As a multifaceted Latina who was raised by a single mother with limited access to educational and financial resources, I understand all too well the hurdles we face in the workplace. Early in my career I often wondered how I could bring my most authentic self to work—with big curly hair, caramel skin, and a New York accent.
Many of us have an inner dialogue that comes from our rich heritage that we dial back so as to be seen more like others. Now, as a channel sales manager and global cochair of LinkedIn’s Hispanic Employee Resource Group, I aim to create spaces where Latinos don’t have to question whether or not they can be authentic at work the way that I did. The answer, for them, is always a resounding ‘yes.’