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Helping the Next Generation of Latinas Reach Their
Full Potential
 As
a Hispanic addressing the readers of a Hispanic
magazine, I don’t have to state the merits of
diversity. But, as a business executive, I can say
from experience that diversity—in fact,
inclusion—makes great business sense.
By inclusion, we’re talking about more than counting
heads; we’re talking about making heads count. And
in business, that’s key, particularly when it comes
to reaching specific market segments. Whenever you
put people in key positions who are representative
of the market segment you want to reach, you
suddenly gain incredible insights into that segment.
And that gives you a huge competitive advantage,
which leads to growth and success. I’ve experienced
it in the domestic market as well as in foreign
markets.
In today’s mass consumer market women hold an
incredible amount of decision-making power. It makes
sense that corporations should try to put women in
key positions in their organizations. As a result,
women in general have been making important strides
in corporate America. However Latinas, while they
are making progress, are still underrepresented in
the corporate ranks.
As business leaders who value diversity and
inclusion, we can—in fact, we should—help remedy
that gap.
One of the ways we can make a difference is by
helping the next generation of Latinas reach their
full potential.
Hispanic high school students are registering some
of the highest dropout rates in the country. Young
Latinas who drop out of high school today may get a
job tomorrow, but, without an education, they will
not be able to partake of all that this country has
to offer. And they will find it difficult to make it
to the executive ranks. Business leaders,
particularly those of us who are Hispanic, owe it to
the younger generations to show them the way.
One way to increase the representation of Latinas in
corporate America is to begin to strengthen the
future workforce pool now. And you do that by
encouraging young Latinas (and Latinos, too) to stay
in school and graduate.
This is an issue I am very passionate about and to
which I devote a lot of my personal time. I’ve been
honored to work with a very talented Latina,
Katiuska Delgado, to launch the Hispanic Initiative
of Junior Achievement of Georgia. Now in its fourth
year, this initiative provides classroom tools,
volunteer instructors and mentors to help Hispanic
junior and high school students stay in school,
graduate, and hopefully consider attending college.
The initiative has been so successful, it’s being
introduced by Junior Achievement in other states
that are experiencing similar dropout rates among
Hispanics.
I am also honored to see a good number of Cingular
employees volunteer their time to teach Junior
Achievement classes and serve as mentors to young
Hispanics. This past year, in Georgia alone,
Cingular employees impacted more than 3,000
students. With their presence and their own life
experiences, successful Hispanics can make a lasting
impression in young students’ minds by giving them a
view of what the future may hold for them—if they
work hard and get an education.
A lot of it has to do with painting a picture in
young people’s minds of what the future may be like
and then showing them the way. A future without
limitations that one day will see a Hispanic in the
White House. And she will be terrific!
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Ralph de la
Vega is chief operating officer of
Cingular Wireless. He also serves as
chairman of the Education Committee of
Junior Achievement Worldwide and vice
chairman of Junior Achievement of
Georgia. |
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