Panel Recap: Mujeres, Cultura y Pasión
Last week, I was a panelist on the Mujeres, Cultura, y Pasión panel hosted by Chicana Inc. and moderated by Estrella Serrato from the podcast Cafecito con Estrellita. When Estrella, endearingly known to all of us as Estrellita, asked me to be part of the panel, I was excited to share the virtual stage with such talented mujeres.
Domenica and Estrellita’s goal was to bring together a group of mujeres to share inspiring stories about balancing priorities, the meaning of success, and the importance of supporting one another.
How do you define success? How do you deal with burnout? Why is it important to uplift mujeres?
These are all questions my fellow panelists and I discussed.
The panel featured powerhouse Latinas, including Diana Pinedo from Ms. Informed Latina; Karina Nava, from Karina Nava Nutrition; Brenda Hernández Jaimes from Ellas Podcast; and Melba Tellez from Mujeres on the Rise.
The event was broadcast live on YouTube. Chicana Inc.’s powerhouse Domenica Escatel energetically kicked off the event by welcoming the viewers and handed the reins to Estrellita, who did a phenomenal job moderating the discussion.
During the first session, Diana and I shared our thoughts about work-life balance, how we each define success, and what motivates us to inspire and uplift women, specifically Latinas.
Diana graciously admitted the obstacles she encountered while navigating her early adulthood, which stemmed from not having the right information to make informed decisions—and eventually led her to create Ms. Informed Latina. Being a daughter of immigrants myself, I can relate to her experience of feeling a bit lost and misguided. After all, adulting is not for the faint of heart!
When Estrellita asked us about work-life balance, I didn’t hesitate to share my unpredictable work schedule, which involves being on-call and responding to accidents. I could be in bed sleeping, get a call at 3am, and all of a sudden end up in the California desert. Although it’s demanding, it keeps me on my toes!
Diana and I both agreed that prioritizing and sacrificing is the name of the game!
The second session featured Brenda, Melba, and Karina and focused on dealing with burnout, educational background, and the importance of representation.
Brenda talked about how growing up she never saw herself represented in traditional media, which eventually led her to start Ellas Podcast. Latinas— especially in the US—will emphatically nod their heads when they hear what Brenda has to say because I’m sure we can all relate.
“I interview and talk with inspiring Latinas who are literally living their dreams and paving the path for this generation and the generation that is coming,” she said.
Many of us have had to deal with being the only Latina in the room, so I like what Melba had to say about representation. “The answer is quite simple. It’s important for me to uplift mujeres because representation matters. It’s always mattered,” she said. She also talked about her journey from dropping out of high school to becoming a Latina in tech and owning her own company.
Karina Nava spoke about her passion for educating people about the power of food and the importance of nutrition. After her mom was diagnosed with cancer fifteen years ago, she was inspired to pursue a career as a dietician and has made it her goal to teach people how to find joy in the foods they eat.
My health-conscious mother, who is in her mid-60s, told me she appreciated Karina’s message, and I’m sure you will too!
Domenica and Estrellita ended the panel by asking each other a series of questions ranging from their least favorite chores to dealing with imposter syndrome.
I was thrilled to have been a part of this discussion as I believe these types of conversations are meaningful and absolutely necessary. In a time when women are struggling to balance it all—and many are leaving the workforce outright—coming together and sharing our challenges, accomplishments, and goals is a breath of fresh air.
If you want to feel inspired click on the link below to listen to this powerful discussion and let me know your thoughts in the comments. Thanks for reading!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/hRjhHdYjOQE
Host:
Domenica [email protected]_inc
Moderator:
Estrella [email protected]
https://cafecitoconestrellita.com/
Panelists:
Diana [email protected]
Brenda Hernández [email protected]
https://www.instagram.com/bren_jai/?hl=en
Melba [email protected]
https://www.mujeresontherise.com/
Karina [email protected]
