For Women’s Month, we are honoring successful Latinas with a stroll through the lives of five outstanding Latinas who have made a positive impact on our society through their hard work and dedication:
● Claudia Romo Edelman: Claudia Romo Edelman is a Mexican-Swiss diplomat. Her legacy dates back to her mother, the Mexican actress Cecilia Romo, a pioneer for Latinas in Hollywood. Throughout her life, Claudia has worked as a journalist, a press correspondent, and diplomat, becoming a voice that championed important causes. She holds degrees in communications, philosophy, and photography, as well as a Masters of Political Communications from the London School of Economics. For over 25 years Claudia was involved with organizations like UNICEF; The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and the World Economic Forum. She’s been a member of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and was ranked as one of the most powerful Latinas by the Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA). She’s won a variety of awards, from the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, to earning a ranking in People
Magazine’s list of 25 most powerful Latinas. She was also a professor of marketing for social causes at the University of Geneva.
● Kayla Rodriguez Graff: CEO and co-founder of SweetBio, Kayla Rodriguez Graff is one of the recipients of funding from VamosVentures, a venture capital fund that provided funding for many Latinx-founded companies. SweetBio was founded by Kayla and her brother Isaac Rodriguez. Their company’s goal is “advanced wound care” and comes from a surprising source: honey. Manuka honey from the manuka tree has special bacteria that has antibacterial and healing properties.
As a businesswoman, Kayla has had success raising $4M for her company and is proud of her ability to set the strategy for SweetBio’s future as they expand their national commercial success. Her commercial highlights include being featured in 60 Minutes, Forbes, and a nationally televised Prudential campaign. Kayla is passionate about advocating for women and diverse entrepreneurs. She has presented to the U.S. Senate on Women Entrepreneurship.
● Zoe Saldaña: Zoe Saldaña began her film career in Center Stage (2000), portraying a ballet dancer, not knowing that she would become the face behind one of the American comic books’ most recognizable fictional characters. Although Saldaña has mastered the art of science fiction and she is the second highest-grossing film actress of all time, and the only actress to be in three of the top five grossing movies of all time, her most fulfilling job is being able to extend a helping hand to those in need. The actress of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent won a Global Humanitarian Award for her work with JhPiego, an international, non-profit health organization affiliated with The Johns Hopkins University dedicated to improving the health of women and families.
● Melissa Cristina Marquez: Women in STEM are a rarity, especially if they’re Latinas. Melissa Cristina Marquez broke through that glass ceiling in style, publishing Scholastic books geared for kids, hosting several TV programs, a
podcast, and more. She’s one of the foremost experts on sharks and has had appearances on Discovery’s iconic Shark Week series. She’s a speaker for a wide variety of issues, from marine biology to ocean and environmental justice.
● Sara Mora: Sara Mora, a native of Costa Rica, moved to the United States with her family at the young age of three. Being an immigrant herself, by the time she was a teen, Mora joined the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program
(DACA). When the White House announced the end of the DACA program, Mora was not planning on giving up on immigrants in this country who entered as children. To continue her philanthropic efforts, Mora is now the co-president of Women’s March Youth Empower and the founder of Who Is Our 2020 which is about encouraging younger generations to get involved and vote during the elections.
These five Latinas have shattered patterns and barriers by transforming themselves into success stories for our community, empowering other women, and opening pathways for them. Worthy of admiration, they remind us of the importance of women in all fields and the enormous role they play in a better society for all.
Sources:
HOLA:
https://www.hola.com/us/latinapowerhouse/20211125313591/claudia-romo-edelman/
https://www.hola.com/us/latinapowerhouse/20210915g2b7al7im7/kayla-rodriguez-graff/
https://www.hola.com/us/latinapowerhouse/20210915g2a3rkcpym/zoe-saldana/
https://www.hola.com/us/latinapowerhouse/20210915g2deju749s/melissa-cristina-marquez/
https://www.hola.com/us/latinapowerhouse/20210915g2d3h4p17q/sara-mora/
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