Latin@ - One Size Does Not Fit All

As I sat down and began to think about what being Latin@ meant to me, an interesting comparison came to mind: Tossed Salad. Most people praise the United States of America for being a "Melting Pot" of nationalities, religions, backgrounds, etc. It's the place where the mixture and integration of everyone creates something quite phenomenal and unique in the world. That is one of the wonderful things about our country... the diversity and impact it has on global culture. 

However - my thoughts shift a bit when I think about Latin@ culture. We are not a "one-size fits all" culture. There is so much diversity within Latin@s that we could be celebrating a different Latin country every day and it would look completely different each time! 

We have Latin countries that come from South America (Brazil, Peru, Uruguay), Central America (Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama), the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba) as well as Europe (Spain). The colors of our skin can be black, white, brown and everything in between. Our music, food and language can be found ALL over the world. 

So, what does this all mean? As a Latino who travels extensively for work around the globe, there have been plenty of times where I am approached and asked, "where are you from?" and I reply with, "my family is from Puerto Rico." I will usually get a response such as, "oh, well you don't look Puerto Rican." This is an opportunity for me to speak more about my culture as a Puerto Rican, but also my upbringing as a Latino and how we can educate people on the diversity of Latin@s as a whole. Remember... "one size does NOT fit all." 

Recently, I had the honor of being able to take a group of 18 first-generation college students to China on a global leadership immersion trip as part of my company, The Cultural Clarity Experience. Of the 18 students, 85% were Latinas. They represented the countries of Mexico, Puerto Rico and Honduras. Traveling throughout China, the young ladies began to create and share bonds with one another - dancing to salsa, speaking Spanish and sharing stories about Mamá. What they were also able to do was share differences that each country had from one another - whether it be different ways to make a certain food or a different way to say a word in Spanish. These were the details that showed similarities, but also highlighted the uniqueness of being Latin@. 

We may speak the same language and have familiar features... but, "one size does not fit all." 

With that experience, it is now their responsibility to serve as ambassadors and advocates for inclusion when it comes to the education of our culture as Latin@s, yes - but also the openness and understanding of other cultures. While they may have had that experience to themselves, they are now a window to the world for their communities and families. Showing worldwide, what it is to be "Latin@" and showcasing the beauty of cultural appreciation. 

As we move forward, I challenge you to view the world and cultures as an intricately made tossed salad. While each ingredient on its own is rich in flavor, taste and experience - together, they can create a taste that highlights each and every part, having a much more dynamic impact. 

Thank you to GlobalMindED for supporting these types of inclusion initiatives and providing a platform and audience. These discussions need to be had, but even more - these solutions need to be developed. It is an honor to contribute each year to the emerging First Gen Leaders who are making our world inclusive for generations to come. I look forward to seeing you all this June 6-8 in Denver.

To learn more about the experience in China, click here for the Video. 

Related Articles: 

• Racial Equity and Workforce Development 
• The Future of Work: A Tale of Multiple Americas 
• Special report: Higher education's existential crisis 
• Elite Private Schools Helps Keep Insiders At The Top And Outsiders Below
• The Workforce Is Calling, Higher Education, Will You Answer?
• The Future of Work in America: People and Places, Today and Tomorrow

Each session is based on how things get done, key stakeholders, measurements and ability to bring about change at scale. Participants do not spend time talking about their background; time should be devoted to unique, innovative work and what it has achieved. Sessions will be selected based on the following criteria: 

Entertainment For Change creates original song and dance (#SDGGROOVE) to educate young people on the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Like any meaningful social change, the original song and dance is a collaborative effort between more than 20 singers, dancers, writers and choreographers. Lauded vocalists Natalie Weiss and Antonio Cipriano lend their voices to the powerful lyrics, while each SDG is  danced by performers of all calibers.

The National Academy of Medicine defines "gender" as a person's self-representation as male or female based on social interactions and "sex" as based on one's genes. The environment can impact gene expression which is known as "epigenetics."

Gender/sex impacts every aspect of our daily lives. The same dosage of medication, for example, has different effects on men compared to women, resulting in a need for us to understand these differential effects in the research and development process before doctors can effectively dose their patients. Similarly, although some products (such as shoes, sports equipment, or cars) seem to have separate designs for men and women, it is important to distinguish between a simple change in aesthetics and a design that actually addresses the biological factors (ie, body composition, bone structure, metabolism) that cause men and women to experience these products differently. Each small detail and seemingly insignificant change in design can heavily impact how we perform at work, school, or in our leisurely activities.

GUIDELINES

Participants:

The challenge is open to all students

Design Requirements:

The design elements can include:

Programs (ex: an educational symposium);

Policies (ex: a policy on inclusion);

Protocols (ex: athletic training protocols or medical guidelines); or

Products (ex: sports equipment, clothing, tools, hardware and machine-human interfaces).

Solution Requirements:

The solution should:

Demonstrate the impact of gender/sex on a design element.

The concept for the design element needs to be clear, concise and actionable.

Submissions (approximately 1-2 pages in length) are due November 7 to contact@globalminded.org. We look forward to your ideas!