We Need More Latinx Voices in the Nonprofit Capacity Building Field

Yesterday was the last day of Hispanic Heritage month and I’ve been reflecting on the lack of Latinx representation in nonprofit leadership. In my 27-year career in public service, opportunities that embrace and celebrate the diversity and deep history and background of Latinx individuals are rarely reflected in the field I’ve chosen. I’ve seen few Latinx funders, executive directors, consultants, and even fewer opportunities for LatinX thought leaders to share their voices, insights, and wisdom.

I’m starting this blog as way to share my own voice, what I’ve learned over the years, connect you to helpful resources, and highlight other like-minded individuals. In today’s blog, I’ll tell you a little about myself, what you’ll get from reading this blog, and learn about a great opportunity to receive capacity building support.

A little about me

Although my career has taken me from Los Angeles to DC, and now New York, I’m originally from sunny El Paso, Texas. Born to working-class Mexican and Puerto Rican parents, I left home to feed my inquisitive nature and contribute to other people’s lives. From tutoring homeless youth in Adams Morgan (DC), to teaching English to garment workers in south central LA, to leading a microenterprise program in East New York, l loved making a difference. While in Los Angeles, it dawned on me that all the passion in the world would not make an impact if the institutions we work in are dysfunctional, inequitable, and counterproductive. I pursued my second graduate degree in organizational development and sought out opportunities to support nonprofit leaders and strengthen their nonprofits.      

I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some shining examples of Latinx nonprofit thought leadership such as Hispanics in Philanthropy and Hispanic Federation, but we need more courageous souls to share their thoughts, experiences and beliefs to better understand this rapidly growing population and to inform new models and approaches to better serve them.

Three things you’ll get from this blog:

1.     A Latinx voice in public sector

There are several instances in my career where I was the only Latinx or person of color while serving on a board, volunteering on a task force, speaking on a panel, or in leadership positions. Some of those experiences felt isolating, disempowering, and unproductive. Census projections show that by 2060, the Latinx community will be 119 million (28% of US population) compared to 55 million in 2014 (17%). in New York City, Latinx make up 29% of the city’s population yet only 6.8% of local boards and 7% of executive directors, according to a recent study by Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York. Although I can't say my perspective embodies the great diversity of Latinx individuals, you'll get a glimpse of one point of view grounded in a unique culture and heritage.

2.     Ideas for strengthening communities and their nonprofits

Aside from bringing a Latinx perspective, I’ll tell you what I think we can do to help communities build assets, advocate, and strengthen critical human services providers, or support vulnerable populations. I’m particularly passionate about nonprofit capacity building as a strategy for building resilience within organizations that are at the forefront of addressing deficits that affect and impact resource allocation and services for families, youth, and their extended communities. 

3.     Share helpful resources

Finally, through this blog, I will be sharing organizational development ideas and resources. In my current role as Senior Director for Capacity Building and Professional Development at NYC’s Department of Youth and Community Development, I have the pleasure of working with very talented consulting companies that deliver meaningful, impactful trainings, coaching, and consulting services to the nonprofits we fund. Some of the resources are free and available to any nonprofit, such as the CB Resources Directory.

Speaking of helpful resources, check out the application for the Communities of Color Nonprofit Stabilization Fund. Minority-led and serving organizations can get valuable capacity building support to strengthen their organization on anything from fiscal management to strategic planning. The deadline is November 3rd, so make sure you apply soon. Here’s the link to the application: https://www.ccnsfund.org/how-to-apply