Latino Silicon Valley Leadership Summit 2013
I covered the LCF gala in April and the Silicon Valley Leadership Summit at Stanford in May. The speaker’s words prompted me to think about how the Latino leadership might go about reaching the rest of the community. I am one of those who have been overlooked in the campaign – I had no exposure to the Latino leadership prior to covering these events for my publication. Perhaps it’s because I don’t look the part or, maybe it’s because my level of success is not in the ranks of those speaking at the events. Regarding inclusion going forward, I hope you and others find my perspective useful.
The high-end successful Latinos are coming together to network and support each other. The movement needs these people to be examples for others to follow. But it also needs to create several defined paths from the lower strata to the upper echelons for the lesser players to follow. You have to meet them where they live (think Caesar Chavez). This requires a staff of workers. Personal contact is required. Social media only serves those who can afford the technology and the monthly charges.
The benefits of advancement will be seen by those who personally know someone who has advanced and, most importantly, that the advancement is a result of direction provided by the movement. As positive attention is drawn to the movement, your statement of core values should already be well established while still remaining flexible enough to establish a solid voting plurality. Then run the upper tier and emerging talent that has been nurtured by the movement.
Core values are not a mold nor are they a litmus test. They form a net that includes the majority of your base without undue focus on wedge issues. They should include family, education, safety, equality, and most importantly a path to citizenship. Make no mention of abortion, gay marriage, prisons, firearms legislation, etc. You leave those topics to the individuals. You are about moving the group.
It is the responsibility of the higher to find the lowers and present an honest, rational argument for working together in the collective self-interest. You judge your organization’s success not by its social media reach but by how many people you have brought up from the bottom.
