos or the National Urban League. I was by far the youngest leader serving at LULAC.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's amazing. And it's interesting because you spoke earlier about being ready and just showing up in the moment and just taking the chance to just show up to the meeting, right, and here you were being asked to do something and you felt like the sacrifice wasn't worth the reward until you actually then sat and, you know, as you said, went to church and thought about it a little more, reflected on it a little more, but then ultimately made the decision and then had people that were so supportive to turn letters of recommendation around. And you know, and I know some of the folks that you mentioned, they're like remarkable humans, right, that would just turn around on a Sunday and say sure, we'll give you a letter of recommendation because we believe in what you're doing and the power of what you're doing. So, you know, I'd really appreciate you sharing that.
Speaker 2:I definitely have some follow-up questions on some of what you mentioned there. One, we definitely need to see your superwoman pose, because that's important and we need other people to like take that as part of their, as part of their journey. Two, you know you, you mentioned being in really high stakes meetings, right, and like being ready to just show up. We'd love to just understand a little bit more about that, like, like, who these you traveling to within the United States and why? Right, I imagine some of it may be to connect with candidates that are thinking about running or that are going to run, but there may be a broader breadth of reasons there and I just want people to understand kind of what comes with this type of role.
Speaker 1:Sure. So I would tell you, on the superwoman pose, simply like putting your arms at your waist and then, like I always look up for some reason, that's how I do it, but you can have it any other way. And and then I would say, in terms of meetings, radi, I really have been blessed to meet with leaders at all levels, and that includes individuals who may, according to our own societal standards, may not have papelito that says they have a master's or a BA or a PhD, but they are so professional and so prepared and just have that experience of life and knowledge and wisdom to pass on. And you know, one of those examples was during the pandemic, if everyone remembers, you know, walking into a grocery store and you would see that the poultry and meat section were completely, completely gone right, like there was like no meat or poultry no había pollo ni carne in that freezer. And part of what was happening, radi, is that within the meatpacking plant, a lot of the workers were getting sick. And they were getting sick because you know, if you can imagine, there's 600 to 900 workers that work in a meat packing plant per shift, literally working shoulder to shoulder, so there's like no six feet distancing. And when the pandemic broke, we got one of the first calls, and the call was from a woman letting us know that she was afraid, that she was walking into work and putting her life on the line, and so we stepped into action.
Speaker 1:At that time, ravi, and started contacting the CEOs of all these meat. Were able to connect with the workers directly was the most insightful meeting that we could have ever had, because this is what we learned. We learned that the workers had to travel 45 minutes to more than an hour to see a doctor each way and that they necessarily wouldn't get a doctor's visit because the doctor may be busy. We learned that their children were being sent away at the daycare. The daycares didn't want to take care of their children, which meant that they had to stay home. And we also learned that many of them they didn't have sick leave. So if they got sick, you know they were not paid leave. So if they got sick, you know they were not paid. And so we were able to connect with a lot of the CEOs, ravi, and recommend to them that they have nurses and clinics on site so that if a worker got sick, they could just go to the clinic, get tested, see if it was COVID or if it was something else, and then they would immediately, you know, not infect or get others sick. The second thing was that they get paid sick leave right, like many of our community, unfortunately, work jobs that are minimum wage and or that they need to work to be able to pay for the very basics, like comida la casa. And so, you know, we were able to also negotiate that end. And then the last thing is that many of these companies were actually able to negotiate with local daycares and signed MOUs so that these daycares would never turn away the children of their workers.
Speaker 1:And so for me, radi, that meeting with our workers is probably one of the most meaningful meetings that I will ever have in my life, because we have to remember that nuestra comunidad tiene experiencia.
Speaker 1:They are impacted directly and they are able to voice directly what their needs and gaps are, without us, as leaders, assuming what they are, and so that, for me, is probably one of those memories that will be written in a book at some point.
Speaker 1:But I also get the pleasure of, you know, being in meetings with individuals who are in elected office, whether it be a US Senator or whether it be a member of Congress or maybe a mayor or a local elected official, and just really learn about what may be happening on the ground in a particular city or in a particular district or a particular state. And then I would say I've also been very blessed to be in meetings at the White House directly with the president. We just had a meeting a few months back with President Biden, and it was Mi Familia, vota Unidos, voto Latino, latino, victory in the room sitting with the president talking about the importance of policy issues that impact our community. And so I would tell you in the same breath, radhi, I am super blessed to be in this position, and every time I walk into our room I really do remember who I am and that the power of my voice and what I have to say is very important, because not everyone gets that opportunity.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and you just get to represent the Latino community in rooms that they're not in, right, and that is such a powerful position to be in and such an important position to be in and you know, just to be. I love the, the way you framed not just helping folks with getting to political power, but also like helping worker conditions right, like you're helping to support Americans and people that are living in America, throughout this country at different stages and at different phases of their lives, right. So it's just really important and impactful work and I just, you know, first of all, thank you, you know, and, second of all, I'm just in awe with all the work that you're able to do. So, you know, just, I continue to be fascinated by you, cindy.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I know you mentioned this earlier and you said you get this question or a version of this question, but is this what you always wanted to do for a living?
Speaker 1:Not really, radi. I, you know I did not know exactly what I wanted to do. My mom is a nurse. She was a nurse in Honduras and so serving comes naturally for my family, and we were definitely, I feel, like many Latino families where we have the kitchen door open para familiar desconocido, whoever needed help, they could always walk through that door.
Speaker 1:Pero, you know, when I was in high school, what really impacted me, radi, was and this is going to give you my age I was in high school when Columbine happened and President Clinton actually came to TC Williams High School in Alexandria, virginia, which is where I was studying and had a roundtable with students, and so I was one of the students in that roundtable and I just couldn't. I really couldn't put the dots together, radi, in terms of the policy implication I mean, I was como 17 años and what it meant for our community, but it really made me think of the role that government plays in our everyday life, and so I think part of that influenced me to study political science. And you know like studying political science for me was because I wanted to serve in some way and, you know, perhaps even serve in government, but I didn't know. I was literally going to go into government, and so you know that that's part of my trajectory. But I was very fortunate, radhi, that I was able to attend Virginia State University, which is a historical Black college, and at VSU really is where I had a big awakening, because we're not taught to be critical thinkers in school, we're not taught to challenge the books that we read, we're not taught to challenge the sources and the news that we get.
Speaker 1:And at Virginia State I had professors like Professor Baker and Dr Mike Michael who would ask me Cindy, why do you believe that? And goodness, ravi, like I would go down a spiral hole and just think about, like, why did I believe certain things? And I remember reading a book, believe certain things. And I remember reading a book called Dark Ghetto by Kenneth Clark that I had to read for Dr Michael's class, and really understanding that what is happening in our community really sometimes is imposed by the policies that we have and that you know, what we need to strive for is to make sure that, no matter what zip code our children and our community live in, that everyone has that access to opportunity. And I was able to see that firsthand when we moved from South Central Los Angeles to Alexandria, virginia, radi, and the opportunities that we had in Virginia were massive. But the people that we left behind in South Central Los Angeles didn't have those opportunities, and so they were not able to have access to the paths that we were able to take and by we I mean my three brothers and I and so that really left a mark for me.
Speaker 1:But then I really got involved because there was a gentleman named Kerry who was running for president and I got volunteered. I was that person at an event, signing in people and licking envelopes and writing postcards, and became such a wonderful volunteer that when a gentleman named Tim Cain ran for governor in Virginia, the community leaders actually put my name forward so I would be interviewed. And so I remember the day that changed my entire life was going into this campaign headquarters in McLean, virginia, interviewing with Bruce Sinclair, who was the regional director, and I was in an interview and I was basically telling them what they needed to do. And hasta el dia de ahora, radi, I cannot remember what in the world I said in more than an hour because I was only 22.
Speaker 1:But I remember walking out, I was getting into my little hooptie and they asked me if I would be the statewide Latino director for the campaign and my response to them was if you're willing to train me, I'm willing to learn Again, seizing the opportunity. And they trained me and I learned a lot. And guess what he won? He became governor and when they were working on the transition team, they asked me to serve on the transition and then I was actually a political appointee at the age of 23, serving in a cabinet level position in the state of Virginia for a governor, and that's where my career started.
Speaker 2:Wow, I love that.
Speaker 2:And that's again you taking the initiative and having people around you that believe in you, right To kind of throw your hat in the ring for something that you maybe weren't necessarily all the way convinced made sense for you at the time.
Speaker 2:But then, when the questions and the conversations actually started, you're like yeah, I can do this. It may take some training and I may need some to fill some gaps, but I am mentally prepared to do this and I know I have the skills to do it. I just need to fine tune in some areas. So I love that you were just, you know, willing to go out there and now that has kind of led to this remarkable career right when like, if you said no at that time, who knows where your career would have gone through right, but you've stepped up at every challenge along the way and you're able to show up and now do work that impacts so many people's lives and so many families throughout the country. So you know, it's just remarkable to see how you, how you're able to position yourself and continue to do that.
Speaker 1:No, thank you, Radhi. And I would say also because I feel sometimes in nuestra comunidad, radhi, so many of us get a no. And right before that I had applied for a major fellowship and you know, keep in mind for undergrad. I graduated valedictorian, I had great notes, grades for my master's, and I was like there's no way that they're going to turn me down. Well, guess what this fellowship turned me down? And for me it was like the biggest failure. I was like what I can't believe, I don't understand. Goodness. If I can't make it, can you imagine other Latino students? But I think it was because there were other plans that Papi Dios had in the cart and had I gone to the fellowship, my political career would have been completely different. It would have taken me probably an additional 10 to 15 years to get to where I was when I was able to do it within one year.
Speaker 2:Tell me why. Why do you say that?
Speaker 1:Well, I say that because you know, if I had taken the fellowship route, it would have been, you know, like one year serving in Congress. You know, potentially getting other job positions, but because I served in the campaign and because, honestly, with a lot of hard work and by a lot of hard work what I mean is I wouldn't even stop and get a Starbucks coffee because I could use those 15 minutes to call people and or get volunteers or do X for the campaign, you know, making sure that that the candidate got over the finish line. I didn't realize at that time the access that I had to a governor Right, like and honestly like it doesn't sit in until you're like years later, like oh my God, cindy tenías 23 años, you were talking directly to a governor, like todas las semanas in some way, shape or form, and actually leading a lot of the policy impacting Latinos in an entire state at the age of 23.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's amazing. And you mentioned fellowships and you also mentioned, you know, going through the nonprofit of 23. Wow, that's amazing, and you mentioned fellowships and you also mentioned, you know, going through the nonprofit leadership program. What are other ways that you continue to sharpen your tool belt and like? Continue to either make yourself better professional or serve other organizations, like in other board capacities or advisory roles that you may do outside of your nine to five?
Speaker 1:Well, I will tell you I am an avid reader, so I read every single day and it doesn't matter. I told this to my best friend. I was like Maria, no importa si son diez minutos, just read, even if it's 10 minutes a day. Read something, whether it's in an application, maybe you're listening to something in Audible, but just make that time to grow and expand your own knowledge. And so I keep books all over my house ready, and for those of us who are parents, by the way our kids pick up our own, I would say, like what we reflect, so my kids also keep books near their beds and their little desk by the bed. On the bed they have libros por todas las partes, igual que la mamá, and they even take them with them in the car. And so just keep that in mind. If you're a parent as well, just you know the reflection and example that we have. I would say, radi, you know like there were so many programs that were impactful for me. By far NHLI was one of the most impactful ones because of the access to the Center for Creative Leadership and to Harvard's certificate training program. Into Harvard's certificate training program, but there's, you know, local universities actually have minority political leadership training programs or training on DEI or training on public speaking or training for women, and you would be surprised how accessible they can be.
Speaker 1:For a good part of my life, I applied to these programs and I also applied to their scholarships because I was earning not a high income. I couldn't afford paying for a $6,000 program and so many a times I would apply for the scholarship. And then I will tell you that something happened to me when I applied for NHLI. It was, I think it was like a $15,000 program and I told them I just could not pay it. And there was, to this day I don't know who, the $15,000 program. And I told them I just could not pay it. And there was, to this day I don't know who the person was, but an anonymous donor stepped in and paid my full tuition, and so you know whoever that anonymous donor is.
Speaker 1:I still get teary-eyed, radhi, because it was such an instrumental program for me. But I would say you know, like, look at your local universities or you know, if you're looking at a Harvard, look at what certificate programs they have that you can do online or you can do for a week. I would definitely talk to people around you and see you know what type of programs they've had. And then if you know specifically, like you already know, 100% public speaking is not your thing, then you already know what you need to focus on right, and I knew public speaking is not your thing. Then you already know what you need to focus on right, and I knew public speaking was not my thing because I was an introvert and that's what I focused on earlier on.
Speaker 2:That's great. So first, I love all of this. I really appreciate you sharing, you know, just tips around, just leveraging some of the community resources, some of the anchor institutions in your area, and just tips of like. Just you know, spend 10 minutes at least every day growing and making yourself better. You mentioned you you're an avid reader. Would love to hear one to three either books or other forms of media that you consume that have been helpful to you personally or professionally.
Speaker 1:So I will tell you, the most read book is the Bible. I'm actually currently in Bible classes, and so I am reading the Bible very intentionally with my pastor and learning a lot from it, and so that is a book that I actually keep right next to my bed. I also keep one in my book bag, which travels with me wherever I go, and I have it in both English and Spanish, because sometimes I read something in Spanish and I'm like Dios mio, que significa esto? Let me look at the English version of this, and anytime Radi that I'm stuck or that I need guidance, I'll turn to the Bible, actually to like look at the framing and the learnings and teachings from it. I will also say, on the personal side, a book that I've read it many times, and every time I read it I find different meanings in it is the Optimist by Paulo Coelho, and you know one thing that I always take away is the word Maktoub. It is written. So I, you know, like I, every time I have read the book, it has had different meanings for me, and so I feel that you know, if you haven't read it, I would strongly recommend it, and then I would say the one that I often give as gifts to other friends and colleagues is called the First 90 Days, and that's by Michael Watkins.
Speaker 1:And so the First 90 Days, radi, is what you should be doing, the first 90 days that you're serving in a position. Whatever the title may be right Thinking strategically, thinking who the different may be right, like thinking strategically thinking who's. You know who the different players are. What is your plan? Because oftentimes you know we go into positions and we're kind of like ready on day one but not really we don't have a plan. And so with the first 90 days, it kind of walks you through the planning that you need to be thinking before you join an organization or corporation and what you should be doing while you're in your first 90 days.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I love that. I definitely have read the Alchemist and the First 90 Days because it was written. It was recommended to me as I was about to start a new role. I was starting at the New York City Economic Development Corporation and I was just talking to different folks at different positions. They're like, oh, you're about to start.
Speaker 2:Great, this is what you should be doing. You should read this book and plan what your milestones are. How are you going to show that you've been a successful hire 90 days from now? How are you going to show that you're making progress towards your goals? How are you going to show that you're growing? So definitely, you know ditto and recommend all of that, and you know it's not, of course, the Bible. You can't go wrong. So so that's great. I love it. You mentioned earlier, you know, being in positions where you were applying for scholarships and other things because you weren't able you didn't have the salary at the time to be able to cover all this. Right Would be helpful to know, as a leader of this type of organization, how much money can people expect to potentially make in this, in this field?
Speaker 1:So you may not like this answer, but it truly depends, right. It depends if you're leading a nonprofit that's local or statewide or national. I can tell you, for national nonprofit organizations it depends on the budget of the organization, right? If you're like a $1 million nonprofit versus a $30 or $50 million nonprofit and the different roles that I've served, they've gone between $120 to $300K plus, and so it just really depends on the nonprofit. The other factor that where there may be, I would say, a variance, is if it's more than one nonprofit. In this case, I serve in a C3, a C4, and a super PAC. In the past I led a C3 and a C4, which meant that I had salaries from both entities. And so one big consejo that I would give, especially if you're thinking that serving an executive level position president, ceo, executive director is something that's in your path and your journey, you're considering it is to do your research, right. It also depends on where you live, again, the size of the nonprofit, and to really come up with a plan of where you want to land. And, by the way, with nonprofits, a lot of this is public records, so you're actually able to see exactly, you know, like, what folks are earning, how much money is going into operations. And then I would also say, especially as a Latina Radis, we need to learn how to negotiate our salaries and contracts, and in my case I had a contract in place that really helped provide that security that I was going to have this job over X number of years and there were a lot of clauses that protected me.
Speaker 1:But I would say, even in non-contracted positions, I remember that in one institution I was getting ready to come into Washington DC from Richmond, virginia, and the cost of living is a lot higher, right Like Richmond to Virginia, it's like twice as much.
Speaker 1:And so I remember the salary was okay and they told me so sorry, it ain't gonna happen, you're not getting more money. But what I was able to negotiate was free parking space, which is about $3,000. So I got my little parking space and then I also got an additional two weeks of vacation. And so you know, we also have to kind of be creative in how we negotiate, understanding that, okay, it may not be possible to get those additional thousands of dollars that we want, but we could negotiate other things, and that could be either, you know, like something as small as a parking space, to additional time off, to additional matching for your 401k. So just kind of be like strategic, be smarter than me, um, and really think through, like, what is it that you really want to help you have the lifestyle that you, that you need?
Speaker 2:That's great. I you know, I really appreciate that because I think a lot of times when we're negotiating, we really primarily focus on the amount of money we could make. But you know, I think it's important to think about. I've negotiated titles, right. I know folks that have also negotiated time off and I think that's genius and that's great. And then just thinking about things like okay, parking space, that is an expense and that is something that'll save you time, why not put that in the conversation? And, honestly, by the time you get to a negotiating phase, they want you to take the role. So at that point the worst that they can say is no, but they actually want you as a candidate. So you know, I think, if you, if you can articulate what your pain points are and what would make this type of role more convenient and more suitable to what you're looking for, for the most part employers are willing and are willing to try to meet you somewhere.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. And then what I would say also, radi, as an employer right, oftentimes, you know, doing the hire myself, we have a range of what we can pay and you know, like the person, the person knowing me, almost like la hermana, to the individual applying, I almost want to say like no digan que si a la primera vez? Like come back and say you know, could we, is there a wiggle room to get a little bit more, because typically employers actually have a range of what they're able to offer for a specific position, but you would be surprised how many folks take it at the first bite. And so you know, if you take anything away, is that insert? You know, like in some employment opportunities there may be that flexibility and range it may not exist, and then you're going to be like, okay, pues, no tienen más, aquí se queda. Pero in some instances there is a little bit of wiggle room.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. How big is Latino Victory now, 10 years later?
Speaker 1:So 10 years later, we're a team of seven and we work with a lot of consultants. So small and mighty team for all the work that we do. And you know, people are often surprised when I tell them the size of the team. But one thing that I would absolutely note and flag is that we have an amazing board of directors. Our chairman happens to be Luis Miranda and he is absolutely phenomenal. And we have other leaders on that board that you know. If I call, if I text, they are just always ready to serve and it is amazing. I feel absolutely blessed to work with the board of directors that I work with and absolutely blessed to work with a team of Latino Latina leaders who understand the mission that we have and work every single day along my side to make sure that we make it happen.
Speaker 2:That's great. So how can our listeners support Latino Victory?
Speaker 1:So you can support Latino Victory in many ways.
Speaker 1:First, if you've never been asked to run for office, but you've kind of thought like, oh, you know what, I think I could do a better job than this politician that's representing me, I'm asking you to run for office, right, like definitely think about it if it's crossed your mind.
Speaker 1:And if it hasn't crossed your mind, do your own research, right, and think like, maybe you could be that person that brings in that voice for our community, at whatever level it is that you would like to serve. And again, we have Path to Victory to be able to train Latino candidates, so you could always go to our website, latinovictoryorg, and find out more about the work that we do. Sign up for our mailers, be informed. We are heavy and thick in the middle of campaigning and on the Super PAC side, we are absolutely progressive, which means we are supporting Vice President Harris and we are really excited about what this election is going to look like. And just of thinking that in my lifetime, in my child's lifetime, we're going to have the first woman president of the United States, especially if Latinos turn out to vote, I think is something that I'm looking forward to.
Speaker 2:Cindy, is there anything else we have not discussed that the world should know about you?
Speaker 1:I would say, not necessarily about me, radi, but just really about our thinking and our frame of mind and understanding that we have a lot of power, we influence a lot of people, and oftentimes we give nosotros mismos our power away. And something that I live by is that with every decision that we make, every single decision, whether it's to a major, major decision that only you would know of, we're either choosing to walk towards love or we're choosing to walk towards fear, and some of the decisions when you walk towards love are really, really hard, but they are worth it in the long term, and so I always tell everyone to choose to walk towards love.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's amazing. Well, cindy, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Gracias a ti, ravi, y gracias también a nuestra comunidad, for all that you do.
Speaker 2:I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did and believe on the mission we're on, please like, rate and subscribe to this podcast on whatever platform you're using, and share this podcast with your friends and your networks. Make sure you follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn at Career Cheat Code and tell us people or careers you would like to see highlighted. See you next week with some more cheat codes. Peace.
