[Dallas County Community College District Latin Leaders: A Journey of Life and Leadership Through the Ages]
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ALL RIGHT. SO I DON'T HAVE MUCH VOICE TODAY, BUT.
I'M THE CAMPUS PRESIDENT HERE AT DALLAS COLLEGE, NORTHLAKE.
BUT WE'RE SO THRILLED TO HOST THIS HISPANIC HERITAGE EVENT HERE AT NORTH LAKE.
IT'S GOT TO BECAUSE B, BECAUSE OF THE ROCK STAR PANELISTS WE HAVE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE SO THRILLED TO HEAR THEM ON BEHALF OF DALLAS COLLEGE AND THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, I WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUE, PRESIDENTS WHO ARE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS SIGNATURE SERIES. IT'S THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENTS, ALONG WITH OUR OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
SO THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND EVENT LIKE THIS WE'VE EVER HAD.
BUT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUES FROM EASTFIELD, DR.
EDDIE TAYLOR, IF YOU'LL STAND UP.
DR. TAYLOR SPENT A LITTLE TIME AT NORTH LAKE PRIOR TO MAKING HIS HOME AT EASTFIELD.
MY COLLEAGUE IN THE SOUTH, DR.
Q FOR COMING FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW, DR.
BIG DIA DE LOS MUERTOS EVENT COMING SOON AT MOUNTAIN VIEW.
WAVING AT THE BACK. SO I APPRECIATE THEM JOINING US.
AND IT TELLS YOU HOW IMPORTANT WE THINK EVENTS LIKE THIS ARE.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY BEFORE I TURN IT OVER.
DALLAS COLLEGE IS A HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IN THE COLLEGE WORLD IS AT LEAST 25% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE HISPANIC OR LATINO.
AT DALLAS COLLEGE, WE ARE ABOUT 50% HISPANIC STUDENTS AND GROWING.
AND 6000 OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE HERE AT NORTH LAKE.
MORE FROM ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ADVOCATES SOON.
GUIDING OUR EVENT TODAY IS MY COLLEAGUE, DR.
JASMINE PARKER. SHE'S THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION FOR DALLAS COLLEGE.
SHE CREATES AND PROVIDES THE EXECUTION LEADERSHIP TO THE COLLEGE'S DEI OFFICE, THE INSTITUTION'S DEI FRAMEWORK INITIATIVES AND PRIORITIES.
PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME MY COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND, DR.
PARKER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR.
ZELIKOW, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.
THIS THIS EVENT COMES AT A TIME OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.
THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE WORLD, SO MUCH GOING ON IN OUR DOMESTIC UNITED STATES.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE ACTUALLY WANT TO AMPLIFY NOT ONLY THE LIVED EXPERIENCES AND VOICES OF PERSONS OF HISPANIC AND LATINO DESCENT, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO JUST PAY HOMAGE TO THOSE WHO ARE ENDURING SO MUCH STRIFE FROM NATURAL DISASTERS, FROM THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR ABILITY TO CONTROL AND IMPROVE BUT STILL IMPACT PEOPLE IN A NEGATIVE WAY TODAY.
SO IF YOU COULD JOIN ME IN MOMENTS OF SILENCE FOR THOSE IMPACTED IN PUERTO RICO, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND SURROUNDING AREAS BECAUSE OF HURRICANE FIONA.
SALAKO WELCOMED YOU ALL ON BEHALF OF DALLAS COLLEGE, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANY OFFICES THAT HAD A ROLE IN PRODUCING TODAY'S EVENT. THIS WAS NOT A DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EFFORT.
WHILE WE DID BEGIN WITH IDENTIFYING THE GRAVE IMPORTANCE OF AMPLIFYING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF HISPANIC WOMEN TODAY AND THEIR RISE INTO LEADERSHIP, WE EXPANDED OUR FOCAL POINT TO INCLUDE SO MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES AND ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHO HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS, THE SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM AND ALL OF THOSE PERSONS WHO HAD A HAND IN CREATING TODAY'S EVENT.
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IT COULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT YOU.WE WANTED TO GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD.
AS DALLAS COLLEGE'S NEW CHIEF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER, MARISOL ROMANI OVERSEES THE OFFICES OF SUSTAINABILITY, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND SUPPLIER DIVERSITY, RESPECTIVELY.
SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INCLUSION STRATEGY, GOALS AND TARGETS THAT DIRECTLY ALIGN TO OUR DALLAS COLLEGE OVERALL VISION.
FOR EQUITY AND FOCUSING ON THE ECONOMY AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.
PRIOR TO JOINING DALLAS COLLEGE, ROMNEY SERVED AS THE CORPORATE DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY AND MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT ORLANDO HEALTH IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, WHERE SHE ADDRESSED DEI AND MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN NINE CAMPUS HOSPITAL NETWORKS.
BORN IN PUERTO RICO, SHE HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN MANAGEMENT FROM FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, A DUAL MASTER'S IN LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATION FROM FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, AND IS A CERTIFIED DIVERSITY PROFESSIONAL ADVANCED PRACTITIONER BY CORNELL UNIVERSITY.
WELCOME, CHIEF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER MARISOL ROMANI.
WHEN I STARTED THIS DALLAS COLLEGE.
BIENVENIDOS. WE THOUGHT WE WOULD START WITH ME AS YOUR CHIEF OFFICER FOR THE COLLEGE WITH A LITTLE STORY, SO I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN AND GET COMFORTABLE.
YOU KNOW HOW WE ARE, RIGHT? WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE STORY AND THE HISTORY, AND WE LIKE TO START FROM THE BEGINNING.
SO I WAS ASKED TO CONVEY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO BE A PUERTO RICAN WOMAN IN LEADERSHIP IN TERMS OF FROM THE BEGINNING TO TODAY.
SO I WON'T START ALL THE WAY FROM WHEN I WAS BORN, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF PROPERLY BECAUSE I WAS INTRODUCED BY MY TITLE AND BY THE NAME THAT I USE HERE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU HOW THAT NAME STARTED.
AND THAT NAME STARTED BY MARISOL RIVERA.
RIVERA AND WHEN I WAS MARRIED, THEN IT TURNED TO MARISOL RIVERA.
ROMANI NOW IF I GO BACK IN HISTORY JUST A LITTLE BIT SO YOU CAN SEE HOW DIVERSE I AM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY MOM IS OF PARENTS.
THAT ONE WAS FROM PORTUGAL, ONE WAS FROM SPAIN.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY DAD, HIS FATHER WAS OF INDIAN NATIVE INDIAN DESCENT FROM PUERTO RICO OR TAINO AND HIS WIFE.
SO MY GRANDMOTHER WAS OF AFRICAN DESCENT.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, I AM THE PRODUCT OF NATURE OF AN ISLAND LIFE, WHICH MEANS THAT COLONIZATION HAD AN IMPACT ON ALL OF THE DIFFERENT RACES AND ETHNICITIES THAT TOUCH EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT LIVES IN THAT ISLAND.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN THE COLORS OF THE ISLAND.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN THE FOODS OF THE ISLAND.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO START BY THAT SO YOU COULD SEE THAT THE INTEREST AS A CHIEF OFFICER OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INCLUSION STARTED BECAUSE I WAS EXPOSED TO CULTURE FROM THE BEGINNING OF LIFE.
AS I GREW AND CAME INTO THIS COUNTRY, WE CAME TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA, WHEN I WAS 11 YEARS OLD.
AT 11 YEARS OLD, I STARTED MY JOURNEY AND I DIDN'T KNOW AT THAT TIME.
AND SO WE HAD A LARGE MIGRANT POPULATION LIVING IN THAT PARTICULAR CITY OF FLORIDA.
I VOLUNTEER IN A MIGRANT SCHOOL BECAUSE I WANTED TO GIVE BACK.
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I KNEW AS AN 11 YEAR OLD WHEN WE GOT TO ORLANDO THAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO GET ADJUSTED TO THE CULTURE, THE US CULTURE, TO THE LANGUAGE, THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.AND I WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO THE CHILDREN THAT I KNEW WERE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK ENGLISH AT THAT TIME.
WHEN I GOT TO THIS SCHOOL, I MET THIS YOUNG LITTLE GIRL AND IT WAS REALLY HARD TO GET THROUGH BECAUSE I WAS COMING FROM THE POINT OF NOW I AM THE FOREIGN TO THIS YOUNG MEXICAN GIRL THAT WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.
SO I STARTED WITH HER BY ASKING HER, CAN YOU TEACH ME SOMETHING? INSTEAD OF ME TEACHING HER LANGUAGE? I ASK HER, CAN YOU TEACH ME SOMETHING? SEE, I HAVE THIS PROJECT AT SCHOOL AND I NEED TO LEARN SOMETHING CULTURAL THAT I CAN PERFORM TO COMPETE IN A SPANISH CLASS THAT I WAS IN.
SHE SAYS, WELL, HOW ABOUT DANCE? I SAID, WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TWO LEFT FEET, BUT WE CAN TRY.
AND SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO DANCE.
I CAN TELL YOU TODAY I'M 57 YEARS OLD AND I STILL REMEMBER HOW TO DANCE.
EL TAPATIO BECAUSE OF THE LOVE AND THE HOW SHOULD I PUT IT? THAT PRIDE THAT THAT YOUNG LADY HAD WHEN SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO DANCE, THAT DANCE THAT WE GET THROUGH WITH LEARNING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AFTERWARDS.
BECAUSE WE COMMUNICATED RIGHT.
WE COMMUNICATED AT A CULTURAL LEVEL.
I UNDERSTOOD WHERE SHE WAS COMING FROM.
WE SHARED SOMETHING THAT WAS SPECIAL TO HER.
DONE. SO I'M SHARING THIS STORY BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY ABOUT LEADERS, IS WE ALL HAVE A HISTORY AND IT STARTS SOMEWHERE WITH ME.
IT STARTED WITH THAT YOUNG EIGHT YEAR OLD MEXICAN GIRL THAT STAYS WITH ME TODAY.
IN TERMS OF BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATOR.
ONCE I WAS AN EDUCATOR, I HAD A DIFFERENT MENTOR.
I HAD A BLACK PRESIDENT OR NOT PRESIDENT, BUT PRINCIPAL OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE FIRST EDUCATION JOB THAT I DID, HE BECAME A MENTOR.
HE SPOKE WITH ME AS HIS DAUGHTER.
HE DIDN'T SPEAK WITH ME AS SOMEONE HE WAS TRYING TO PULL UP THROUGH THE RANKS.
HE FIRST FOUND A WAY TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME AS A PERSON.
HE TOLD ME, MARISOL, YOU'VE COME THIS FAR.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? WE TALKED ABOUT OUR GOALS AND HE SAID I SAID TO MY WIFE, I SAID TO MY DAUGHTER, BEING A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR IS THE BEST THING EVER, ESPECIALLY FOR A WOMAN IN NOWADAYS.
I TOOK HIS ADVICE AND I MOVE ON WITH THE MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
OTHER PEOPLE THAT INFLUENCED ME.
AND I YOU KNOW, AND I'M BEING HONEST.
I WAS THERE BACK IN FLORIDA AND I GOT THIS PHONE CALL.
AND I GOT THIS PHONE CALL FROM DALLAS, TEXAS, AND IT WAS AN UNEXPECTED CALL.
AND IT WAS A CALL FROM DALLAS COLLEGE ABOUT APPLYING FOR A SPECIFIC JOB.
THAT WAS THE CHIEF OFFICER OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INCLUSION.
THAT WAS A SURPRISE BECAUSE I HAD NOT APPLIED.
AND I REMEMBER THAT LITTLE MEXICAN GIRL THAT SHOWED ME THE A TAPATIO.
AND I THOUGHT ABOUT, AS I SAID BEFORE, I'M 57 YEARS OLD.
HOW DO I WANT TO CONTINUE AND END MY CAREER? AND I THOUGHT ABOUT I'M GOING BACK TO EDUCATION AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE LIVES OF THE STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF THE AGE
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LEVEL THAT THEY'RE IN.SO HERE I AM SUPPORTING NOT JUST THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, BUT THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY HERE IN DALLAS.
GRACIAS. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO OUR EVENT AND WE HOPE THAT YOU ENJOY THE DISCUSSION.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR DALLAS COLLEGE TRUSTEE, DEANNA FLORES, WHO IS GOING TO MODERATE THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION FOR US TODAY. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DIANA FLORES.
DEANNA FLORES IS A MEMBER OF THE DALLAS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND HAS SERVED WITH DALLAS COLLEGE STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES SINCE SHE WAS ELECTED BY HER CONSTITUENTS TO REPRESENT DISTRICT SIX.
SHE HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY AND A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC LEADERSHIP FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS. SHE SERVES AS VICE PRESIDENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE GREATER DALLAS HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
SHE SERVES AND HAS SERVED IN MANY ROLES WITHIN THE DALLAS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FAMILY.
A FORMER DALLAS COLLEGE EMPLOYEE, TRUSTEE FLORES IS ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAS RECEIVED HONORS AND AWARDS FOR HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS, INCLUDING LULA NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL FOR LEADERSHIP TOUCHÉS MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD AND TOUCH STANDS FOR TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF CHICANO.
DALLAS COLLEGE PIZZA, A DISTRICT OFFICE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR.
DALLAS COLLEGE IS A DISTRICT WIDE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AND THE MEXICAN AMERICAN DEMOCRATS.
TRUSTEE FLORES TERM EXPIRES IN 2026.
AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL STORY THAT YOU SHARED WITH US.
AND I FORGOT I WAS BEING INTRODUCED OTHER THAN MY NAME AND TITLE, SO I CAME UP TOO QUICK.
BUT ANYWAY, SUCH IS LIFE SOMETIMES, SO IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
AND TRANSPARENT, FULL TRANSPARENCY HERE.
I'M USED TO SPEAKING AT A PODIUM, SO I BROUGHT NOTES BECAUSE.
WHAT DOES 10 MINUTES MEAN? NO, I'M SERIOUS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I'M CONFUSED.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? 10 MINUTES BEFORE I INTRODUCE OR WHAT? I'M SORRY WE DIDN'T DO A RUN THROUGH, SO WE'RE DOING RUN THE SHOW NOW.
I SEE 10 MINUTES. THAT TELLS ME WE HAVE ONLY 10 MINUTES FOR THE PANELISTS.
I'M USED TO SPEAKING AT A PODIUM.
PARKER PULLED OUT THEIR NOTES.
SO HERE ARE MINE FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE.
USUALLY YOU CAN HIDE THEM AT THE PODIUM.
HISPANIC LEADERS, A JOURNEY OF LIFE AND LEADERSHIP THROUGH THE AGES.
BUT BEFORE GOING INTO THAT, TAKING THE PRIVILEGE OF THE MODERATOR CHAIR INSTEAD OF THE PODIUM, I'D LIKE TO ADD SOME FLAVOR SUBODH TO THE EVENT TODAY, BECAUSE TODAY I HAVE PRIVILEGE.
HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW OF THE LATINO HISTORY, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, WOMEN'S HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY? RAISE YOUR HANDS. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE OF YOUR HISTORY?
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FULLY AWARE.WAS IT IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS? DID YOU LEARN ABOUT IT IN SCHOOL? WELL, THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THESE CELEBRATIONS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR HISTORY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INCLUSIVE HISTORY, NOT THE EXCLUSIVE.
SO THE REASON FOR THAT IS YOU ALL KNOW IF YOU'RE NOT GROUNDED, NOT ROOTED IN WHO YOU ARE, KNOWING WHAT YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE BEEN OF YOUR PEOPLE, OF YOUR PARTICULAR TRIBE, IT CAN CAUSE A LOT OF US TO WALK AROUND, NOT AS CONFIDENT AS WE SHOULD BE.
SO DURING THIS YEAR'S HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, I HOPE WE'LL ALL COMMIT TO LEARNING ABOUT OUR PLACE, OUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE WILL BE POSING TO OUR DISTINGUISHED PANEL IS WHO INSPIRES YOU? AND I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A PHRASE THAT INSPIRED ME AND WAS A REAL EYE OPENER.
LIKE MANY OF US, I'VE HAD SOME VERY TRYING TIMES, AND AT ONE PARTICULAR TRYING TIME, A FRIEND OF MINE WAS REACHING OUT TO LET ME KNOW THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE OKAY, THAT THE STORM WOULD PASS.
AND MARIANNE, I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
SO SHE GAVE ME A CARD AND IT INSPIRED ME SO MUCH THAT I FRAMED IT.
SHE NEEDED A HERO, SO SHE BECAME ONE.
AND THAT CAN APPLY TO MALES ALSO.
IN OTHER WORDS, TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE.
DON'T LET LIFE TAKE CONTROL OF YOU.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT OUR PANELISTS HAVE DONE.
AND OH MAN, THEY'VE TAKEN CONTROL AND ARE CONTRIBUTING AT VERY, VERY HIGH LEVELS.
SO BEFORE I GET INTO INTRODUCING THEM, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE DR.
CATALINA GARCIA, IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND.
DR. GARCIA. SHE WAS SHE WAS RECENTLY ELECTED TO THE DALLAS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND WE WELCOME HER AS ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES.
SO TO INTRODUCE FIRST, MONICA, LEILA, BRAVO.
AT LEAST YOU WON'T WALK UP BEFORE I FINISH TALKING ABOUT YOU.
NO, GO AHEAD. MONICA CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE CHAIR OF THE DALLAS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
NEXT WE HAVE CYNTHIA CANO AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING HER FOR THE FIRST TIME.
CYNTHIA CANO IS THE DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF MANSFIELD.
HER CAREER AS A NEWS REPORTER AND VIDEO JOURNALIST STARTED IN 2012 WHEN DAVITA AND SHE SPENT TEN YEARS WORKING FOR SPANISH NEWS NETWORKS UNIVISION AND TELEMUNDO.
IN 2018, SHE WON THE LONESTAR EMMY AWARD FOR BEST VIDEO JOURNALIST IN TEXAS.
WELCOME, CYNTHIA. AND A GOOD FRIEND WHO LEFT DALLAS BUT RETURNED TO DALLAS.
DR. STEPHANIE ELIZALDE WAS ELECTED IN JUNE 2022 TO SERVE AS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT'S DISTRICT, ONE OF THE LARGEST DISTRICTS IN THE NATION.
HER CAREER HAS INCLUDED WORKING IN DIVERSE SCHOOL SYSTEMS FROM SMALL TO LARGE URBAN SETTINGS, AND SHE HAS SERVED STUDENTS IN VARIOUS ROLES, INCLUDING AS A TEACHER, PRINCIPAL, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, DEPUTY CHIEF, AND NOW, AS YOU KNOW, AS SUPERINTENDENT.
THANK YOU, DR.. AND A SPECIAL FRIEND THAT I HAVE KNOWN SINCE SHE WAS A TEENAGER.
AFTER OBTAINING HER GED, SHE GRADUATED FROM DALLAS COLLEGE'S EASTFIELD CAMPUS.
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THEN EASTVILLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND WENT ON TO EARN HER BACHELORS HER MASTER'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS.SHE CURRENTLY OWNS ALSO AN ENTREPRENEUR, RAMOS LAW LLC, AND IS A PRACTICING ATTORNEY AT LAW.
HAVE YOU ALL DONE SIT DOWNS BEFORE? OKAY. WELL, I HAVEN'T.
SO BEFORE WE GET INTO THE QUESTIONS, I THINK YOU ALL ARE.
I KNOW EACH ONE OF YOU ALL EXCEPT CYNTHIA.
I'M GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND YOUR BABY, BUT Y'ALL ARE VERY, VERY ACCOMPLISHED WOMEN AND YOU HAVE USED EDUCATION AS THE FOUNDATION TO YOUR SUCCESS.
THANK YOU, TRACY FLOREZ, FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.
I THINK A FEW OF Y'ALL MAY KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.
I'M PROUD TO BE HERE REPRESENTING DALLAS COLLEGE.
BUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY PERSONAL LIFE, MY PERSONAL STORY.
THIS WAS MY HOMETOWN. THIS IS WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED.
BUT I AM THE DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS FROM MEXICO.
MY PARENTS WERE UNDOCUMENTED UNTIL I WAS ABOUT AGE EIGHT.
ONE OF THE ONE OF THE STORIES I THINK ABOUT THAT RESONATES WITH ME WAS THAT I DIDN'T GO TO PRE-K BECAUSE THE PRE-K SCHOOL ASSIGNED TO WHERE I WOULD HAVE GONE TO WAS ON CARROLL AVENUE IN EAST DALLAS, WHICH, IF YOU KNOW, EAST DALLAS BACK IN THE EIGHTIES, WAS A STREET WHERE I.A.
DROVE BY A LOT OF TIMES, AND BACK THEN THEY WOULD JUST PICK UP PEOPLE OFF THE STREET.
SO I DIDN'T REALLY MAKE I DON'T THINK I MAKE TOO BIG OF A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE.
BUT I ALWAYS TELL MY MOM, MAN, IMAGINE IF YOU WOULD HAVE SENT ME TO PRE-K.
WHERE WOULD I BE? RIGHT. BECAUSE WE KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
AND SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, WHEN I BECAME AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER, I VERY MUCH CAN RELATE TO MY CLIENTS.
AND SO WHEN I RAN FOR A DALLAS COLLEGE BOARD, THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I RAN, BECAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS HAD REPRESENTATION, THAT THEY DIDN'T FEEL SCARED TO COME TO TO CAMPUS.
AND IF OUR STATE LEGISLATURE AT ANY POINT WOULD REPEAL IN-STATE TUITION, THAT THEY WOULD KNOW THAT THE DALLAS COLLEGE BOARD WAS HERE FOR THEM TO GIVE THEM AN EDUCATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WE WANT TO START THIS PROBATE LA VISTA CAMINO.
I AM A FORMER NEWS REPORTER NOW I WORK FOR THE CITY OF MANSFIELD.
I AM THE DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER.
I WAS BORN IN MEXICO CITY, SO I AM AN IMMIGRANT AND VERY PROUD OF THAT.
I WAS BROUGHT TO DALLAS, TEXAS WITH MY PARENTS, BROUGHT ME HERE WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD.
I'M ALSO A VERY PROUD PRODUCT OF THE DALLAS COLLEGE SYSTEM.
I WENT TO RICHLAND COLLEGE BACK IN 2007.
BEFORE TRANSFERRING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS, WHERE I GRADUATED WITH MY BACHELOR'S IN BROADCAST JOURNALISM, I MOVED TO MCALLEN, TEXAS, IN THE BORDER FOR MY FIRST JOB AS A NEWS REPORTER.
AFTER TWO YEARS, I WAS BLESSED ENOUGH TO COME BACK BECAUSE I DO CONSIDER NORTH TEXAS MY HOME.
THIS IS WHERE I GREW UP, I GUESS I'M HENTY.
AND SO AFTER SO MANY YEARS IN THE NEWS INDUSTRY, IT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY GREATEST LIFE'S PRIVILEGES TO WORK FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY ALONGSIDE THEM, TELL THEIR STORIES, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEIR TRUST.
I STILL HAVE PEOPLE TO REACH OUT TO ME AND ASK ME WHERE I'M AT.
GOOD AFTERNOON. WHEN I STARTED THIS, AS YOU SAID, I'M VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
IT'S A LITTLE SURREAL AS AS I SIT HERE.
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I JUST REMEMBER GROWING UP AT 3414, BUENA VISTA IN LAREDO, TEXAS.AND. AND SO WHEN WE DO THINK ABOUT I THINK WHERE WE ARE TODAY, I KNOW WE FEEL A GREAT SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, CERTAINLY AS AS A LEADER FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT'S IT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY THAT I EMBRACE, THAT I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN DALLAS ISD SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SITTING UP HERE IN ANY ONE OF THESE SEATS OR TO BE SITTING WHERE YOU ARE.
THAT ULTIMATELY HAS TO BE THE GOAL.
AND UNTIL THAT IS MET, OUR WORK IS NOT DONE.
I HAD A GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION, BUT NOT EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS DOES.
I ALSO STARTED AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
IT WASN'T IN DALLAS, BUT I'LL STILL GOT TO TAKE CREDIT.
I WENT, DOESN'T EVEN EXIST UNDER THE NAME, BUT I WENT TO LAREDO JUNIOR COLLEGE IN LAREDO, TEXAS.
AND LITTLE SHORT STORY, IT'S PART OF THE BIO.
SO I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN 1982.
I WAS 12. WE'LL PRETEND I WASN'T.
BUT AFFIRMATIVE ACTION WAS A VERY REAL OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO I GRADUATED THREE OUT OF 551 FROM J.W.
NIXON HIGH SCHOOL IN LAREDO, TEXAS.
SO VALEDICTORIAN, SALUTATORIAN AND MYSELF WERE ALL BEST FRIENDS.
I STILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THEM ROSIE, MARTINEZ, ELIZABETH, MARTHA AND MYSELF.
ALTHOUGH WOMEN, THE LATINA WOMEN LOST MEXICANS.
WE ALL HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO GO EAST HARVARD, CORNELL, BROWN, COLUMBIA, WEST, STANFORD.
NONE OF US WENT TO ANY OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT WAS A LATINO, LATINA CULTURAL.
IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP MY MOM CO-PARENT.
MY MOM DIDN'T WANT ME TO MOVE FAR AWAY.
AND THE BOYFRIEND COULDN'T GET INTO HARVARD.
OKAY, WHERE IS THE BOYFRIEND NOW? I HAVE NO IDEA.
SO I SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONNECT WITH REMEMBERING OUR DECISION MAKING TO HELP THOSE WE SERVE, LEARN FROM OUR LIVED EXPERIENCES SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT THOSE, SO THAT THEY CAN BE EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN THAN WE HAVE BEEN.
AND SO ULTIMATELY, LATER ON, I THINK MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS THAT I DID HAVE AN IDENTITY CRISIS.
MY SKIN IS MY MOTHER'S COLOR AND MY FATHER IS VERY DARK.
AND THE MEXICAN KIDS DIDN'T WANT TO PLAY WITH ME BECAUSE MY SKIN WAS TOO LIGHT.
AND I WAS. AND I WAS PRETENDING I WAS WHITE.
SO I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE FOR NOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THERE'S 150 STATE REPRESENTATIVES IN TEXAS WE MEET EVERY TWO YEARS.
AND SO THAT IS ALSO A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS EVERY TWO YEARS AS WELL.
I'M BORN AND RAISED LIKE MONICA IN DALLAS, GREW UP IN EAST DALLAS AREA.
I AM A PRODUCT OF DISD, BUT I NEVER GRADUATED.
THE LAST GRADE THAT I ACTUALLY COMPLETED WAS EIGHTH GRADE.
I WAS LIKE MANY OF MY PEERS AT THAT TIME, PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY, WE DIDN'T VALUE EDUCATION.
THERE WAS NOBODY REALLY EDUCATED IN MY FAMILY.
AND SO FOR ME, MY DESTINY WAS GOING TO BE A MOTHER AND JUST LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND PUSHING THROUGH LIKE LIKE I KNEW LIKE I WAS EXPOSED TO AFTER HAVING DROPPED OUT AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.
I HAD MY DAUGHTER AT 15 AND SO THAT WAS MY LIFE FOR ME.
I HAD ALL MY PRENATAL CARE AND MARTIN LUTHER KING IN SOUTH OF DALLAS HAD MY CHILD AT PARKLAND.
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THAT WAS MY LIFE, OR SO I THOUGHT.I CAN'T BE ABLE I WON'T BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO HER WITH AN EIGHTH GRADE EDUCATION.
I NEEDED TO DO BETTER, AND I KNEW THAT I COULD DO BETTER.
I ALWAYS LOVED READING ABOUT THE LOCH NESS MONSTER AS A KID.
I LOVED LEARNING, BUT IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY EMPHASIZED IN MY HOUSEHOLD.
HARD WORK WAS EMPHASIZED MORE THAN THAN LEARNING.
AND SO I JUST DECIDED TO GO BACK AND GET MY GED.
AND THE FIRST PLACE THAT I KNEW TO GO TO WAS THE DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
I TOLD THE WHOLE WORLD I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS OPEN ENROLLMENT AND EVERYBODY GETS ACCEPTED.
I DIDN'T FIGURE THAT PART OUT TO LATER, BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER.
I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT MEANT TO GO TO COLLEGE.
I WAS A TEENAGE MOM, BUT THE STORY DIDN'T END THERE.
RIGHT? I DIDN'T KNOW. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME, BUT IT ALLOWED ME TO FINISH THAT BE MORE THAN THE LITTLE GIRL WHO DROPPED OUT AT 14 AND HAD A BABY AT 15. BUT TO TO BE INSPIRED THROUGH HER EDUCATION, BECAUSE I HAD A STRONG FOUNDATIONAL EDUCATION IN DISD, EVEN THOUGH I DROPPED OUT, TEACHERS WERE ABLE TO TEACH BACK THEN, SO I LEARNED HOW TO READ.
SO WHEN I STEPPED BACK INTO COLLEGE, I WAS ABLE TO KEEP GOING, GOING AND FROM MY ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE AT EASTFIELD TO GET MY BACHELOR'S, TO GET MY MASTER'S, AND THEN WHAT THE HELL? I'M GOING TO APPLY TO SMU AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY.
AND I GOT ACCEPTED AT SOME NEW LAW SCHOOL.
AND SO IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF MY DISD FOUNDATION AND THE OPEN DOORS THAT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALLOWED ME TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE A LIFE AND AND A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MY CHILDREN AND MY FAMILY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO AND FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
AND ANA, WHEN DID YOU RUN FOR THE DALLAS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND HOW OLD WERE YOU? I WAS 18, AND AGAIN, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING, BUT I'M LIKE, OH, WHAT THE HELL? I TOTALLY LOST. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE.
VERY GOOD. WELL, WITH THAT, WE'LL GET INTO THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE PREPARED FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK THIS QUESTION.
AND MARISOL, DID THEY GET INSTRUCTIONS ON IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS TO WRITE THEM DOWN AND.
THANK YOU. SO YOU GET TO ASK QUESTIONS, TOO, IF YOUR CARD IS CHOSEN.
ALL RIGHT. SO LET'S START WITH.
DR. ELIZALDE, WHAT LEADERSHIP QUALITIES DO YOU TRY TO EMULATE AND WHY DO YOU THINK THEY'RE EFFECTIVE? SO I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP.
QUALITY IS THAT OF AN ACTIVE LISTENER, AND IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GET UP HERE AND SAY, OH, I'M REALLY GOOD AT IT.
I THINK ACTIVE LISTENING IS WHEN WE REALLY LEARN.
WE DON'T LEARN WHEN WE'RE TALKING.
WE LEARN WHEN WE'RE LISTENING.
WE HAVE TO BE TRUTHFUL ABOUT WHO WE ARE.
WHAT PEOPLE CAN EXPECT OF US TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS AND TO BE AUTHENTIC ABOUT WHAT THE PURPOSE OF A PARTICULAR POSITION THAT ONE OF US MAY BE.
[00:40:05]
SET FORWARD. I THINK JUST BEGINNING WITH THOSE TWO AS AS ENTRY POINTS TO CONVERSATIONS AND REAL DIALOG WHERE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE LISTENING AND SPEAKING ARE KEY COMPONENTS TO ANY LEADER.YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR ME AS WELL, THE ACTIVE LISTENING, BECAUSE I AM A HUGE TALKER.
AND ON THE AUTHENTICITY, YOU KNOW, WHEN EMPLOYEES SHARE THINGS WITH ME AND THEY'RE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP AND DON'T WANT TO SPEAK, ETCETERA, ETCETERA, BECAUSE WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN? THE REPERCUSSIONS. IT REALLY BOTHERS ME BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IN AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, WE SHOULD BE FREE TO APPROPRIATELY ADVOCATE AND BE AUTHENTIC BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THEN YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL THE MOST EMPOWERED AND GIVE THE BEST SERVICE TO STUDENTS.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF EDITORIALIZING THERE.
SO IF SOMEONE ASKS ME SOMETHING AND THAT'S INFORMATION THAT HAS GOTTEN ME, YOU KNOW, THIS FAR, ETC., I SHARE IT BECAUSE THE SUN SHINES FOR EVERYBODY. AND I THINK THAT IF SOMETHING WORKED FOR ME, IT MIGHT WORK FOR SOMEBODY ELSE OR IT MIGHT NOT, BUT GIVING THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.
I FEEL LIKE THAT WAY WE HELP OUT EVERYONE AND AS A COMMUNITY WE RISE UP.
LISTENING IS ALSO ONE OF MY MY ATTRIBUTES THAT I WOULD DESCRIBE.
I THINK IT'S LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S IT'S HARDER TO DO, BUT IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN YOU REALLY LEARN MORE BY LISTENING AND IT HELPS IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL DECISION MAKING.
AND SO AND I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT TAKING CREDIT, OBVIOUSLY.
I'M OKAY WITH SOMEBODY ELSE TO TAKE THE CREDIT SO LONG AS AS IT GETS DONE.
AND THAT'S A GOOD ATTRIBUTE BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT YO, YO, YO, YO, YO IS TOYS R US.
IN OTHER WORDS, I AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD LEADER.
I WOULD SAY EMPATHY AND HONESTY.
HONESTY, BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO HAVE THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS.
AND SO HOW DO WE START MAKING AMENDS WITH WITH THAT AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND AND BE AN EMPATHETIC WHICH IS PART OF THE LISTENING AND I DEAL WITH WHETHER IT'S CONSTITUENTS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY OR JUST EVERYDAY FOLK, EVERYBODY HAS A STORY TO TELL.
AND BEING PART OF THAT, LISTENING WHERE YOU CAN EMPATHIZE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL AND NOT JUST GET CAUGHT UP AND DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHEN SOMEBODY IS SHARING WITH YOU. I I'M A TRUE BELIEVER IN THAT.
THERE'S A THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT.
SO WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, THAT SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL? IT'LL JUST MAKE YOU BECOME A BETTER PERSON.
AND THAT, FOR ME IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WELL, THOSE ARE ALL, AS WE KNOW, KEY LEADERSHIP QUALITIES THAT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE.
AND SOME OF THEM SOME OF US HAVE SOME STRONGER THAN THE OTHERS.
BUT I'M SURE AS LEADERS, YOU HAVE TO BE HAVE A LOT OF THESE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES.
OTHERWISE YOU WOULDN'T BE WHERE YOU ARE.
SO THE NEXT ONE I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU IS ABOUT YOUR GREATEST CAREER CHALLENGE.
AND THEN YOUR GREATEST CAREER SUCCESS.
OKAY. SO I THINK FOR ME, ONE OF MY BIGGEST CHALLENGES WAS DECIDING TO OPEN UP MY OWN LAW FIRM.
AND LIKE MOST WOMEN, YOU KNOW, FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO BE 110% OF EVERYTHING, RIGHT? LIKE I HAVE TO BE 110% ON THE IMMIGRATION LAW.
I HAVE TO KNOW I HAVE TO HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN AND BE A BUSINESSWOMAN.
AND SO I DIDN'T THINK I WAS READY FOR IT.
AND IT WAS ACTUALLY MY BOSS WHO TOLD ME, YOU ARE READY FOR THIS.
AND HE NOT ONLY ENCOURAGED ME TO DO IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HELPED ME WRITE A SMALL BUSINESS PLAN AND LET ME TAKE A FEW CLIENTS WITH ME, WHICH REALLY AND THAT'S ALL I NEEDED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I CLEARLY WAS AT THE LEVEL.
I JUST DOUBTED MYSELF AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT.
AND THANKFULLY I WAS VERY FRUGAL AT THE BEGINNING.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN NOW 11 YEARS.
I HAVE CLOSE TO 20 EMPLOYEES AND AT ONE POINT I HAD THREE OFFICES.
NOW I'M CENTRALIZED, TRYING TO MAKE MY LIFE A LITTLE BIT SIMPLE SINCE I HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN.
[00:45:02]
BUT DEFINITELY JUST GETTING STARTED WAS THE HARDEST THING AND BELIEVING IN MYSELF AND KNOWING THAT I COULD DO IT.WELL, AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, AN ATTORNEY, YOU'VE GOT QUITE A PRACTICE THERE IF YOU'VE GOT 20 EMPLOYEES.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ON THAT.
MY GREATEST SUCCESS WINNING JOURNALISM AWARDS WAS NICE, BUT IN 2016, A COMMUNITY BETTER COMMUNITY RECOGNIZED ME WITH A VERY NICE CERTIFICATE BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THAT YEAR, THREE SMALL CHILDREN DIED IN A VERY HORRIFIC CAR ACCIDENT ON SINGLETON AND THROUGH NOT ONLY MY NEWS STORIES, BUT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE, WOW, WHY DID IT TAKE THIS? PLUS A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM THE NEWS MEDIA TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BUT JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF IMPACT IN COMMUNITIES AND MY LIFE EVERY SINGLE DAY WAS TALKING TO PEOPLE, REAL PEOPLE, WORKING PEOPLE, AND IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER HELPING THEM IN WHATEVER THEY NEEDED.
IT'S ENOUGH FOR THEM TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE CHANGES THAT THEY NEED.
AND THROUGH THAT AND COMMUNICATING THAT TO THE PUBLIC, THE RESIDENTS WERE ABLE TO KNOW THAT THEY HAD RIGHTS, THAT IF SOMEBODY, THEIR LANDLORD, WASN'T FIXING WHAT NEEDED TO BE FIXED WITHIN SEVEN DAYS AND THEY HAD IT IN WRITING, THEY COULD BREAK THEIR LEASE.
I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT THAT IS WHAT I LEARNED.
SO MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS BEING ABLE TO HELP IN THAT WAY.
AND THAT'S QUITE AN IMPACT, JUST AS OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR ATTORNEYS YOU'RE DIRECTLY IMPACTING.
VENUE TO DO THAT IS THROUGH BROADCAST MEDIA.
SO I'M ACTUALLY STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW WITH.
I THINK I THINK IT'S A LATINA THING.
YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF SUCCESSES AND I'M THINKING, WHERE'S MY FAMILY IN THE SUCCESS I'M ABOUT TO GIVE? BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE MAYBE HOW SUCCESSFUL MY SON IS OR THAT MY PARENTS ARE DOING WELL OR THAT MY SISTER IS DOING WELL. AND I THINK THAT'S SO I'M GOING TO ANSWER IT IN TWO WAYS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S MY CHALLENGE, AND I ALSO THINK IT'S MY SUCCESS.
FIRST, I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANY SUCCESS.
I THINK ALL THE SUCCESS HAS BEEN SOME FORM OF A TEAM.
SO IT CERTAINLY STARTED WITH MY PARENTS WHO INSTILLED EDUCATION FROM FROM DAY ONE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS ANYTHING OTHER THAN COLLEGE AFTER YOU GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT WE TAKE THOSE THINGS FOR GRANTED.
AND THE CHILDREN I SERVE, MANY OF THEM, THE SACRIFICES PARENTS ARE MAKING OR TO DO THAT NOW.
MY PARENTS MADE SACRIFICES SO THAT I COULD STUDY CLASSICAL BALLET, SO THAT MY SISTER COULD TAKE EQUESTRIAN LESSONS, SO THAT I COULD GO TO SUMMER CAMP AND BECOME VERY PROFICIENT AT ARCHERY.
BUT DON'T WORRY, I DON'T HAVE A BOW AND ARROW.
TENNIS. I DID NOT REALIZE HOW MUCH PRIVILEGE MY PARENTS WERE INSTILLING IN US.
SO FIRST, ANY OF THE SUCCESS THAT QUOTE UNQUOTE I'VE HAD HAS NEVER BEEN MINE.
THE AUSTIN ISD SUPERINTENDENCY.
AND EVERYBODY HAS SAID TO ME, DALLAS IS SO MUCH BIGGER.
HOW'S THE STRESS LEVEL NOW? IT'S REDUCED.
[00:50:04]
I DID NOT UNDERSTAND BEING A STONE'S THROW AWAY.I DID NOT KNOW I WOULD MAKE A LIST.
I DID NOT KNOW I WOULD GET WEEKLY LETTERS FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COMPETE FOR THAT SUPERINTENDENCY.
I TRULY AM GOING TO STAY SAY I STOOD ON THE SHOULDERS OF ALL OF YOU, OF THE DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT OF DALLAS ISD LEADERS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY.
WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE INCREDIBLE OUTCOMES AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO IN DALLAS ISD.
AND IT WAS THAT SUCCESS THAT ALLOWED ME TO CAP TEACHER SOMEONE'S ATTENTION AND COMPETE AGAINST SITTING SUPERINTENDENTS AND ULTIMATELY BE SELECTED FOR THE AUSTIN ISD SUPERINTENDENCY.
SO THAT SUCCESS STILL GOES BACK TO EDUCATION AND BUILDS ON THE INFORMAL EDUCATION OF FRIENDSHIPS, RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY IN OUR HOMES AND OUTSIDE OF OUR HOMES.
AND I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AND I MAY BE GETTING A LITTLE BIT INTO THE OTHER QUESTION WAS, WAS ALSO BEING A WOMAN AND BEING A LATINA IN THAT POSITION? I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR ME IN AUSTIN IF I WOULD USE MY MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME.
I WAS ALSO TOLD IT WOULD HELP ME IF I WOULD BE LESS LATINA AND LESS PROFESSIONAL.
THAT I DIDN'T NEED TO WEAR A SUIT OR A BLAZER TO EVERY MEETING.
AND I ASKED MY AND IN ONE POINT I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO BE MORE EMOTIONAL.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE THE CHALLENGE THERE WAS IN MY HEAD, I SAID, WOULD ANY OF THAT HAVE BEEN SAID? IF I WAS A.
OKAY, WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT? YOU USE IT TO CHANNEL MORE SUCCESS, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY MY GREATEST SUCCESS IS IN SEEING OTHERS.
ASPIRE AND COMPLETE LEADERSHIP ROLES WHERE THEY'RE FULFILLING THEIR GOALS, THEIR MISSIONS FAR BETTER THAN I EVER DID, AND WHAT A GREAT POSITION I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE OTHERS.
GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
AND I TRULY THINK OF THAT AS A KIND OF THE TOTAL SUCCESS.
THANKS. WELL, THOSE WERE QUITE SOME CHALLENGES.
AND WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE BACK IN DALLAS.
YOU KNOW, AS A KID THERE WERE SEVEN OF US.
SO I'M GOING TO MAKE A SANDWICH LATER.
AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE CRAZY STORIES THAT KIDS FROM THE HOOD TELL IN GROWING UP.
SO WHEN I RAN FOR TEXAS STATE REP, I TOO DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO DO IT.
PEOPLE TOLD ME, DON'T RUN, YOU'RE LATINA, YOU'LL NEVER WIN.
BESIDES, THEY DON'T MAKE MONEY.
ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WERE CONSTANTLY COMING AT ME FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
BUT I KNEW THAT HAVING GROWN UP IN EAST DALLAS, HAVING GROWN UP, YOU KNOW, FIGHTING FOR FOOD, JUST SURVIVING, THERE WAS A REASON AND A GREATER PURPOSE FOR ME TO BE IN THE AREA THAT I WAS IN.
IT NEVER BEEN HELD BY A LATINA.
AND THE PERSON WHO I WAS RUNNING AGAINST HAD TONS OF MONEY AND HAD NEVER LOST A RACE.
[00:55:02]
AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO REPORT YOU HAVE TO REPORT MONEY HOW MUCH YOU MADE.AND I WAS SO HAPPY BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO SCROUNGE UP $1,000.
AND I'M LIKE, WHOA. YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS A TOTAL UPHILL BATTLE.
BUT BUT WE WORKED OUR BUTTS OFF THE SISTERHOOD, THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, MY FAMILY.
WE ALL JUST GOT TOGETHER AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, SHE CAN OUT MONEY ME, BUT SHE CAN'T OUTWORK ME.
I'M MEXICAN. NO ONE CAN OUTWORK A MEXICAN, YOU KNOW? YEAH. SO WE WE IT WAS, IT WAS A COMMUNITY THAT WAS VERY MUCH 5050 IN TERMS OF PARTY, WHICH IS ALSO A REASON THEY SAID I WOULD NOT WIN.
BUT HAVING THAT EMPATHY, THAT THAT LISTENING, THE BACKGROUND OF BEING PROUD THAT EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T COME FROM MONEY, VERY HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, THERE'S A STORY TO SAY, THERE'S A STORY TO TELL AND TO SHARE ABOUT THAT.
AND PEOPLE IT'S INSPIRING TO OTHERS.
AND AND I WAS ABLE TO INSPIRE PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE AISLE TO YOU MAY NOT KNOW ME BUT BELIEVE IN THAT MY HISTORY AND MY PAST IS GOING TO MAKE ME A BETTER PERSON. MY LENS AND MY PERSPECTIVE IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT WHEN I REPRESENT YOU.
AND AND THEY BELIEVED IN ME AND THEY ALLOWED ME TO WIN AND THEN WIN AGAIN.
REFRAMING IT AND USING IT TO EMPOWER MYSELF AND OTHERS.
REAL LIFE, REAL WORLD WORLD EXPERIENCES.
SO I HOPE YOU TAKE FROM THAT BECAUSE I CERTAINLY AM.
AND I THOUGHT I HAD GONE THROUGH MANY THINGS.
BUT YOU ALWAYS LEARN, RIGHT? SO THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING.
I HADN'T STARTED WITH YOU FIRST, HAVE I? SO WHAT IS THE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO SOMEONE WANTING A LEADERSHIP ROLE? I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT IS TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOURSELF BEFORE YOU TAKE ON LEADERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, AND I SAY THAT FROM BOTH, LIKE HOW MUCH HOW MUCH ARE YOU ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE IN PARTICULAR LEADERSHIPS? BECAUSE IN ALL OF OUR ALL OF OUR ROLES, THERE ARE SACRIFICES.
I KNOW EVERYONE OUT THERE KNOWS THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS ROOM IS FILLED WITH LEADERS.
SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO KNOW YOURSELF.
AND THEN I WOULD SAY WHEN I SAY KNOW YOURSELF, YOU ALSO HAVE TO KNOW IN THIS POLITICAL ARENA WHETHER WE'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS OR NOT. I MEAN, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IN SCHOOLS AND IN IN MEDIA.
POLITICS HAVE ENTERED EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO.
BECAUSE IF IT'S AN AREA THAT I FEEL I WAS NOT PREPARED, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WE BECAME EDUCATORS AND WE'RE LIKE, IF I JUST DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR KIDS? BOY, THOSE WORDS ARE SO FAR FROM THE TRUTH.
IT'S NOT JUST WHAT'S RIGHT FOR KIDS YOU WISH IT WERE.
BUT THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY OTHER COMPETING ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S CRT OR WHETHER IT'S UNDOCUMENTED OR WHETHER IT'S GENDER IDENTITY, IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER ANYMORE.
SOMEONE WANTS TO MAKE SOMETHING AN ISSUE.
IT BECOMES AN ISSUE AND IT DETRACTS FROM WHAT OUR REAL GOAL IS.
SO I WOULD SAY FIRST, ENJOY YOURSELF AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR LINE IS DRAWN.
AND THAT LINE I'M TALKING ABOUT IS ONCE YOU COMPROMISE YOUR ETHICS, YOU'VE MADE A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL AND YOU CAN'T GO BACK. AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS BECAUSE IT'S REAL EASY TO TELL YOUR LESS EXPERIENCED SELF.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I GOT REAL CLOSE.
BUT THE MINUTE YOU DO THAT, YOU OWE SOMEONE SOMETHING.
AND ONCE YOU OWE SOMEONE, THEY NEVER LET YOU FORGET IT.
AND I'VE GOTTEN REALLY CLOSE, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT I DIDN'T CROSS THAT LINE.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU, OH, I'M SO PERFECT.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T DRAWN IT, YOU'LL KEEP MOVING IT.
AND THAT'S WHY I WOULD SAY MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR ETHICAL LINE IS.
[01:00:02]
I'M NOT JUDGING.I'M NOT TELLING YOU WHERE TO PUT IT.
I'M TELLING YOU, YOU DO NEED TO DRAW IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE.
I'M SURE WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF STORIES REGARDING THAT.
ETHICS IS A BIG THING AT THE TEXAS HOUSE.
WE'RE LACKING IN THAT IN A HUGE WAY.
BUT I'M VERY I LIKE TO SAY I'M I FEEL VERY STRONG IN MY MORAL COMPASS.
BUT BEYOND KNOWING YOURSELF AND WHY YOU'RE THERE AND WHERE YOUR COMPASS IS, IS HEADING AND KEEPING TRUE TO THAT IS ALWAYS REMEMBERING WHY YOU'RE THERE. SO I ALWAYS TRY TO CHECK IN WITH MYSELF.
AM I DOING IT FOR ME? WHY? WHY AM I MAKING? WHY AM I FIGHTING THIS? WHY AM I DOING THIS? AND IF IT IF IT'S BECAUSE OF ME AND, YOU KNOW, JUST IN MY OWN, THEN I HAVE TO KIND OF STEP BACK AND REEVALUATE IT.
BUT WHEN I'M ON EMPTY AND I'M I'M SO EXHAUSTED AND I'M MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY DEFEATED BECAUSE AS SOMEBODY IN THE MINORITY PARTY IN THE TEXAS HOUSE, IT'S A BEAT DOWN FOR ME.
I LEAVE THERE SOMETIMES WE'RE WORKING 13, 15 HOURS A DAY AND I LEAVE CRYING, I LEAVE EXHAUSTED, I LEAVE LIKE I'VE LEFT IT OUT ALL ON THE FIELD AND WE, OUR CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE TRAMPLED ON.
OUR TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE UNAPPRECIATED OR OUR FAMILIES ARE GOING TO BE ATTACKED.
IT'S LIKE GETTING IN A RING DAY AFTER DAY.
YOU'RE GETTING SLAPPED LEFT AND RIGHT, YOU'RE GETTING BEAT DOWN.
AND THEN THE RULES, THE OTHER PEOPLE CHANGE THE RULES BY THE SECOND AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO.
THEY'RE JUST YOU'RE GETTING TRAMPLED ON.
AND IT'S EVERY DAY IT'S SO HARD IT FOR ME IT'S IT'S SO DEFEATING.
THANK YOU. THAT PHONE CALL YOU MADE TO SO-AND-SO, I CAN GET MY DRIVER'S LICENSE NOW OR OR THANK YOU.
THAT JOB THAT YOU SEND ME A REFERENCE I GOT AND NOW I CAN PAY MY BILLS.
THOSE LITTLE BITTY THINGS FOR ME.
OKAY, I CAN FIGHT ANOTHER TWO OR THREE DAYS.
YOU'VE SEEN THESE PEOPLE SAYING, I NEED YOU.
MY MARRIAGE DEPENDS ON YOUR FIGHT.
AND AND I TOLD HIM, DON'T WORRY, ANNA IS GOING TO GO FIGHT FOR YOU.
AND YOU SEE THOSE PEOPLE AND YOUR HEART IS LIKE, YES, I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING FOR YOU.
AND I FEEL I LEAVE THERE AND I, I TELL HIM I FAILED YOU.
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO DISCONNECT.
THOSE LITTLE STORIES TAKE YOU SO FAR.
AND THAT FOR ME IS WHAT TO ME IS INSPIRING, IGNITING.
AND EVEN THOUGH I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN MAKE IT THE NEXT DAY.
YOU WRITE, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR PEOPLE, HUMANITY HELPS US PUSH THROUGH.
AND SO FOR THAT, I'M VERY GRATEFUL.
BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY I NEED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND IT'S VERY, I THINK, INSPIRING AND HELPFUL FOR MANY OF US.
WE CAN SEE WHY WE ALL WANTED TO VOTE FOR ANNE-MARIE, RIGHT? NOW, IS THAT AUTHENTICITY OR IS THAT AUTHENTICITY? WHY DO I ALWAYS HAVE TO GO AFTER YOU? ANNA MARIA. NOW WE'RE GOOD FRIENDS.
AND SO THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT WOULD I WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE? PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE SOMEONE WANTING A LEADERSHIP ROLE.
RIGHT. SO AS WE ALL KNOW, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH LATINOS ARE BECOMING THE MAJORITY, NOT ONLY IN OUR COUNTY BUT IN OUR STATE, WE ARE STILL WAY BEHIND IN TERMS OF LATINO REPRESENTATION IN ANY IN ANY OF OUR BOARDS OR IN ANY AN ELECTED OFFICE.
[01:05:09]
AND SO I KNOW WE FEEL THE PRESSURE OF, YOU KNOW, THE YOUNGER GENERATION COMING IN AND BEHIND US AND SAYING, HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED? WHAT CAN I DO? YOU KNOW, SHOULD I RUN FOR THIS POSITION? AND I FEEL IT'S HARD FOR ME TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION SOMETIMES, BECAUSE I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM TO RUN FOR OFFICE.BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M HONEST WITH THEM AND I TELL THEM, CAN YOU AFFORD TO RUN FOR OFFICE? RIGHT. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS, LIKE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST, RIGHT? IF YOU ARE JUST GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, MAYBE YOU SHOULD WORK ON LIKE ESTABLISHING YOUR CAREER FOR A FEW YEARS.
AND BEFORE YOU GET THERE, FIND A WAY THAT YOU CAN GIVE BACK.
IF YOU GET A TRAFFIC TICKET AND YOU WANT TO FIGHT IT, THAT'S WHO YOU'RE GOING TO GO IN FRONT OF.
I WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH THE DALLAS HISPANIC BAR ASSOCIATION, DID A LOT OF PRO BONO VOLUNTEER WORK, WHICH GAVE ME ACCESS TO LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND TRUST ME, WE NEED MORE LATINOS RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
BUT WE ALSO WANT YOU TO SUCCEED.
WE WANT YOU TO NOT ONLY BE ELECTED, BUT TO BE AN EFFECTIVE LEADER.
AND YOU CAN'T BE AN EFFECTIVE LEADER IF YOU CAN'T TAKE CARE OF YOUR BASIC NEEDS FIRST.
VERY TRUE, AND I CERTAINLY HAVE WORDS TO SAY TO THAT AND EXPERIENCES.
I'M GOING TO SAY LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
AND I JUST THAT MIGHT BE CLICHE, BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED AND MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD TELL PEOPLE NOT TO DO IF THEY WANT TO BE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO COLLABORATE EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE OTHER PERSON.
I HAVE SEEN AND EXPERIENCE THAT LEADERSHIPS OR LEADERS WITHIN DALLAS AND OTHER HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A GROUP HERE, THERE'S A GROUP HERE.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT, WHEN THERE'S THAT INFIGHTING, THEN WE DON'T GET ANYTHING DONE.
SHE TELLS ME, ONE, THAT SHE HAS TO EMAIL THE HISPANIC LEADERS.
SHE HAS TO DO IT ONE BY ONE BECAUSE SHE IF SHE DOES IT IN A MASS EMAIL, THEN SHE'LL GET BACKLASH OF WHY DID YOU TELL THIS PERSON AND WHY DID YOU TELL THAT PERSON? AND SO FROM HAVING EXPERIENCED THAT, ESPECIALLY HERE.
YEAH, DON'T BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO OTHER PEOPLE.
IF THEY DON'T SHARE YOUR SAME VISION AND GOALS, THAT'S FINE.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO CHOOSE TO FOLLOW YOU IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO COLLABORATE MORE.
WELL, THANK YOU, EACH ONE OF YOU.
SO I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE DOING THAT TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING THE INVITATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR PANEL.
AND THANK YOU, OUR TRUSTEE FLORES, FOR MODERATING TODAY'S PANEL.
WE DID GET SOME QUESTIONS FROM OUR AUDIENCE IN ATTENDANCE HERE.
[01:10:08]
WE HAD A QUESTION. COME IN.AND THIS QUESTION IS ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE THAT OBTAINING AN EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIAL WAS GOING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE LIFE SECURITY, MORE FREEDOM, MAYBE A CHANGE OF LIFESTYLE? HOW OLD WERE YOU? I GUESS I CAN ANSWER THAT FIRST.
I THINK FOR ME, I WAS ALWAYS A READER.
AND I THINK EARLY ON I ALWAYS KNEW, EVEN THOUGH MY PARENTS DIDN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT COLLEGE A LOT, I KNEW FOR MYSELF THAT LIKE THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO BE A LAWYER. SO OBVIOUSLY I HAD TO LOOK UP.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A LAWYER? AND I REALIZED, WELL, YOU KNOW, I JUST NEED TO GET A COLLEGE DEGREE AND THEN YOU APPLY.
AND SO FOR ME, IT WAS VERY EARLY ON.
I KNEW THAT LAWYERS WERE THINGS THAT GOT THINGS DONE.
THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
FOR ME, I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR PRIVILEGE.
MY MOM IS SHE'S AN ACCOUNTANT.
SHE WAS AN ACCOUNTANT IN MEXICO CITY.
SHE WAS A PIONEER, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST ACCOUNTANTS, FEMALE ACCOUNTANTS IN THE EIGHTIES.
FOR ME, IT WAS NEVER, ARE YOU GOING TO COLLEGE? IT WAS LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO STUDY? WE NEED TO KNOW YOUR CAREER PLAN.
INITIALLY, I WANTED TO BE AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER.
I EVEN WENT TO A MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL FOR THAT, BUT I WAS TOO ADD.
SO YOU KNOW, I CHOSE THE OTHER PATH WHICH WAS A REPORTING.
AND NOW AS I TRANSITION OUT OF THAT AND LOOK FOR ANOTHER CAREER WHERE I CAN STILL USE MY SKILLS, I AM VERY INTERESTED IN MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND NOW I'M ALSO IN SCHOOL TO GET MY MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD AND, YOU KNOW, PULL OUR PEOPLE ALONG IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN. SO AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I JUST KNEW I WAS GOING TO GO TO COLLEGE AND I WAS MY MOTHER DOESN'T HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE AND MY FATHER WAS A TEACHER. HE'S A RETIRED PRINCIPAL.
AND MY DAD WOULD TEACH ME AT HOME WHATEVER WAS GOING TO BE TAUGHT, PARTICULARLY IN MATH AND SCIENCE.
SO WHEN I WENT TO COLLEGE, I STUDIED MY BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN BIOLOGY.
I WAS GOING TO GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL AND I TOOK A YEAR OFF AND I NEEDED A JOB FOR THE YEAR.
SO FROM THERE, EDUCATION THEN BECAME AND THIS IS WHERE BEING AUTHENTIC.
SO I'M A TEACHER AT A HIGH SCHOOL AND I SEE WHAT AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IS DOING AROUND ME.
AND I GO, WELL, IF HE CAN BE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, I CAN BE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
AND SO THEN, WELL, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL? YOU GOT TO GO GET A MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATION.
SO I WENT AND GOT A MASTER'S DEGREE IN EDUCATION.
NOTICE THAT EACH OF MY EXAMPLES WERE.
MEN. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT MEN STILL HOLD MOST OF THE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN SCHOOLS, AND YET 80% OF OUR TEACHING STAFF ARE WOMEN. SO BUT THESE WERE ALSO MEN WHO WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME, BY THE WAY.
THEY MENTORED ME AND THEY OPENED DOORS FOR ME.
SO THEN I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL AND GOT A DOCTORATE.
SO MY AND I GOT MY DOCTORATE VERY LATE IN LIFE AND IT'S NEVER TOO LATE.
WHATEVER DEGREE YOU'RE ASPIRING TO, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN.
AS A KID WHO GREW UP IN SOUTH DALLAS, PLEASANT GROVE, IT WAS THE COSBY SHOW.
POLITICS ASIDE, THE COSBY SHOW IS WHAT I KNEW WHEN I KNEW THAT IT WAS EDUCATION.
BECAUSE IN DISD, WHEN I GREW UP, THERE WERE NO HISPANIC TEACHERS.
ALL MY TEACHERS WERE EITHER AFRICAN AMERICAN OR WHITE.
AND SO I DIDN'T SEE MYSELF IN ANY TEACHER, ANY ADMINISTRATOR, ANY POLICE OFFICER, ANYBODY ON TV.
THERE WERE NO HISPANICS OTHER THAN SABADO GIGANTE AND, YOU KNOW, SIEMPRE DOMINGO.
MY MY AFRICAN AMERICAN TEACHERS WERE THE ONES WHO I COULD RELATE WITH THE MOST.
AND I WOULD GO HOME AT NIGHT AND WATCH THE COSBY SHOW.
AND I'M AND THAT'S WHEN I KNEW THAT FOR ME, I COULD BE LIKE THEM.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK IN THE EIGHTIES, THEY HAD THAT SPINOFF.
[01:15:01]
AND I JUST LOVED THAT BECAUSE FOR ME, I WAS THEM AND THEY WERE SHOWING ME THE PATH, AND THAT'S HOW I KNEW THERE WAS IF I DECIDED TO, NOT EVEN THOUGH I WAS ALREADY OVER HERE, THERE WAS A PATHWAY AND I JUST HAD TO FIND IT.BUT THE REASON I KNEW THERE WAS A PATH IS BECAUSE OF THE COSBY SHOW.
SO HOW MANY OF YOU IN HERE, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE COLLEGE EDUCATED PARENTS? RAISE YOUR HANDS. A BETTER NUMBER.
WHEN I'VE ASKED THAT QUESTION BEFORE, VERY FEW HANDS GO UP BECAUSE WE STILL HAVEN'T CAUGHT UP.
WE DIDN'T HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO.
AUTHENTICITY, FOR EXAMPLE, STANDING IN YOUR TRUTH AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
SO OUR NEXT AUDIENCE BASED QUESTION IS ABOUT ADVICE THAT BUILDS ONTO THAT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GEN Z STUDENTS HERE AT DALLAS COLLEGE.
THE MAJORITY, 48% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GENERATION Z FROM OUR P-TECH, EARLY COLLEGE, HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE OTHER THINGS WITH OUR FABULOUS PARTNERSHIPS WITH DALLAS ISD.
AND SO WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM A STUDENT WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG, MARGINALIZED STUDENTS WHO MAY BE FACING IMPOSTER SYNDROME? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY MANY OF US ALSO EXPERIENCE IMPOSTER SYNDROME.
I'M LIKE, I'M ONE OF THE VERY FEW WHO LOOK LIKE ME.
THEY'RE GOING TO KICK ME OUT ANY MINUTE NOW.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REAL EVEN IN MY COMMUNITY.
MY COMMUNITY, MOST MEMBERS DON'T LOOK LIKE ME AND MY HUSBAND.
AND I FIGURED A WORD. WE CALL IT HOOD TRAUMA BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER DAY THE WATER CAME OFF BECAUSE IT WAS A BUST PIPE AND THE CITY WORKERS WERE KNOCKING ON THE DOORS TELLING PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOUR WATER CAME OFF.
AND I TOLD MY HUSBAND, THEY'RE TRYING TO BREAK IN.
STATISTICS SHOW THEY'RE TRYING TO BREAK IN.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO ALERT THE NEIGHBORS.
AND THE NEIGHBORS TEXTED AND SAID, HEY, WATERS OFF.
THEY'RE JUST LETTING US KNOW AND NOT ME.
I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, READY TO THROW DOWN.
SO, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU FEEL MARGINALIZED, JUST KNOW THAT THAT YOU MAY WHATEVER PRONOUN, HOWEVER YOU SELF-IDENTIFY.
MANY OF US FEEL THAT WAY, TOO.
BUT ALSO LOOK AT YOUR WHAT YOU MAY PERCEIVE AS YOUR OWN CHALLENGE OR YOUR OWN STRUGGLES AND BEING PART OF A MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY AND USE THAT TO BE YOUR SUPERPOWER, TO BE HOW YOU BECOME, THE BETTER YOU.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS MY MY SON IS A GEN Z.
WE'RE USED TO OPERATING IN A BOX.
YOU'RE ONLY THERE THEM IF YOU'RE PLURAL.
I'M NOT GOING TO BE A HE OR SHE.
I'M GOING TO BE A THEY AND OF THEM.
SO USE YOUR FEELING MARGINALIZED AS YOUR SUPERPOWER BECAUSE YOU'RE HELPING US BE MORE HUMAN, MORE HUMANE, AND HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER. AND YOU'RE YOU'RE MAKING YOURSELF VULNERABLE BY DOING THAT.
YOU'RE MAKING US BETTER PEOPLE.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WILL NOT ACCEPT IT, NOT REFUSE TO BE OPEN MINDED.
AND THAT'S OKAY, TOO. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO TAKE YOUR GIFT OF SHARING AND GROWING AND MAKING US BETTER PEOPLE. SO DON'T SPEND YOUR GIFT.
DON'T WASTE IT AND THROW IT AWAY ON THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSE MINDED.
[01:20:05]
I'LL I'LL JUST ADD REAL QUICKLY, I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT ANNAMARIA MARIA SAID.WE ALL FEEL THAT I, YOU KNOW, ANY DAY NOW THEY'RE GOING TO TELL ME, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE RUNNING THE SECOND LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TEXAS.
AND AND YOU ALSO HAVE TO LET IT BE IN ITS PLACE.
AND I LOVE WHAT ANA MARIA SAID.
I ALSO USE IT TO REMIND MYSELF THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN CONFIDENCE AND ARROGANCE.
AND I WANT TO BE CONFIDENT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE ARROGANT.
AND SO I USE THAT TO BECOME MY SUPERPOWER, TO KEEP ME GROUNDED.
DON'T EVER THINK YOU'RE SO BIG THAT YOU FORGET YOUR WHY.
AND SO I'M NOW I'M MORE AFRAID OF NOT HAVING IMPOSTER SYNDROME BECAUSE I'M GOING TO WAKE UP GOING, WHO DO I THINK I AM THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S NOT THE POSITION OR THE TITLE.
IT'S THE ACTION THAT IS CONNECTED.
I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE ALL OF US IN HERE HAVE PRIVILEGE.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAS PRIVILEGE IN HERE, OR WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS ROOM.
I HAVE PRIVILEGE, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE MY MOM'S WHITE.
THAT GAVE ME PRIVILEGE AS MUCH AS IT ALSO GAVE ME SOME CHALLENGES.
SO I WOULD SAY TO THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE, USE IT, BUT DON'T LET IT USE YOU.
LET IT CHANNEL INTO BEING HUMBLE.
BUT DON'T EVER THINK YOU WEREN'T MADE FOR GREATNESS.
WE WERE ALL MADE FOR GREATNESS.
AND WITH THAT GREATNESS COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES.
WHAT DO WE DO FOR SOMEONE ELSE? THAT'S THE GREATNESS YOU HAVE.
BUT DON'T USE THAT AS DEFINING WHO YOU ARE.
WE ALL HAVE IT. AND MOST PEOPLE DO.
THEY JUST LIE AND SAY THEY DON'T.
AND I MIGHT HAVE SOME EXPERTISE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE DOESN'T HAVE.
AND SO THAT'S THE WAY THAT I CAN, YOU KNOW, HELP.
IREPORTER SIMONE COMO IN ESPANOL.
SO WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTRIBUTE.
AND SO JUST IF YOU'RE EVER FEELING LIKE THAT, JUST REMIND YOURSELF WHAT ARE YOUR GIFTS, WHAT ARE YOUR SKILLS AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU CONTRIBUTE EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT? I'LL JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW FOR MYSELF I AM MY OWN BIGGEST CRITIC.
AND SO I HAVE TO OVERCOME JUST LIKE LIKE OVERANALYZING MYSELF.
AND SO YOU ARE PROBABLY YOUR OWN BIGGEST CRITIC, TOO, SO YOU JUST NEED TO GET OVER THAT AND REALIZE THAT BY YOU GIVING INPUT, BY YOU SHARING YOUR GIFTS, YOU MAY BE HELPING OR INSPIRING SOMEBODY ELSE.
SO JUST KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO DO IT.
AND WORST CASE SCENARIO, YOU KNOW, YOU TRY AGAIN.
BUT YEAH, PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.
OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THE PRIVILEGE OF THE MODERATOR CHAIR.
SO I'M NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH THIS TERM BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I HEARD GROWING UP.
SO WHAT IS IMPOSTER SYNDROME? THAT YOU'VE SUCCEEDED, BUT YOU DON'T FEEL YOU EARN THAT SUCCESS NOT WORTHY, THAT IT'S AN IMPOSTER? YOU DIDN'T REALLY YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.
YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO BE THERE.
DIANA, IT'S YOUR DOUBTING YOURSELF THAT SOMEONE IS BETTER THAN YOU FOR THAT POSITION.
BUT I'M GOING TO PREACH. GO AHEAD.
AND SPANISH WE SAY, MICHAEL, LIKE I JUST, YOU KNOW, SNEAKED MY WAY AND SNUCK MY WAY IN.
SO I'M ONE OF ONE ONE OF THOSE THAT MARCHED AGAINST THE VIETNAM WAR, THAT MARCHED WITH THE FARM WORKERS IN AUSTIN AND IN THE VALLEY THAT WAS FOUGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS.
AS IN TERMS OF CHICANOS, AND WE PROUDLY USE THE TERM CHICANO BECAUSE THAT MEANT SELF-DETERMINATION.
YOU DON'T DEFINE WHO I AM, I DEFINE WHO I AM.
SO ANYONE WHO HAS SELF-DOUBT GET OVER IT.
YOU EARNED EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE, THE IMPOSTER SYNDROME, GET OVER IT.
[01:25:10]
TWO POSITIONS TO COLLEGE EDUCATION, TO ANYTHING.WE WERE RELEGATED TO BE LABORERS.
WE FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS AND THE ACCESS THAT WE HAVE.
DO NOT HAVE IMPOSTER SYNDROME.
IF YOU HAVE CERTAIN POSITIONS, IT'S BECAUSE YOU EARNED IT.
AND WE FOUGHT FOR YOU TO HAVE THAT RIGHT.
WE HAVE ONLY ONE QUESTION THAT WE CAN ASK.
THAT WILL LAST JUST BRIEFLY, JUST BRIEFLY AFTER THIS QUESTION AND CLOSING REMARKS.
SO THE QUESTION IS WHAT ADVICE? AND I'M GOING TO FIRST KINDLY ASK SUPERINTENDENT ELEAZAR TO START WITH YOUR RESPONSE, BECAUSE YOU ALREADY GOT US STARTED.
AS YOU MENTIONED, SO MANY MEN, MEL IDENTIFIES SUPERINTENDENTS, PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG HISPANIC WOMAN AS SHE ADVANCES IN HER CAREER? DON'T GET MAD.
DEAL WITH WHATEVER THE SITUATION IS BY JOINING.
SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A REAL EXAMPLE, AND I THINK THIS WILL KIND OF SAY IT ALL.
I WAS THE FIRST LATINA ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT AT A FIVE DAY HIGH SCHOOL OF A5A HIGH SCHOOL.
I WAS 25 YEARS OLD IN SAN ANTONIO.
ALL THE OTHER SYSTEM PRINCIPALS WERE WERE MEN.
AND WE IT WAS A FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
I SAID, WELL, WE'LL GET TO IT ON MONDAY.
THERE'S A SHEET ON MY DESK THAT IS TELLING ME WHICH GROUP OF STUDENTS I'VE BEEN ASSIGNED.
SO I'M LIKE, WAIT, WAIT, WHAT JUST HAPPENED? FRIDAY WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT.
MONDAY I'VE BEEN ASSIGNED WHO ASSIGNED IT TO ME.
SO I GO AND I ASK THEM AND I'M LIKE, RUDY, WHAT HAPPENED? OH, WELL, WE WERE TOGETHER PLAYING GOLF THIS WEEKEND, SO WHILE WE WERE OUT THERE, WE JUST WENT AHEAD AND, YOU KNOW.
YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE MISSING.
WELL, I DID MIND, BUT I HAD AT LEAST TWO CHOICES.
ONE IS TO GET MAD, AND THE OTHER ONE IS TO GET CREATIVE.
SO I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO LEARN.
SO I WENT AND I TOOK A FEW LESSONS.
I FIGURED OUT WHEN THE NEXT TIME WAS THEY WERE GOING TO BE OUT AT TEA TIME.
YOU MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE SECRETARIES AND THE CUSTODIANS, RIGHT? SO I GOT A GLIMPSE INTO THE CALENDAR.
I KNEW WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO BE, WHAT TEE TIME AT, WHAT GOLF COURSE.
AND I WAS THERE 15 MINUTES BEFORE THEY WERE.
THAT WAS 40 YEARS AND £40 AGO.
I LOOKED VERY CUTE IN A GOLF SKIRT BACK THEN WITH MY GOLF CLUBS.
THEY NEVER MADE A DECISION WITHOUT ME BEING AT THE TABLE AGAIN.
I WOULD SAY STAND UP FOR YOURSELF.
BUT THE MINUTE THAT YOU ARE ASSERTIVE, OH, YOU'RE PROBLEMATIC.
SO JUST STAND UP FOR YOURSELF IN A VERY CALM, ASSERTIVE WAY, BUT OBVIOUSLY DRAW YOUR LIMITS AND KNOW WHERE THOSE ARE AND ENFORCE THEM BECAUSE NOBODY IS GOING TO ENFORCE THEM FOR YOU.
AND IF YOU DON'T ENFORCE THEM, THEY'RE THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRAMPLED OVER.
I WOULD JUST ECHO ELIZALDE COMMENTS ABOUT ALWAYS KNOW THAT THERE'S A MEETING BEFORE THE MEETING AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE A PART OF EITHER THAT THAT YOU EITHER CREATE YOUR OWN MEETING OR YOU HAVE YOUR OWN DISCUSSION, BECAUSE IF NOT, YOU'RE COMING IN BLIND TO TO THE REAL MEETING.
AND I WOULD AGREE WITH WHAT THEY SAY.
BUT DO YOUR HOMEWORK, ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG WOMEN.
LATINAS. DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND SPEAK UP.
IF YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK, YOU CAN SPEAK UP AND IT EMPOWERS YOU AND THE TEXAS HOUSE AS A LATINA.
[01:30:06]
MANY TIMES I'M TOLD, HEY, JUST SIT DOWN.YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T BE TALKING.
YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT THE STUFF THAT I HEAR BECAUSE I'M AN ASSERTIVE WOMAN WHO IS IS INFORMED AND EDUCATED AND CAN ARTICULATE HER THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW, AND DO IT IN A IN A WAY WHERE OTHER PEOPLE DO NOT EXPECT.
THERE ARE MANY TIMES READY TO JUST KIND OF BRUSH ME OFF, BUT I DO SPEAK UP AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE THAT TO MY ADVANTAGE TO SCARE MEN. THEY DO GET SCARED, THEY GET EMOTIONAL, AND THEY GET VERY SCARED.
AND I KID YOU NOT, THEY WILL COME TO ME AND SAY, I'M GOING TO PROPOSE THIS.
BUT YOU KNOW, CAN YOU PLEASE NOT GET ON THE BACK MIC AND EMBARRASS ME? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT? ONE BILL IN PARTICULAR, WE TALKED ABOUT CRT.
I WANTED THEM TO INCLUDE FREDERICK DOUGLASS IN THERE.
AND IN TERMS OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN STUDY AND AND NOT BE EXCLUDED FROM THE LIST THAT THEY HAD AND AND THE NORTH STAR, THE PERIODICALS OF THE NORTH STAR IN THERE.
AND THEY WERE LIKE CUTTING EVERYBODY OUT.
BUT THEN THEY LOOKED AT ME AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, IF WE INCLUDE FREDERICK, FREDERICK, FREDERICK DOUGLASS IN THE NORTH STAR IN OUR BILL, WILL YOU LEAVE US ALONE, NOT EMBARRASS US? AND I'M LIKE, OKAY.
AND THEY SAID, WILL YOU SUPPORT OUR BILL? AND I'M LIKE, NO, YOUR BILL IS STILL CRAPPY BECAUSE IT'S JUST BASICALLY STILL ONLY LIMITING TO A FEW PEOPLE.
AND THEY WERE ALWAYS VERY SCARED.
WHEN I SAY EMBARRASS THEM IS BECAUSE I DID MY HOMEWORK MANY TIMES.
BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE.
I DON'T HAVE THAT PRIVILEGE, SO I HAVE TO DO MY HOMEWORK.
SO I USE THE SPEAKING UP AND DOING YOUR HOMEWORK TO REALLY HELP ME.
AND I ENCOURAGE OUR YOUNG LATINAS.
CAN WE GIVE IT UP AGAIN FOR OUR FABULOUS PANEL? I THINK SOME TAKEAWAYS FROM YOUR CONVERSATION ARE THAT YOU SHOULD STAND IN YOUR TRUTH, WHATEVER THAT TRUTH LOOKS LIKE, ACTUALIZE THE LIFE THAT YOU WANT WHILE BEING COURAGEOUS AND CONFIDENT.
AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE OUR CLOSING REMARKS.
IF YOU HAVE NOT YET TAKEN YOUR PHOTO IN FRONT OF OUR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, STEP IN.
REPEAT, I DO INVITE YOU TO DO THAT.
POST IT HASHTAG DALLAS COLLEGE AND DALLAS COLLEGE, TEXAS ON TWITTER, LINKEDIN AND INSTAGRAM.
ALSO, WE HAVE GIFTS FOR YOU IN OUR GREEN ROOM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.
WE DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT, TO BE IN CONVERSATION.
THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
AND WE'RE DOING THAT THROUGH HERITAGE MONTH SIGNATURE EVENTS, AS BROUGHT TO US BY OUR OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND OUR OFFICES OF THE PRESIDENT WITH OUR CHANCELLOR LEVEL SUPPORT.
SO AT THIS TIME, I INVITE OUR PANEL TO TAKE A PHOTO AND OUR CHIEF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER MARISOL ROMANI WILL BE JOINING THEM, PROVIDING CLOSING REMARKS. AND THEN PLEASE BE AMONG YOURSELF IN THOSE SMALL FIRESIDE CHAT CIRCLES BEFORE WELCOMING OUR PANELISTS.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
YOU'VE HEARD SOME WONDERFUL STORIES.
YOU HEARD THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AS PEOPLE.
WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR LEADERS, PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR STORIES BECAUSE THEIR STORIES WILL ALSO SUPPORT HOW THEY ARE LEADING IN THEIR SPECIFIC ROLES.
AND THAT ALSO GETS YOU CLOSER TO UNDERSTANDING WHY THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISIONS THAT THEY'RE MAKING.
WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF OUR LEADERS.
THANK YOU, LEADERS. WE'D LIKE TO THANK ALL THE PRESIDENTS THAT TOOK TIME TO BE HERE TODAY.
[01:35:02]
STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.WHEN I START THIS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LEADERS, AFTER WE TAKE OUR PHOTO SO THAT YOU
CAN GET EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A SNEAK PEEK OF SOME QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE HAD THAT WEREN'T DISCUSSED DURING OUR PANEL GRACIOUSLY WHEN I STARTED THIS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.