Giving, Resources, Appreciation, Care, Inspiration Adding Value Service
Our stories make up who we are and inform many of our decisions as young adults. As a young Latina myself, I was thrown into a world at the young age of 14 surrounded by a majority culture I didn’t know much about. I had to learn how to navigate through conversations and environments I had never experienced before. I was learning new terminology while also trying to fit in as much as possible. Because I didn’t see another person that looked like me, I imitated what I saw the majority of others around me doing. The community was kind to me and embraced me but my ethnicity or bringing my whole self wasn’t something that was ever really discussed so by default, I dove deep in learning who I needed to be to make good there.
From that point I was launched into a wonderful career where I’ve traveled plenty, sat in many board rooms and executive offices, advised global, regional and local leaders in the areas of fund development, community engagement and strategic partnerships and so forth. Every board room and executive suite I entered I was the youngest, least educated, one of just 1-2 women at most (if there were ever even women at all) and the only minority. Every meeting I found myself taking a deep breath in hopes that, “this time it will be different”, but it wasn’t. There was a deep void left inside of me at the realization that every opportunity being afforded to me was leading me farther away from the black and brown communities I grew up with. That’s who I know and what I knew most. They were the men and women I looked up to my entire life and so desperately wanted to be like. Our folks were passionate, determined, hardworking and resilient. No matter how hard life hit them, they would always find a way to overcome any and every obstacle. Those were some of the greatest leadership lessons I have used to this day. I am them. They are me.
GRACIAS is my way of saying “thank you”. I want to honor the many that came before me, prayed for me, supported me and invested into me. It’s because of them, my community, that I can do the work that I do. I don’t want to be the ONLY one in the room anymore. I am calling on my black, brown, Asian, Indian and every other minority ethnic group to join me in filling up the room! We are talented and our stories are filled with overcoming hardships, navigating complicated dynamics in relationships, faith filled people who love God, mothers and fathers who work hard and never give up, students working to pay their own way through college because parents left everything they had to pursue a life of opportunity.
Through GRACIAS, we are inviting individuals to bring their whole selves AND their many experiences (good, bad and indifferent) to the conversation. GRACIAS will help you to define how to use those experiences to create a life of purpose. Many are taught to hide the negative things of our past, but we encourage you to use those things to fuel your passion, gifts and skills into your family, work and community. I believe YOU are resilient and powerful! I invite you to join our GRACIAS community that will help you discover how your story qualifies you in fulfilling your purpose; that’s what we do!
Here to serve,
Erika Gerena