‘Leadership odyssey’ – Latino program graduates its first class

Kelly Lao told a story to her fellow graduates of a new Latino leadership program on Saturday, Feb. 24. Ms. Lao recently attended a leadership meeting of CEOs of various organizations. During a reception at that meeting, Ms. Lao, who was one of the few Latino people in the room, was mistaken for a member […]

Kelly Lao told a story to her fellow graduates of a new Latino leadership program on Saturday, Feb. 24. Ms. Lao recently attended a leadership meeting of CEOs of various organizations. During a reception at that meeting, Ms. Lao, who was one of the few Latino people in the room, was mistaken for a member of the kitchen staff. She was handed a plate and told to return it to the kitchen.

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The story illustrates some of the challenges people of Latino heritage still face in our society, said Ms. Lao, who is vice president of museum experiences at the Putnam Museum in Davenport, and a Latina woman. She hopes those kinds of mistakes will be a thing of the past as more people of Latino heritage step into leadership roles. A new leadership program is helping people in the community prepare for those roles. Ms. Lao was one of 23 local Latino leaders who graduated on Saturday, Feb. 24, as the first class of the Quad Cities Regional Lideramos Leadership Program. About 80 people attended the graduation ceremony at the LULAC Club Davenport, 4224 Ricker Hill Road. Coordinated by LULAC Council 10 and supported by the Quad Cities Community Foundation, the new program has guided 23 local Latino leaders through six months of culturally specific leadership training. “These are today’s leaders,” said Alfred Ramirez, the program’s coordinator. “Our program created a space and a network where these leaders could grow. We combined traditional leadership training with a culturally aware curriculum. The results have been powerful to see.” During the graduation Saturday, Mr. Ramirez told the graduates: “You are not on a leadership journey. You are on a leadership odyssey.” He added that their trek will be an ongoing experience. Ms. Lao said some of the power of that odyssey is that it is helping get area residents ready to better help and lead in the Quad Cities. “What I like about the program is it shows you can bring change. … It helps with your self-worth,” she added. The program launched in September 2023, with program members meeting monthly for sessions on a variety of topics including civic engagement, identity and leadership, public communication, and more. Lideramos is a national network that shares a curriculum that can be tailored to suit local needs.  The leadership program is for Latinos at various stages of their careers and leadership development. Many of the program participants are business owners or managers, educators, health care professionals, museum leaders and at least one college student. Sebastian Mireles is a junior at St. Ambrose University, Davenport, and a part-time worker at Hy-Vee. During the graduation program, the 23-year-old told the audience that about two weeks before the leadership program began last fall, he had called Mr. Ramirez and told him he was not going to take part in the monthly sessions because it was outside of his “comfort zone.” He thanked Mr. Ramirez for getting him to change his mind and go forward with the leadership program. “I learned a lot about getting outside my comfort zone in this program,” Mr. Mireles said, adding that one of the top skills he gained was public speaking. During Saturday’s two-hour ceremony, the graduates received diplomas, colorful graduation stoles and glass ball ornaments to commemorate the event. Each graduate also got to talk about their experiences in the program. Here are some of those graduates and their comments:

• Jesse Garcia, an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach leader, said the program helped show him how to be a leader. It also helped him realize he is not alone in the community. “I'm just one piece of the puzzle,” he said. Mr. Garcia also asked the audience to support the leadership program when it starts recruiting and training the next class of leaders. (Mr. Ramirez said he believes the second class for the leadership program will be announced later this year. Information on the program can be found here.)
• Jen Hart, CEO of  Bubble’s Boba Tea in Davenport, said the program helped her feel welcome and believe that “I do belong at the table.”
• Dulce Pollock, a senior accountant at CMB Regional Centers, gave an emotional message on how the program helped improve her skills to become a leader. “All of us have the same goals – help others in the Quad Cities,” she said.
• Juana Rivera, of Group O, said she was especially thankful for the history lessons taught in the program “because I never knew our history.” She also said that one of the main lessons she learned was: “Anyone can be a leader.”

Members of the first graduating Quad Cities Regional Lideramos Leadership program class are: Megan Alvarado, Crystal Ambriz, Mauricio Diaz, Jesse Garcia, Jen Hart, Theresa Hirst, Angelica Houtekier-Schnerre, Carlos H. Jimenez, Kelly Lao, Bertha Lopez, Alexis Maldonado, Sebastian Mireles, Joe A. Moreno Jr., Marcelena Ordaz, Dulce Pollock, Deisy Puente, Cloey Quinteiro, Juana Rivera, Edwin V. Salazar, Mariela Trevino, Araceli Vazquez-Ramirez, Leslie Villalpando and Angelica Villareal. In addition to thanking the 23 graduates, Mr. Ramirez also thanked the community for its support including financial support surrounding the program’s tuition fee. That fee was $1,000 per student. However, no student was turned away because they lacked the money for tuition. Community groups and individuals stepped up and helped pay those tuition fees for those in need. Also, the Community Foundation provided $50,000 for LULAC Council 10 to plan and pilot the program and has recently committed additional funds to support a second leadership class. “We’re proud to partner with LULAC Council 10 and support this program,” Sue Hafkemeyer, the Community Foundation’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “Our mission begins with listening. LULAC identified a need and desire for this program, and they have made it a success. They’ve also created a model that can be repeated.” Mr. Ramirez said that a big part of that model is to create “evolving leaders” who will continue to grow and help the community. “This was all for the community, by the community to build the community,” he added.