Our Washington State team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committed to partnering with organizations that create opportunities for Latino students and communities to pursue leadership opportunities, engage in policy and advocacy to center community voices, and advance economic progress.
For this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, we caught up with a couple of these leaders to learn about the issues facing Washington’s Latino community, their connections to this month, and their own inspirations.
David H. Garcia, MEd
Associate Dean for Community, Health Equity, and Belonging
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you personally?
When I first saw this prompt, it made me smile from ear to ear. That is how much I love our people. Our family is from Mexico and being proud is something that was instilled in us from an early age. The people, music, hospitality, beauty, brilliance, and collective culture are what make me proud. Being in community with la gente (the people) is healing. There is a saying, La Cultura Cura, in which we recognize and honor our culture, values, traditions, and indigenous practices as central to our health and well-being. We are a gente (a people) who have persisted in our own powerful and beautiful ways. I am proud of who I am and where I come from.
However, the term “Hispanic” is complicated. I don’t identify as Hispanic, as we are not from Hispania, and it has historically been a term mostly imposed on us by people who do not share our culture. Also, while we celebrate the month, we need to be mindful that our people continue to suffer from the feet of oppression most often driven by people, power, and economics.
What do you think Washington state’s top priorities should be for supporting our Latino community?
Understand that we are beautiful, smart, and powerful as a collective. Recognize our presence as essential for this state and country to exist. We are worth more than our productivity and economic benefit.
Listen to us. Do not make decisions on our behalf without our consultation. The process of consultation begins early and must take place often. We know what our communities need to thrive.
Is there a Latino leader/person who has inspired you?
This is a tough question because there are so many people who have been inspirational. All the people who have been intentional in nurturing our children to lift up the community. The people who instilled the pride in us and the reminder of being proud of who we are. Our elders, truthtellers, and artists for ensuring we never forget our history. Our families that have sacrificed so much and were courageous enough to travel to a distant land in hopes of opportunity. It is the everyday people who persist to exist and lift our people up, especially when we consider the many barriers put before us. This is leadership.
If I can only choose one then it would have to be my abuelita, Altagracia Chavez, or Ama as we affectionately refer to her. She transitioned to be with the ancestors during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the most compassionate person. She was a convener and a healer. People gravitated towards her because of her positive energy. Her time, energy, and knowledge were always focused on serving the people including her family.
Lilliane Ballesteros
Executive Director
Latino Community Fund
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you personally?
Hispanic Heritage Month means celebration and it means community. It is a time to celebrate our Latino cultures and communities. It is a time to celebrate the many ways that Latino/x/e and Hispanic communities have contributed and been part of the history of this country. Many times our Latino communities are described as resilient, but this month is a reminder that the Latino community are leaders, are creative, are joyful, are philanthropists, are innovators, are family. This is a time for me to connect with my own family and loved ones to share stories and joy.
What are your organization’s top priorities for supporting Washington state’s Latino community?
Latino Community Fund’s (LCF) top priorities are to build power with our Latino/x communities in WA State and to advocate for resource equity. We invest in leadership development and in the ideas of our community through our Alianza Youth Leadership Program, Latinx/e Nonprofit Leadership Academy, Community Grants Committee, and technical assistance for business owners. At LCF, our team is working across WA State to provide families with needed resources like food vouchers and rental assistance, but they are also identifying leaders to work alongside and advocate with.
Is there a Latino leader/person who has inspired you?
There are so many Latino/e leaders who inspire me. I also point to my own mother, who inspires me with her strength and love. I have been so incredibly honored and humbled to work alongside incredible Latino/e leaders across Washington State who are doing powerful and needed work in many parts of this state that have long lasting impact. The organizers, youth leaders, and representatives in Washington who fight with our communities inspire me every day. I am especially inspired by the leaders who I get to work with who also remind me to care for ourselves – this work is done in community and supporting each other makes us stronger.