Hella Latin@ Episode 60: From Surviving To Thriving With Jasmine Vallejo

Qué tal, mi gente? I am so excited to share the beautiful conversation I had with Jasmine Vallejo with you! Talking to Jasmine was like talking to a long-time sister. I could talk to her for days! We laughed, we cried, and we shared many understandings about what is like for first-generation Latinos to navigate in the world and how we wish to continue to create spaces where our people can show up as their authentic selves.

Jasmine’s upbringing story is raw and one that many of us can relate to, and the way it all came full-circle warmed my heart. Seriously. This girl is a female powerhouse and an inspiration. She went from lack to abundance. From assimilation to authenticity. From surviving to thriving!

Coming from a family of migrant farm workers, and from low-income struggles, Jasmine made it into a position that creates representation for our community and that allows people to be seen and heard. She currently leads the Community Engagement at Meta, where her passion for advocating for under-represented communities shines through. She is also the Board Member of Latinas in Tech, a non-profit that empowers and connects Latinas in the technology industry.

We talked about:

• Corporate hood
• Being hyper-aware of where we fit in the socio-economic world
• How we learn to assimilate and mask ourselves
• Why our parents try to protect us from discrimination
• How we exist in people’s minds
• Healing our generational trauma
• Being the bridge between our ancestors and the future generation
• Showing up authentically in the workplace
• Creating a safe space for our children and being the guide we wish had
• The giving nature of our Latino community