Category: Diversity & Inclusion

  • 7 TED Talks You Must Watch on Biases, Racial Inequality, and Violence

    As I was looking at old photos the other night, memories of my teenage years in Santo Domingo flooded my mind. I began thinking about my late aunt, Anairis, who probably never realized the profound impact she had on my life. She always told me that I was a natural leader, and those words, as…

  • Unconscious Bias: What You Need to Know

    When I first moved to New York City over a decade ago, I didn’t know anything about unconscious bias. This lack of awareness meant that my own prejudices were hidden from me. For example, I would get upset when people mistook me for another nationality, not Dominican. My reaction was, “Of course not!” This triggered…

  • Remembering Muhammad Ali: Great Lessons From the Activist Champion

    As the world bids farewell to Muhammad Ali, there’s no doubt about his lightning-fast moves and powerful punch. He will forever be remembered as the greatest, the most celebrated athlete of his time. However, I want to pay tribute to his other strengths—the rapid rhythm of his poetry and the force of his principles. It…

  • What Is Diversity and How I Define It in a Social Context

    As I walked through the aisles of La Sirena in Santo Domingo last September, searching for a traditional dress for my daughter, I suddenly noticed something striking: the distinctive accents of Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia filled the air as people shopped around me. It felt almost as if I were in Miami. This experience made…

  • 5 Effective Ways to Support Language Acquisition

    Up until I was 19 years old, I only spoke Spanish and had never been to an English-speaking country. For a long time, I believed I would never be able to learn English, as starting to study a new language as an adult was incredibly challenging. This is one of the reasons I am committed…

  • Multiracial Oath of Social Responsibility by Maria P. P. Root, Ph.D.

    Last week, I posted the Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage created by Maria P. P. Root, Ph.D. Today, I want to share another article written by doctor Root, the Multiracial Oath of Social Responsibility that provides us with a set of guidelines to help us understand race relations in the United States. As citizens, we all…

  • Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage by Maria P. P. Root, Ph.D.

    In 1992, Dr. Maria P. P. Root wrote the Bill of Rights for People of Mixed Heritage, a groundbreaking document empowering individuals of mixed heritage to assert their identities, whatever they might be. In the United States, people who appear ethnically ambiguous have often been rendered invisible or pressured to “choose a side” based on…

  • Talking to Kids About Poverty: Raising Respectful and Compassionate Children

    On any given day, I find myself telling my children about my childhood and the things I didn’t have growing up. When they complain about the internet being down, having too many toys to pick up, or how little time they got to stay in the pool, I remind them how fortunate they are. It’s…

  • A Nation Envisioned by Women At The Intersection of Families And Social Justice #WeWontWait2016

    It has been five weeks since I attended the #WeWontWait2016 Summit in Washington, D.C., yet the experience remains fresh in my mind despite everything that has happened since. I keep reflecting on the diverse group of women who came together—representing a wide range of backgrounds, colors, and ethnicities. I find myself especially thinking about the…

  • Proud To Be a Latina Change Agent and Speaker for #LATISM16

    Five years ago, I was thrilled to be invited by LATISM to the first Top Latina Blogger Retreat, where a group of Latina bloggers was selected to go to the White House and advocate for the issues we cared about most. Since then, LATISM has partnered with influencers to ignite the changes our community needs….