Career Cheat Code
Welcome to Career Cheat Code, a podcast that explores the stories of everyday people making an impact in the world through their careers and loving every minute of it. Whether you're already on your path or searching for your purpose, this podcast is for you.
Join us every Monday as we uncover the secrets behind successful careers and inspire you to make your own mark. Formerly known as Thank God It's Monday | TGIM, don't forget to subscribe for updates and share with your friends!
Career Cheat Code
065 | Corporate Philanthropy with Dayanna Torres
What happens when you combine resilience, cultural awareness, and a passion for economic equity? Dayanna Torres, Vice President at Ares Management Corporation, provides the answer by sharing her inspiring journey into corporate philanthropy. Dayanna explains how self-belief and perseverance have been the cornerstones of her career, from her initial dreams of broadcast journalism to her current role in transforming corporate giving. We delve deep into her responsibilities, from identifying the right nonprofit partners to co-designing initiatives that aim for systemic changes in economic equity across the US and Europe.
The episode takes a broader look at the philanthropy landscape, focusing on the organization's portfolio that was launched in 2021. Dayanna emphasizes the need to understand unique economic barriers and cultural contexts to create impactful, long-lasting solutions. She recounts her experiences working closely with communities, leveraging macro-level insights for fostering innovation while addressing the nuances of each community. The conversation showcases the importance of strategic investments in career preparation, reskilling, personal finance, and entrepreneurship, emphasizing that true change comes from more than just financial contributions.
Building strong partnerships and maintaining a balance between passion-driven careers and financial stability are key themes Dayanna discusses. From her educational background at Syracuse University to her initial role with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Dayanna's narrative is a testament to the power of networking, continuous learning, and diverse experiences. Her story underscores the importance of authenticity and patience in career growth, while also highlighting the value of giving back through mentorship and advisory roles. Join us for this enlightening episode and discover valuable insights that could transform your own career path.
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Host - Radhy Miranda
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Producer - Gary Batista
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Never doubt that it is possible and that you can make it happen. So that was something, I feel like, that was instilled in me by the people that I came across through the years, from elementary school having the good teachers, right counselors, to having the right mentors, to having the right feedback from my mom when I came home from school and was having good grades, or when I was struggling, or supporting me when there was an opportunity that came along and I needed that signature.
Speaker 1:So that belief in yourself is so important, of always taking the attitude of I'll figure it out, I'll make it happen. And as you said earlier, to something that I think is cultural. We don't always know how to ask for help or always think that we have to figure it out on our own, and sometimes we make it a lot more difficult on ourselves. But making sure that you're not the person, the first person, to tell yourself no, is really important.
Speaker 2:Welcome to Career Cheat 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, diana, welcome to the show.
Speaker 1:Thank you for having me, Ravi.
Speaker 2:Of course, really excited about this. Let's dive right in. Let's tell the world what it is you do for a living.
Speaker 1:I'm Diana Torres. I am a vice president at Aries Management Corporation. Aries is a leading global alternative investment manager and at the firm I am the senior program officer leading US and European grantmaking at the Aries Charitable Foundation.
Speaker 2:So what does that mean? So when you walk in on a Monday, right like, what does your job really entail? Like what are you looking for, what are you scheduling, what do you, what do your meetings look like, what is it? What does that actually from a functional standpoint look like?
Speaker 1:Well, I would say it's actually my dream job. For a few years now, I've dreamed of going into corporate philanthropy. So I work as part of a global firm that is an investment manager and I have the opportunity to leverage those resources to partner with local nonprofits across regions in US and Europe and European countries to provide the opportunity to address economic disparities in those local communities.
Speaker 1:A lot of that work consists of a lot of meetings, like many of, us virtual and in-person site visits with nonprofit organizations and getting to really understand the communities. But I also work very closely across the firm with leaders that serve as regional committee members and we liaise and partner to leverage the strategic advisory and expertise of our company to build capacity for our grants during the grant cycle and our projects and to inform on the direction of the foundation as well. So lots of meetings and lots of opportunity to ideate and develop concepts for projects and initiatives to address economic disparities, for projects and initiatives to address economic disparities, and our focus is we have three areas of focus in which we support nonprofit organizations, including career preparation and reskilling, encouraging entrepreneurship and also personal finance.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's great. So, really, finding organizations nonprofit organizations that are focused on these three pillars and your job is to go in and understand what it is they're doing, how they're addressing these issues and then figuring out if there's an opportunity for partnership and how you can provide them with the resources they need to do their work Is that right have a formal application where organizations submit, just get approved or declined.
Speaker 1:We actually vet and identify organizations that are doing great work already and determine the opportunity to add value to that organization, build capacity and provide the resources and the partnership to actually develop the project or an initiative that they haven't had the opportunity to do before because they don't have the funds or the right partner. So we look not to invest in existing programs but to actually work with subject matter experts like the local nonprofits or national nonprofits that are looking to address systemic changes, leveraging their experiencing, working with the communities, working with their clients, and we work together to co-design the partnership and the grants in order to really work towards effectively addressing systemic changes to addressing economic equity gaps.
Speaker 2:That makes a lot of sense and that's very similar to my role. Like at Rockefeller Foundation, we don't have a portal that you can just go in and apply for a grant for, but it's really the onus is on the program officers to go and find these organizations and and understand who's doing what and how that fits into your strategy, and then you know, partner with them and tool them like, provide the resources that they need to just, you know, continue to either do what they're doing at that level or scale it Right. How do, how do we continue to amplify the great work that a lot of these organizations are doing? So that's great. So tell me more about your portfolio. How, how broad is it Like? What are we talking about in terms of number of grantee partners and then also in terms of geography?
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's a great question. We were launched in 2021 and we are continuing to grow our portfolio and, as part of my role, I have the opportunity to identify ideas and solutions that organizations have that create a right fit for the portfolio, according to the regions that we're supporting and according to our mission to address economic inequities. As part of our mission is also to ensure that we are developing solutions and creating investment opportunities for these local nonprofits in the areas where we live and work. So we have different regions that I cover, including the West Coast, where our headquarters are, and Northeast and Midwest and European countries, but we also have offices and do business and it actually varies in terms of.
Speaker 1:Something that is really exciting to me is really understanding what are the issues on the ground and in the different communities, the different states, different locations, even the different countries, the culture is very different. So really having an understanding, hearing from organizations what are the biggest economic opportunity barriers that they're facing. For example, the majority of our portfolio is actually career preparation and reskilling, both in the US and Europe, and we're seeing a growing number of personal finance and entrepreneurship in the US and I'm looking to explore what does that look like also in the European countries? Does it exist? Is it an issue? Is it a thing yet? And trying to understand where we can add value in our grant making, really creating cultural relevance and also relevance in terms of what's happening in those markets and what is happening in terms of the experience of the communities that live there.
Speaker 2:Can you tell me what's your favorite part of your job?
Speaker 1:Oh well, I definitely love my job. As I said earlier, I feel really honored and proud that I have the opportunity to get to do work that creates impact and also allows me an opportunity to learn, really get to understand what organizations are working on and what the needs are, and to leverage the influence, position, power, expertise of colleagues across the firm to build that capacity for organizations not only writing a check but really working closely to understand the organizations better and then to step back and look at the work through our portfolio and the lens of systems change. So I think a big part of why I'm excited about the work is our approach of systemic changes. So it's changes.
Speaker 1:Instead of investing in solutions and seeding programs that are creating a bandaid, we seek to actually identify organizations that are well-positioned to really get creative and aim to move the needle, to really address the issues that are barriers for economic opportunity for people looking to achieve their careers or achieve economic mobility, get into the workforce for the first time or transition into a different industry, or those that are looking to really develop the skills in personal finance to not only educate themselves but their families, their communities, encouraging entrepreneurship, which we see it through a lens of economic development, where supporting an entrepreneur in launching a business, building a business and growing a business, it's not only contributing to their success, but also their community's economy and the opportunity to create jobs and hire other community members like themselves, and it can make a drastic impact. So the complexity of the work excites me. A partnership focus and addressing issues at a systems level is something that I've always been very passionate about, and getting the opportunity to leverage the resources of a firm like Ares it's definitely a dream.
Speaker 2:That's awesome and you know it's great because you know you've been a subject matter expert for a long time, right, like you've been working with communities for such a long time not only your entire career, but really coming from some of these communities that you're supporting. Right, and now you have an opportunity to connect some of the dots from this macro level, where you have a portfolio that is global and you can say, hey, I see some patterns. Or, hey, you all should connect with these organizations. I know you're in Europe, but there are some organizations here in the United States that are doing similar things and approaches and now we can make some connections. So, you know, can you talk a little bit about, kind of what having that macro view and that global approach in your portfolio provides you the capability to just, you know, connect some dots for folks?
Speaker 1:That is a very fascinating question, because I grew up in one of the most underserved congressional districts in the United States, a place called the Bronx in New York, and spent most of my career working across different systems in New York City public housing to economic development, to higher education and working directly with community members, not only looking to navigate the different economic systems but also looking to leverage resources, and got closely involved with having an understanding about the systems and how they work and the economic investments that exist and the silos that exist, oftentimes across public-private sectors.
Speaker 1:And I also had the opportunity to work closely with people directly that were either launching or managing businesses or pursuing college as a first generation student kids of immigrants, navigating poverty and economic barriers.
Speaker 1:So, from directly working with people and understanding what's happening in the home and their families and their communities, from also stepping back and having worked in different systems, it allows me now to bring that lens but also bring the nuance of understanding that not every community is the same. So I have the passion and I'm very eager to have an understanding at a micro level of what's really happening in those communities and not assuming that what I experienced and the systems that I've navigated and worked in will be the same in the Northeast as they would be in the West Coast, midwest or in different countries in Europe. So it allows me to bring my expertise but also be nimble, to learn and listen and have the opportunity to connect the dots and say, hey, what if this would work here? Or, you know, we tried this in this market and it didn't work. Let's see if we can identify other connections or opportunities to provide ideas for solutions, but always recognizing that we're not a monolith, we're global scope, so there's always that opportunity to grow and to be innovative.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and you've always, you know, been good at working across sectors, right, and being able to like, make sure that social sector, private sector and public sectors are all at the table to solve these big, complex issues right. So, which is one of the things that makes you, I'm sure, really good at your role aside from your own background and what you mentioned right, but like, you really have worked in this space of just connecting dots in a way that is just fascinating, you know, can you share a little bit about, maybe not necessarily just in this role, but just generally, like what are some of the challenges that come with this type of role?
Speaker 1:Wow. Well, I think the first thing that comes to mind is that the people closer to the problem are closest to the solution. So something that I've learned along the way is how important it is to convene and engage peoples across different experiences, especially people that you're looking to impact, and they're oftentimes not invited to the ideation table or involved in the decision making. So oftentimes, organizations and institutions are looking to address similar issues or an aspect of those issues, and are not often communicating or convening or coming together to do that. So something that I've learned throughout my career and I sort of fell into, was partnership development and the power of partnerships and the power of developing the trust, and that can take a lot of time. So a lot of this work takes time.
Speaker 1:So being able to be patient, being able to identify the right players and the people that are in it for the long haul is really critical, and people that are open to change as well, not to say you know, we always do this the same way. This is how it's going to continue, but really coming to the table with fresh ideas or the open-mindedness of we can actually make an impact, and I do believe that the resources are there, the information is there. We have to all come together to better leverage them. So I think one of the challenging aspects for me is that a lot of these issues and barriers have solutions, but they're not moving. The solutions aren't moving as quickly as they should and as they could, so making sure that we are committed to doing that is really important in order for us to be able to see the impact that we want in this generation and for future generations. I feel like there's no excuse or reason why we can't move the needle.
Speaker 2:That's awesome, diana. You said this is your dream job. Tell me more about how does one get into this type of role and what made this be your dream job, like, at what point did that come about?
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, it's very interesting you say that, because earlier you said something around me connecting the dots. I think there comes a point in our lives that some people know exactly what they want to do when they grow up. Other people navigate and explore and sort of kind of find themselves in that journey. I would say I thought I wanted to do one thing and then I analyzed why I wanted to do what I wanted to do. Growing up I actually wanted to be an anchor on Univision or Spanish News channel, because I grew up seeing the role models of people really speaking on our behalf, advocating, sharing the news and really also promoting opportunity information resources.
Speaker 1:Through the years I realized I cared to be a representative of underrepresented communities no cliche or pun intended and I realized the importance of making the connection. So all of my career has been around navigating systems and leveraging partnerships, managing partnerships, developing partnerships, identifying the right organizations and, as you mentioned earlier, not only in one sector but across sectors, within an institution, across teams. So I always found the value of that and corporate philanthropy was probably one page in my public relations campaign book in grad school. I was like, oh wow, I thought I wanted to go into corporate at a certain stage. But I also knew I wanted to make a difference and make an impact and leverage resources the concept of giving back to a community that has given me so much.
Speaker 1:I felt like I've been able to leverage so many resources, growing up where I grew up and having the limited access that I had and, you know, getting where I've gone.
Speaker 1:I haven't done it alone.
Speaker 1:So I found myself realizing that throughout my career I could adapt that attitude and aspect and lens of I can be a source for good and a person that will be not only advocating for the impact that I want to see, but also like aiming to do the drastic changes at a systems level by bringing people together to work together.
Speaker 1:And an exciting part about it is also I grew up with limited access to financial resources, so being able to have the opportunity to and earlier in my career to, work for the city of New York and then incorporate is leveraging those resources, not only capital but the people and the networks to make that difference. So that's sort of how my career was shaped. I also was focused in public affairs and public communications work so in my graduate program. So I always envisioned having diverse experience, but also expanding from where I grew up to other parts of the experience I've had through the years across different systems and really also incorporate my passion for understanding different cultures and different systems and policies that exist across these systems to really have a better understanding of how I can be that agent of change.
Speaker 2:That makes a lot of sense. Where did you end up going to undergrad and grad school? And you know, I do appreciate you walking us through how you arrive at this point, right, because I think a lot of times we could have a sense of where we're going. We don't know how all the pieces fit together. Right, like you said, corporate philanthropy is one page in the thesis, right, but like it doesn't mean that you had it fully fleshed out, but you just saw that as one of the levers that was important to the puzzle and a way that you could contribute to that, right? So, like, tell me more about what you went, where'd you go to school? And like, did you get what you wanted out of grad school as well?
Speaker 1:So I went to undergrad in Syracuse University and I actually did a couple of internships while as an undergrad in corporate and nonprofit and NGO from New York to Washington DC and I decided to go to grad school and I pursued a dual degree in Syracuse University as well, in the Maxwell School of Public Affairs and the Public Communication School, the Newhouse School. At the time I didn't have it all resolved in terms of what I wanted to do. I always have a passion for learning and also taking advantage of any opportunity I could get. So I applied, took the test and got into grad school and, as the first generation in my family to graduate college and then to pursue graduate program, I saw value in that, in learning and also advancing in my education. As I figured it out, I always and I would recommend for anyone to really take advantage of networking and connections and curiosity to apply to internships, to take the job, even if it doesn't pay that well at first, so that you can start sort of navigating and understanding how things work and organizations work and the sectors that you might want to get into, because sometimes you have an idea of what you want to do but until you're there you only have what you think the experience could be. So something that I did was always have what you think the experience could be.
Speaker 1:So something that I did was always, I remember, taking advantage of unpaid internships and taking paid internships and sort of marrying the experience to explore, you know, different experience in terms of experience and roles, but also being able to afford. I think when you come from a background, low income background, you can always afford an unpaid internship but you can always complement it with something else that can help you pay those bills. So that's something that I did throughout my graduate program trying to figure it out, and always had lots of meetings, conversations, reaching out to people, reaching out to alumni, professors, people in my network that I admired or that I was curious about their work or sector, as I figured out what I wanted to do. And I will say that when I graduated I came in our generation actually like there was a lot of twists and turns and rollercoaster of our economy, so the economy was pretty bad when I graduated.
Speaker 1:So I dreamed of hey, you go to college, you'll land the first job and you'll make really good money and you have great benefits. That wasn't necessarily the case for me. I came back with a passion to sort of, you know, show my family that I'm doing well but at the same time to leverage my experiences and bring it back to the community. So my first job out of graduate school, I actually got out of Craigslist. So I've had like six internships before that and I didn't reach out. So I didn't reach out to those internships and say, hey, I'm looking for work now. I sort of tried to do it on my own. So I would say another recommendation don't try to figure out on your own. There's always people willing to help, and employers and professors and your networks and your schools and your colleagues and friends. All that to say all of my from my first experiences, my internships, and then the experiences after. They weren't all disconnected. They all had a reason. So I followed my passion.
Speaker 1:So I took an opportunity to work in the community as a recruiter for Big Brothers, big Sisters. Mentoring was a big part of my life and my upbringing and I think it made a big impact for me in terms of developing confidence and opening my eyes to what was out there for my future. So my first job was something connected to my identity and what I believed in. It was an incredibly fulfilling role, but it was also a challenging role. It was my first opportunity to develop partnerships for an organization called Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens and my role was a recruiter for Big Brothers Big Sisters focused on a program, a grant that the organization had received to support families impacted by the justice system. So I spent my first year out of grad school going out of jails and prisons and local reentry programs to connect those families to Catholic charity resources and to Big Brothers Big Sisters programs for young children.
Speaker 1:Did I ever plan to do that when I was going to school? Not at all, but I sort of fell into it and it allowed me to department called Economic Empowerment and Sustainability where I worked across New York City. So New York City has been my training ground. Public housing was my training ground and working with local nonprofit organizations serving public housing residents or that were interested in serving public housing residents to provide them with the economic opportunity programs like entrepreneurship programs, access to college, access to jobs, access to tax services, variety of financial empowerment, et cetera. And during that time I still wanted to do corporate philanthropy, but that was a while ago. It was around maybe 10 plus years ago, where we're in a lot of people that looked like us in the space. So it wasn't that I sort of like gave up and didn't think it was going to happen, but I was really aware that it didn't just. There weren't just a list of many jobs in corporate philanthropy that I could just apply and get in.
Speaker 1:I ended up in a temporary role at a large company that I admired in terms of the corporate philanthropy work that they did and before my contract ended I asked one of the managers that I supported what do you recommend for me to get into this work? And they said go back into the community and get more community experience. So I went back into the community and continued doing community work, from going into directly working with college students to working in economic development and community investments to working with small businesses during the pandemic. So all of that led me and that feedback and not giving up on that vision led me to where I am now, where the experience is that I've had has put me in a unique position that many people might not have, because it's the diversity of organizations that I've worked with, sectors that I've worked with, that are all part of the systems that I'm looking to tackle and work closely with partners to navigate and address, to create that systems change and economic equity.
Speaker 2:That's great, you know. And you dropped a couple of good gems and career cheat codes there. Right, like going and thinking about your if you're in college. Like there are opportunities for paid internships and for unpaid internships. I also took advantage of that, right. So, like I worked at the cafeteria, did some catering, all of that and that never even made it to my resume. But I was also doing unpaid internships at the local baseball team doing their marketing communications right. I was also doing internships at the local Make-A-Wish Foundation right, because I knew at some point I wanted to be in that like nonprofit social sector world. I was also making sure that my work study hours were towards something that I could put on my resume right, so I was supporting a local nonprofit local nonprofits every year right, like doing that. So, like the local community centers.
Speaker 2:There were like two different, two different portions of that, but, like, I love the approach of thinking about that as a cheat code, because I also forgot that that was something that I intentionally did, which was you got to make money and you can also build your resume so that by the time you do graduate, you have built something and you have built some sort of experiences that can lead you to that first role.
Speaker 2:And you're not just, you know, a graduate that comes out with a degree, which is great, but you know, as an employer you want to see that they have some track record of being in a professional setting, of being in a similar field. So you know, I just love the way that you positioned that Right. And then I also like that later on in your career you learn from your mistakes of not going back to your employers and saying, hey, I'm looking for full time employment. This time, when you were actually about to leave, you just asked for advice and they just pointed you in the right direction, like, hey, if you want to be in this field, go back to the community, go do some work. You know, I just appreciate when folks have reflected on what has gone right, what has gone wrong, and then take that on going forward because that builds us into the professionals we are today, absolutely.
Speaker 1:And I think sometimes our decisions don't always connect. At the time we don't realize what it's leading us to. But it also takes a level of belief in ourselves and persistence and, as you noted, your experience, hey, if you can't afford an unpaid internship, try to take opportunities where you can so that you can pay those bills, meet your basic needs. But never one thing I always tell people, regardless of where you come from, your zip code, the income that you come from, never doubt that you are, that is, that it is possible and that you can make it happen. So that was something I feel like that was instilled in me by the people that I came across through the years from elementary school having the good teachers, right counselors, to having the right mentors, to having the right feedback from my mom when I came home from school and was having good grades, or when I was struggling, or supporting me when there was an opportunity that came along and I needed that signature.
Speaker 1:So that belief in yourself is so important, of always taking the attitude of I'll figure it out, I'll make it happen. And as you said earlier, to something that I think is cultural we don't always know how to ask for help or always think that we have to figure it out on our own, and sometimes we make it a lot more difficult on ourselves. But making sure that you're not the person, the first person, to tell yourself no, is really important.
Speaker 2:I love that and that's so real. Right Like, let the universe tell you, no, you know, don't, don't go ahead and volunteer that yourself. And a lot of times, folks are willing and eager to help. Right Like, people want to support you, especially if people that it's that you actually have had a relationship with, even like there are people that I support that I don't even know from a hole in the wall that they'll reach out on LinkedIn or on, you know, instagram or something, and I'm like sure, let me help you out, because I think, even if I don't know you, we don't have any mutual friends. You know, if there's a way that I can support you in your career path and it's information or a connection that I wish I had when I was younger, why wouldn't we Right? So, for the most part, I think a lot of folks are willing to help. We just have to stop ourselves from making that decision for them. So I love that. I love that approach.
Speaker 1:I think that's very powerful. We just said because it makes me think a lot about having gone to a lot of networking events by myself or meeting people that have lent an advice or a helping hand or have responded to a cold call, email, et cetera and reminding ourselves that the person that will be willing to help you or give you advice or take the time is not always someone that you know or someone that looks like you or has something in common with you.
Speaker 1:So making sure that you're not narrowing your network or narrowing your connections and just being open and, really importantly, also being open to know and being ignored and just keeping it going Not taking things personal is really important.
Speaker 1:And also trusting trusting in yourself and trusting that, as you said earlier, the universe knows what it's doing, and stick to a path and commit. I always say, too, that you just never know who's looking. So always try to follow your passion, because you're usually going to do good work when you're passionate and you care about it. And you know some of us have a lot of different interests. So trying to stay focused as much as you can in that North Star what you're looking to achieve and what you're looking to accomplish, but also recognizing that you also have to enjoy the journey. You're not always going to have the answer right away and it's not always going to make sense and it's completely fine, but as long as you're finding yourself as like that proactive actor in your life, it's going to be really important, not thinking, hey, things are just going to happen or come to me. Sometimes they do.
Speaker 1:But what they do is because you have positioned yourself through time. It doesn't happen right away.
Speaker 2:Absolutely through time. It doesn't happen right away. Absolutely Own your career and you know, I certainly appreciate that Be comfortable with getting some no's. Like even I I don't respond to everyone that reaches out. Right Like I cannot.
Speaker 2:Everyone has things going on in life and at work and things that just pull us in different directions. So just have that grace of you. Know this person is not a jerk because they didn't respond, but like think about it right. One they don't know you. Two like if they do, that's great, but like that doesn't necessarily put them in a jerk box. If they don't respond, it's just that they have things going on at the moment when you reach out.
Speaker 2:So you know, but being willing to be vulnerable and putting yourself out there can lead to great things and a lot of the folks that have responded to me or have connected with me at networking events or other things, sometimes it's not even advice that they gave me or it's not even that they made a connection to me that has led to a job. I've literally never had that happen, but sometimes it's just one. Now I have other people that have expanded in my network. Two it's just. Sometimes people are great in my life just by virtue of being themselves. I can point to someone in a field, in a space that I'm like, oh, that person has that type of role. They could look like me or not, but like I just didn't know that that was a role. And now I have something else to strive for, I have something else to work towards, I have something else to research. But I just wouldn't have known that if I didn't expose myself and like go out there and meet people.
Speaker 1:So true, I think exposing yourself and being true to who you are goes a long way, and you just never know who you're connecting with. I think being authentic is important, being memorable or recognizing that not everyone's going to connect with you. We're human, we're all different, and there are some people that are going to remember something you said or something you did, or just the vibe you gave them. And even if they just met you, they're going to want to provide advice or connect you with someone. And even if they just met you, they're going to want to provide advice or connect you with someone. So never forget that. You just never know again who's watching, who's listening or who's going to have that connection with you. So something that I always recommend as well is articulate what you're looking for, Articulate what you want, not only to put it out in the universe. And it can change, it can develop through time and it's fine. You can change your mind as much as you can, but when you're communicating and connecting with someone, it's not because you need something out of them or going to get something out of them.
Speaker 1:As you said, you just never know where that conversation is going to take you. It could be an opportunity that could happen in a month or two or in a few years. Hey, I remembered you told me about this interest of yours and I just met this person. I would love for you to meet, or I saw this opportunity and I thought of you because of what you said or the experience you're showcasing that you have.
Speaker 1:So just being able to own your brand is really important. So being consistent on that, like on what you say and what you share on social media and how you carry yourself and also the work that you do and it doesn't mean that you won't have, you know, different interests or things that you do outside of you know different interests or things that you do outside of. You know we're not all just career, right? So being able to have some sort of consistency in your brands and what you say and how you engage with people allows for the universe to sort of like circle back and connect you back to the right resources and the right connections that you just never know, what's going to open a door?
Speaker 2:Such great cheat codes. Absolutely Owning your professional and your personal brand is such an underrated thing. What you share, how you share it, when you share it Like. There are folks that I know that refuse to be on LinkedIn or refuse to like post on things and then like that's fine, but just know that you're doing your brand a disservice, right. You can very well position yourself as a person that knows what they're doing. If that's what you're doing like, if you know what you're doing and you're doing it well, let people know that that way. It's not even necessarily about like bragging, right, but it's just reminding people.
Speaker 2:Sometimes. I may have not connected with you in years, but then I'll say, oh, I forget, you're in that field. I may need someone in that field one day. Or, you know, actually I know someone that should benefit from talking to you, right, because I now recognize that you are this brand and this person and like. It just makes it easier for people to associate. How to connect some of those dots Would be great to hear from you some of the ways that you have either given back or provided your expertise either in a board capacity, advisory boards, mentorship any of that that you know would be helpful for people to recognize, and part of that does lend into the owning your career and your brand right. So tell me about some of that.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I would say that even when I was pursuing college, then came back home, I was always thinking beyond my quote unquote nine to five, or work or career aspirations and family. I was always considering what to do to get involved, learn and connect with my community. My first exposure after graduate school to how systems work at a local level was joining my community board. That was the youngest board member. I'm not sure if you're familiar with community boards, but they exist all throughout the five boroughs, with specific districts and zip codes, where you serve as a representative of your community, where community investments and decisions are made that are really important to the future of the community and to leverage the resources of a municipality. Younger board member. It was very intimidating At first I joined.
Speaker 1:I actually had to apply, get selected by the borough president and realize there were people there that had 20, 30 years of experience serving on the board. It took me a while to recognize that my voice and my perspective as a newer generation actually had value. So I found that there were people that were either championing or advocating, pushing me and supporting me to be vocal, to share my opinion, to take on leadership role within the board, and that all of that happens because I was open to the challenge and I had allies in the community that helped, supported me. So I became a chair of a committee Again. I followed my passions. I was very excited to connecting young people in my community to resources, so I hosted meetings to educate our community about the different programs and resources that exist. I managed, like various scholarships and grants that were coming into the community, to connect our young people to them, et cetera, and I participated in different committees as well, not only as a chair, and started having a better understanding of how decisions are made and how investments happen and how change happens at a local level and how oftentimes we're just not there and it's many times the same people 20, 30 years serving on these boards. Moving forward, I applied a lot of what I learned at a board to my personal and career and also joined various boards.
Speaker 1:Currently I'm serving as a board member for Women Creating Change, a hundred plus year organization in New York City, and I'm really excited to be part of this board because it's an opportunity to bring my expertise and experience at a personal and career to the work that they're doing as a nonprofit, empowering women towards civic engagement and economic equity.
Speaker 1:I also serve on the board of Bronx Community College, which I grew up two blocks away from, so it's an incredible honor and passion to be able to really have an understanding of a community college and a foundation and how they work and how to serve as a representative and an advocate to bring more resource to an economic engine and an institution that serves as an anchor and that serves to change the lives of so many, offering community college resources and education.
Speaker 1:So through the years I also thought about what helped me when I was growing up and mentoring was a big part of my life and I served as a mentor for Student Sponsored Partners, which was the organization that I actually grew up, going through public school, k through eight and for high school I was awarded a grant through the Student Sponsored Partners Program and a mentor to go to private school, and that really changed the trajectory of my future, and so, when I came back, I served as a mentor myself and a sponsor, always thinking about how can I gain experience, how can I open my eyes and awareness of what's happening at a local level, but also how can I give back my time and make a difference in people's lives. There's always that aspect of giving back, but you gain so much when you do things that are unpaid, or leadership development, or sometimes you're not sure what's going to happen when you're committing your time, but I definitely recommend it.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and as someone that has worked directly with community boards when I was at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, my job was to work with community boards and to go present at community boards and I understand so much of their power and influence and how they can really help shape and protect communities. Right, and they vary in whatever things you're passionate about, right, like you may be passionate about small business development. You may be passionate about economic development. You may be passionate about youth programming or education or public safety. Whatever it is that you're passionate about in preserving or supporting or advancing or changing in your communities. That's one way to do it right. You can definitely do that through your community board.
Speaker 2:You know, I also I feel you when you say it can be intimidating to feel like your voice matters in these spaces. Right, like I've been on different boards some that are very hyperlocal, some that are national and you get there and you're like they want to hear what I have to say here. Right, but like there's a reason why you're in the room. There's a reason why folks want you there, even if you're younger in your career, even if you're not necessarily kind of at the professional level, that others are in the room like there's a reason why folks brought you there and it is because of the unique perspectives that you bring, whether through your lived experiences or your professional experiences, and like we just have to be comfortable owning that and stepping into that right and recognizing that we bring so much to the table and we can help shape the way organizations move through our voice.
Speaker 1:So true, and it reminds me of what you just shared, how important it is, for there are many times that we might think we don't know what we're doing or that we might not be as prepared as we think or have the experience or the years.
Speaker 1:It's so important not to compare yourself, because it's your uniqueness, the path that you've taken, the experience you've had, what you know, what you've seen, that makes you equipped to be in that room, as you said.
Speaker 1:And when you're in a room, something that I learned through the years that I didn't really recognize at the beginning is there is a reason you're there and make sure that you always are contributing, that you're contributing either insights you always are contributing that you're contributing either insights, questions, feedback and that you own that space.
Speaker 1:And I always take pride and passion, for I know a lot of my neighbors or people that I grew up with are not in these spaces. So there's a sense of responsibility in unpaid work, paid work in our careers, in our lives, to not necessarily be a representative of a community, but really to leverage the opportunity that you have to be at the table, to be a voice, to bring the insights of what you know that others might not know, and also to challenge folks that may be doing this for a very long time or that you feel have more experience than you, to see things in a different way, because that usually is how change happens. If you let being afraid be a barrier, it's doing a disservice to yourself, for your growth, for your brand and for the impact that you can make.
Speaker 2:Aside from the stuff that you do outside of work I'm a very big proponent of you can do good and do well. One of the reasons why I started this podcast was because I was exposed to a bunch of different careers of people actually making a decent living and having really impactful roles. So we'd love to hear, in your type of role, how much money can people expect to make? Like, are they going to be broke their whole lives on this thing? Or like, what does that? What does that look like? Because you have a high level of impact, so what does that actually look like for you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think when, when you come from limited economic means and resources, there's always a fear that all your efforts and all the education that is not going to lead you to economic advancement or mobility or to make your family and your loved ones proud. So that was always a concern for me. I think honestly that I think we always need to think about our career, our passion, how we live our lives, but also like how we're going to make a living and how we're going to make a change for ourselves and our families and future generations. And oftentimes that is a challenge or it seems like a challenge when you say but I want to do good work, I want to do people things, and usually that stuff doesn't pay. So what I would say is your major or what you decide you want to do when you're younger doesn't like determine how much money you're going to make, necessarily.
Speaker 1:You can control that, you can manage that, you can navigate that. I will say it's not easy and it doesn't always happen right away. But if that is your intention, if you, if you tell yourself I want to do great work and I also want to make money, you can do it. But if you decide early on that. I just want to make good money and then like on the side, do community service, do impactful work? You can do that too, but I would first say you have to make the decision of what you're willing to settle for and being open to know that it may take time, it's not a linear path, but that you can achieve it.
Speaker 1:So, for me. I once thought, hey, I'll do corporate communications. And then I realized, well, there's this thing called corporate philanthropy, maybe I'll do that. It sort of merges my interest in making an impact and also being in a sector, an industry where I thought I could make more money in the future. But I spent most of my career in nonprofit and government and I wasn't making all that great money and I owed a lot of money for loans and bills et cetera.
Speaker 1:So it wasn't always clear as to hey, am I doing the right thing for myself, for my pocket? So it took a lot of conversations, research, reading and connecting with other people and asking them like how do you do what you do and how did you get there? And becoming confident in your abilities, that if you have determined that you want to go through a career path, that you have value, that you provide value, even if it's good work, it also resonates with getting paid your worth as well, that you don't have to settle for, hey, I'm doing good work, so I just assume that I won't get paid for it. So all that to say it doesn't happen right away, but you have to make the decision to know your worth and to ask for what you feel your worth is and to put yourself in those positions. And once you start believing it and putting it out there, the doors and opportunities will come.
Speaker 1:But it's like owning your brand and defining your brand as something valuable is going to be really important as well. So never underestimating the influence that you have because of your passion for doing an impact also has value. You also asked about, I guess, not giving up on a certain salary or amount. I think being aware of what the market is is really important in doing your research and understanding that you can do a lot of great work in different industries. So kind of figuring out what is the industry that's going to pay your worth or going to provide you with the resources that you are looking to leverage to make that impact, and really doing that due diligence, doing that research, doing the networking, going to those events, even if it's by yourself and you know no one else that's in those spaces and selling people what you want and the value that you bring.
Speaker 1:You also asked about the range. I think that, again, depending on the sector, the range is pretty large. It could be very overwhelming to go on Glassdoor or Indeed and all these other websites and start trying to understand how much you're worth this or what the pay is out there. If you haven't determined yourself what your goal is. You have to decide what you're willing to walk away from, and I'd say pride in knowing that I have walked away from opportunities that I've been excited about but that didn't pay my worth or that didn't pay what I was looking for and that took many years for me to get to that stage of my life and my career.
Speaker 1:It didn't just happen. There were bills that had to be paid. There were times I couldn't do that, but when I could do it, I started doing that and the patience and the confidence actually was worth it, because it allowed me to get what I needed and be in positions where I felt like, wow, I'm not only making a difference and making an impact, but I'm also getting what I requested and what I wanted. So keep going and don't stop on the first no, but you do your due diligence and make the decision of what you're willing to accept and what you're willing to walk away from.
Speaker 2:That's true. And then you know, I think there's a couple of things there, right. So, like cause, I remember being younger and once I realized that like you didn't have to be in just accounting or marketing or business to make over six figures, it just went off like a light bulb for me. Right, I'm like wait, you can lead a nonprofit organization and make a good living Interesting. You can work at a foundation and make a good living Interesting, like all of that kind of worked out for me in that like I just found that out earlier on in my life.
Speaker 2:And then you know, to your point around knowing kind of what that worth looks like, right, like, I definitely always do a lot of due diligence, but I've also not just walked away from opportunities that didn't give me the worth, but I've also walked away from opportunities that were not mission aligned or just didn't make sense for me at the moment, but it was playing way well over what I was making at the time. Right, and I think once you're able to do that like, it just comes with such an empowering like feeling where you're like, oh, I've turned down more money than like. Like if my parents knew how much money I've turned down, like they would kill me Right.
Speaker 2:But like, but like, right. But it didn't make sense for me at the time. It just didn't make sense. Or it's not what I wanted to do, or it was a continuation of a path that I didn't want to continue to go down, right. So, knowing not just your worth but also kind of where that fits into the impact that you want to have, and all things can be true, it's not like you're, it's not like it was money that was going to be bad work, it was just not what I wanted to do at the time, right. So, like you know, I think, knowing that, doing your due diligence, recognizing that like, especially in, like philanthropy, you can make a good amount of money and like you can easily make over six figures and really be able to like point at the impact and like see the impact, you know, I think that has just been transformative for me in my, in my life, and that's you.
Speaker 1:That's part of the reason why I'm a philanthropist. I'm like I feel like this is like a beautiful merger of impact, of doing good and doing well. Right, you just reminded me of the importance of being able to pivot and making a decision with regards to it might not make sense for other people around you turning down more money for positions of work that you feel like it's not mission aligned or it's just not the right thing for what you're looking for. It's okay if it only makes sense to you. I did go through that for, like early on in my career, where the economy was bad you know I had all these degrees and my bank account didn't reflect it at all but I was like, hey, I'm passionate about this work, it's not paying what I think it should be paying me, or you or I know I can be making more money, but this is what I want to do because one it's aligned to who I am and my mission and my purpose, and I know I'll do better work if I care about the work and I'm passionate about it. But there comes a time and it happened to me where I stepped back from the work that I was doing the direct impact working, launching partnerships and managing programming and doing that direct community work. So stepping back and figuring out like, okay, maybe, the impact that I want to make if I continue on this path, it won't be as systemic as I want it to be or as macro as I feel it's needed because of the issues and the challenges and the barriers that I was witnessing from the people that I was looking, that I was serving.
Speaker 1:So I pivoted my career from community partnerships to economic development, where I didn't realize at the time that the community partnership experience was needed in economic development the understanding of the issues and the barriers in the systems and the opportunities that could exist. Because I had that insight, I brought value in a different angle in leveraging local city investments for more inclusive economic opportunity programs in the areas of workforce, entrepreneurship, programming, et cetera, in ways that I didn't know when I was pivoting, I felt like I don't know what I'm getting into, but I know I need a change. I don't know what I'm getting into, but I know I need a change. And it allowed me to also again be within a new system that I didn't understand yet of how economic development works, another side of how community boards work and their power and how they work with the city, et cetera.
Speaker 1:So at the time I made a decision that I didn't know 100% where it was going to take me, but it definitely transformed my career. It created that balance from community impact and direct community partnership programming to understanding exactly how community, how cities invest, how economic development works, how corporate expansion, relocation and job creations work. So it all came together. As I transitioned out of economic development into corporate philanthropy and into doing more work with small businesses, et cetera. It all came together. But if I wouldn't have taken that leap, not seeing the whole like full light at the end of the tunnel, I would have been sort of stuck in the same path without recognizing how it was going to add so much value in terms of the experience that I was going to gain and the contribution that I was able to make because of the angle that I came, that I brought to the work.
Speaker 2:I love that. That's great. You mentioned reading earlier. Are there any books, resources, things that you have read or consumed, or podcasts that you think have helped shaped you personally or professionally that you want others to check out? Good question Could be a movie, could be a TV show, could be some folks have said the Bible. Some folks have said a newsletter that they subscribe to. Some folks have said the Wall Street Journal. Right, so whatever that is for you, and it could just be one that you're like, you know what this thing right here was actually really impactful for me, and it again does not have to tie to your career. It could very well just be like just a personal light bulb that went off once you consumed some information and if you want to say listening to career cheat code, you know that's totally fine.
Speaker 1:Well, I love your concept. I think it's incredibly needed. So kudos to you for you know leveraging your talent and skills and your time to create this platform and not only giving so many of us the opportunity to share our stories and our cheat codes, but creating a space and information that is now accessible, that didn't exist before. So thank you for that. When you asked the question, the first book that came to mind was the Powerful Engagement, and it's about managing your energy, not your time, and I think it correlates to our careers to quote unquote work-life balance, to how we operate.
Speaker 1:I think that that book gave me more insight on recognizing that we're not all the same and that we have to really understand how to take advantage of when we have the most energy. When are we creative? When do we schedule the time to focus? When do we schedule the time to write and think? When do we need the time to self-care? And you know, work out and do nourishing food. So I think that the aspect of reading that book gave me more insight around. You have to compartmentalize your life in a way, and your energy, and there are times where you're not focused and you can't think clearly and you have to find ways to get to know yourself and, as you evolve and develop as a human being, as to what is right for you.
Speaker 1:I think anyone that would read that book I think Jim Lohr is the one that wrote it would take different things out of it, but for me it allowed me to think about we evolve. We evolve in our day, we live our lives through stages and it's okay to prioritize certain things on certain times of your day or certain times of your life. So I feel like earlier on, growing up, I focused a lot on my grades. When I was a kid, I was like I have no money, but I want to go to college and I need those scholarships. And I was told that if I get good grades, I could get scholarships. So that was my life. Then, when I was a little older, I was like hey, I have time now to get involved in extracurricular activities and the arts and all that. Let me balance that out.
Speaker 1:Early in my career I wasn't focused on salaries and money. I was like I'm going to enjoy what I do, I'm going to give back to the community. I'm not sure where it's going to take me, but I'm passionate about this role and the organization or the project that I'm working on. Then I was like wait a minute, I need to pay all this debt or I want to have defined goals financially. How do I now marry what I've learned along the way, the experience I have, the passion I have to now say, okay, now I got to get serious about this debt or this financial goal that I have, or that American dream as a first gen daughter of an immigrant, and focus on how to navigate that.
Speaker 1:And then comes family and friends. There are times where you're like I don't know, 100%, 90% career. And then you realize, wait, I haven't paid all that attention or effort to my family or building a family. Let me get serious on that, let me focus on that. So all that to say, it happens in a day, it happens within your week, it happens in your life stages. It's okay to compartmentalize your attention and your time and your energy to things and it doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong.
Speaker 2:Is there anything else we haven't discussed today that the world should know about Diana?
Speaker 1:We talked about a lot. I would say I find pride and drive from my upbringing. I always think about when I get nervous on something or I feel like maybe I'm not going to achieve this or I'm not going to get it or I'm not going to get the response I need. I think of my single mom, the resources that she didn't have. I think about all the doors and opportunities that have happened to me.
Speaker 1:that sort of it's outside of the norm, and so considering myself highly favored and blessed is a driver for me to be optimistic, even when things are not going well or when things are not clear, or when things are not clear or when I'm not having a good moment I look back and I'm like I have no time or reason to get discouraged, because things have always worked out and even when they're not working out, it led me to another path that was meant to be better or create an opportunity that I could have never imagined, that I couldn't have planned for or that someone like me would have not been equipped or prepared for.
Speaker 1:But I was in the right place at the right time and had the patience. So, all that to say, I'm someone that reflects a lot and has a lot of faith, and it hasn't always been easy and I'm not always motivated or confident, but I step back and reflect and find that faith from knowing that the hardships and the challenges and the limited resources are an asset and an attribute, not something that I should be like, embarrassed of or that it doesn't have value. So always thinking about like hey, no, no, that happened for a reason. And any opportunity I have as you said earlier too, like even if someone I don't know that I can help or support or be an ear or connect to an opportunity, I'm always open, because that's how my life has been my journey. People that have made a difference in my life didn't even always know that they were making a difference, or didn't?
Speaker 1:know me that much, and whatever table you're in, whatever mic, you have to be able to share that positive vibe to the world, even when things are not going as clear or as positive as you might want it to.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's powerful. Thank you for joining us today, diana, you've been great. I appreciate you taking the time to have this conversation.
Speaker 1:Thank you for your time. I really enjoyed it.
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.
