AP Perspectives: Diverse Workplaces Create a Culture of Acceptance, Camaraderie, and Growth

For me, growing up Latina meant you went to school, got good grades and secured a job that would earn you enough money to pay the bills. My Latine* colleagues might agree that it meant becoming a doctor, engineer, lawyer, or any other job our immigrant or children of immigrant parents deemed appropriate to achieving the “American Dream.” Well, you can imagine the heart attack my mother had when I told her halfway into my 1st semester of college that I would be changing my major from psychology to dance performance. No parent wants the “starving artist” future for their child, but being the stubborn (read: passionate) woman that I am, I made my decision, and 3½ years later, I found myself teaching dance and choreographing musicals for a small, community arts nonprofit.

It was such a joyous time in my life, getting the chance to share my passion with so many young and bright students. Until one fateful hiking trip, I took a fall that would send me into a spiral. Cue the drama. What if I couldn’t dance anymore? What would I do for a living? What else COULD I do for a living? That incident sparked something in me that forced me to look outside my current career path. I inquired if this small, community arts nonprofit had any openings—an internship, answering the phone, anything to get some more experience under my belt. I sat down with the executive director, and she asked me my interests, and I replied, “I really want to know how an organization like this is funded by the community it serves.” It was this answer that started my journey toward becoming a fundraising professional.

I am grateful to my former executive director, who saw something in me and chose to take me under her wing even though I had no fundraising experience. She recognized that my passion for the arts and the deep care I had for the students whose lives I saw being enriched put me in the perfect position to share with donors the stories that inspired them to give. Sometimes it’s about seeing what a person can bring to your organization beyond what’s on their resume and providing them with the mentorship and guidance they need to succeed.

In addition, adding a Latina to the team was seen as a step forward for the 30-year-old organization whose administrative staff was all white women. It felt good to be trusted as a voice for the Latine community and to be able to implement any necessary measures that would encourage inclusivity. Something as simple as translating our scholarship application into Spanish removed barriers for many families. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of times when I could have done without the “...and she also speaks Spanish!” at the end of an introduction to a new board member or donor, but it is that constant visibility that reminds folks that my diversity is valuable.

It is important to celebrate diversity, not tokenize it. If our sector is to truly be committed to the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA), current leadership must seek out diverse candidates now and create an environment for them to flourish and become the leaders of the future. Don’t just bring a Latine staff member in to tick a box off the list, do it because new perspectives and representation matter.

Organizations engaging with diverse communities will attract diverse leadership whether they know it or not. My colleague Melanie Leon McCarron recalls being an English as a Second Language student in Miami and needing to attend additional courses in order to keep up with her classmates. Her mother, a Cuban immigrant and domestic worker, worried she would not be able to pay for these classes until she learned they were part of a program funded by the United Way. This support, which allowed Melanie to succeed in school, left such an impact on her that it later inspired her to work for the United Way. She now serves as the director of individual engagement at United Way of Greater Atlanta. When I asked her what it’s like working there, she said, “United Way is mindful of representation and acknowledges diversity internally, not just externally. I work with people who look like me and speak my language, which contributes to a culture of acceptance.” I would encourage organizations to get creative when looking to fill development roles. Who better to speak about the impact of your programs than those who have seen it firsthand and have been directly impacted?

In chatting with Melanie, not only did we share our experiences as fundraising Latinas, we laughed at our similar, early understandings of nonprofits, which were churches and organizations feeding the hungry. Finding friendship and camaraderie within the profession is key to staying in it. Of course, it’s important to find folks you can connect with, vent to, and lean on, no matter what they look like, but there is that certain connection within the Latine community that is very special. I’ll never forget my very first AFP chapter meeting. All of my nervousness melted away when Toni Paz approached me with her infectious smile and said, “Oh my gosh, another Latina!” I felt instantly connected to her, and thanks to her guidance, and encouragement over the years, I have taken advantage of so many opportunities within AFP that have allowed me to grow personally and professionally.

We Latine fundraisers are few and far between, but I am confident that by highlighting the success in our community we will become more visible and attract more to the profession. I can only hope to serve as an inspiration to another Latine to pursue a career in fundraising.

*Pronounced (la-tee-neh) and is gender-neutral. Unlike “Latinx,” the letter “e” in Spanish is already used in both masculine and feminine words such as estudiante, which makes it easier for Spanish speakers to understand and accept gender-neutral Spanish. Learn more here.