Staying Grounded in Your Culture Can Strengthen Your Leadership: A Personal Reflection

Oftentimes as a leader in education one can experience a sense of loneliness, or feel as if they lost sight of their ‘why’ that they chose the field of education. The COVID pandemic exacerbated this sense of isolation and unease.  As organizations began to schedule in-person conferences, my intent was to reconnect with my leadership goals and strengthen my leadership skills. 

I decided to attend the AASA Conference in Nashville, TN in February 2022 since it was in-person and believed it lent itself for me to connect with others outside of my sphere. It was at the AASA Conference where I became intrigued about the AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy for Latino and Latina Leaders. I chose to apply to the Academy to learn more about myself as a Latina and to gain insight as to how my cultural background can support my leadership endeavors and the challenges that come with leadership. Additionally, I believe serving as a role model for the Latino community is extremely important in a time when we know by 2050 the Hispanic population will make up at least one quarter of the population in the United States (Passel and Cohen, 2008). 

My participation in the AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academy for Latino and Latina Leaders has been truly inspiring and meaningful to me both personally and professionally. Thus far, I realized that the qualities and values of a Latina leader can keep you grounded in your leadership approach when working in times of crisis and can build staff capacity to positively impact a school community. 

Personally, I never realized the power of being in a room full of Latino leaders. Bordas (2013) gives power a new definition. As opposed to associating power with control and dominance, Bordas defines Latino power as the power of we- bringing people together across sectors and embracing a consciousness of partnership. Being a part of the Academy amongst strong, influential leaders was a true example of the power of we!  Sharing space in a room with others where one feels safe to share thoughts and feelings honestly and speaking their native language while discussing Latino history and its influences has given each of us the strength and confidence to do more and be more for the future of our school communities.  

What I loved about the Academy was that it offered me the opportunity to become familiar with Juana Bordas’ excellent leadership treatise The Power of Latino Leadership: Culture, Inclusion, and Contribution. Reflecting upon Bordas’ description of traditional Latino sayings, I realized that I have integrated these qualities throughout my leadership career but not realizing that these very qualities come natural to me because they are grounded in the Latino culture. Bordas (2013) speaks to Ten Leadership Principles, principles that can truly shape who you will be as an educational leader. Here are four that resonated with me and may influence a leadership style.

La Cultura, collective shared leadership, is cultivated through a “we mentality”, shared decision making and accountability through positive and challenging times. Leadership teams are a family, requiring proximity, honest discussion and shared responsibility for positive and negative results. Bordas’ term intergenerational leadership is defined by the ability to create allies and foster circular relationships. School culture is learned. Having allies on all levels of education who believe in a common purpose is instrumental to the success of a school district. Inclusivity of teachers, students and parents in shared decision making allows for all participants to forge personal connections. Intergenerational leadership speaks to the power of relationships and the power of ‘we’. This can also be carried into one’s personal life. Personally, as a mom who had ambitions to have a career, it was critical to create allies outside of work as well. My allies support me and my endeavors, thus creating a circle of trust.

Juntos, or working side by side with colleagues, creates a culture of servant leadership. Juntos creates a culture of ‘we’ can do this together. In the climate we are in today where we are faced with many societal issues that impact our schools- for example, during the Covid-19 Pandemic and after, we are challenged with mental health issues, trauma, and learning gaps. The principle of ‘juntos’ can galvanize staff and enhance a culture of caring and shared ownership to face these challenges together. It also strengthens bonds of trust among staff, parents and the community which allow for members of the school community to feel valued, heard and ultimately create successful solutions together. 

Si Se Puede-Leaders build people’s faith so that they take action-Leadership by the many. Strong leaders have the ability to observe and identify the strengths and challenges inherent in team members. Effective leaders are able to utilize words and action to spur colleagues to action by making the team feel included, inspired and valued. Leadership by many within a school community empowers individuals to create meaningful change within their sphere of influence. Si Se Puede also resonates with me from the perspective of a woman in leadership. Many women are playing a balancing act between the role of mom and leader. Surrounding myself with individuals who ‘lift me up’ and empower me has inspired me to do the same within my sphere of influence.    

Fe Y Esperanza exemplifies courage, humility and courtesy. Leaders must make bold decisions which can be unpopular at times. The cause is always something greater and a leader conveys this faith to inspire colleagues.   Demonstrating gratitude is an important component in decision making and leadership as it builds a collective spirit of faith. Two small words - ‘thank you’ are so powerful and meaningful, but yet we often neglect to say them. Hearing “thank you” conveys a sense of accomplishment, positive reinforcement and appreciation. Saying it expresses your gratitude for people and can open up innumerable doors of opportunities. These two simple words, spoken with sincerity and conviction, can change the world. 

Bordas, J. (2013). The power of Latino leadership: Culture, inclusion, and contribution. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Passel, J. S., & D'Vera Cohn, D. (2008). US population projections, 2005-2050 (p. 20). Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.