As we enter into 2020 it’s now the perfect time to look into what’s ahead for the future of the Hispanic community. The recent Hispanic Leadership Summit held at the United Nations and led by Claudia Romo Edelman, founder of the We All Human Foundation, presents an ambitious agenda for the coming years. We spoke with the visionary leader about the Summit, her Foundation, the importance of giving back, and what it takes to be a successful leader.

The National Hispanic Leadership Summit 2019 was the culmination of the regional summits and international events throughout 2019 to report on findings and discuss next steps to continue the momentum of positive change for the US Hispanic Community. The summit served to validate, update, and prioritize the key actions discussed throughout the year to finalize the creation of a game plan for the Hispanic community to move the needle during 2020.

The Summit gathered a cross-section of decision makers who seek to understand the market opportunity and trends, along with Hispanic leaders.

In addition to Romo Edelman, other notable leaders in attendance included Henry Cisneros, co-chief investment officer and chairman at American Triple Partners; Janet Murguia, president & CEO of UnidosUS; Andre Arbelaez, CEO & president of the Hispanic C-Suite Corporate Council (HC3); Cid Wilson, president & CEO of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR); Damian Rivera, CEO of ALPFA; Nina Vaca, chairman & CEO of the Pinnacle Group; Ramiro Cavazos, president & CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC); and Raquel Tamez, CEO of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).

Romo Edelman has a track record in launching global campaigns and movements, creating collective action, and is a master of agenda setting. She has been in the drivers seat of some of the most successful global campaigns of the last decade including: the launch of the SDGs, Product (RED), the creation of the SDG Lions, rebranding the UN Refugee Agency and the World Economic Forum.

She is a trailblazer and marketer that has worked for 25 years with the most recognized institutions including the United Nations, UNICEF, the Global Fund, and the World Economic Forum.

HOMBRE: What were the expectations for the Hispanic Leadership Summit?
Claudia Romo Edelman: This was the second edition, taking place at the United Nations. It gathered 550 leaders, 30 percent non-Hispanic and 70 percent Hispanic. We presented to media companies, Hispanic organizations, technology companies etc. More than 90 leaders were there to demonstrate one thing: Hispanics are getting united, creating not only a strategic agenda but a joint plan of action that will change the history of our community.

H: What took place during the Summit?
CRE: There are a couple of things that took place. Corporate America had a moment to demonstrate how much they care for our community. We had a ceremony where more than 30 companies signed a pledge to hire and celebrate Hispanics, joining 140 companies. Also, we announced a multi-million dollar campaign to change the narrative of Hispanics for good. And the third thing was that we had the presence of young leaders coming and being recruited by the most prestigious organizations.

H: How did the concept for the Hispanic Leadership Summit come about?
CRE: Hispanics united are strong, but segmented we are not. The power of the community exists but we’re not excersizing it. We need to create platforms to transform and to create collective action. We need to agree on one or two things that we will do, that will be transformative for the community.

H: When you presented the agenda, what was the reaction?
CRE: Everyone has seen the numbers. Every corporation knows that they can’t grow without the Hispanic community. There’s no way they can hire, no way they can sell without the community, so everyone is on board.

H: Why is the Hispanic community so important to the national economy?
CRE: Because we are the future, we’re growth. We’re 60 million people, 18 percent of the population, the U. S. Latino GDP is now $2.3 trillion. Plus we’re young, we’re 29 years old in average, 26 years old Latinas, that’s 9 years younger than the rest of the women’s population in America. This is a competitive advantage for growth. This is not a charity, Hispanics are the future.

H: What is the significance of hosting the event at the United Nations? CRE: The purpose is to come up with a joint action plan and one of the ways we want to take advantage of the United Nations is to launch start a joint campaign to change our narrative forever.

H: What can you tell us about your foundation, We Are All Human?
CRE: This is a charity focused on advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion. We believe the world is already diverse, we just have to make it inclusive to allow everyone to bring their best self to whatever they’re doing.

H: What is the Foundation’s main purpose?
CRE: It’s devoted to show everyone that we’re all part of the same human family. Sometimes we forget, we see people as political parties, you’re a Democrat, a Republican, you’re rich, you’re poor, you’re Latino and so on. That is the one thing that can derail the progress we’re doing as humanity.
All around the world hate is augmenting and that is because we’re forgetting that we’re all part of the same human family and that we only win when we all win.

H: How does the Foundation seek to achieve its goals?
CRE: We Are All Human is devoted to fulfill its mission based on content, community building, research, publications, and thought leadership. We focused on the Hispanic community because we feel Hispanics are close to making a major breakthrough, if only we would unite, and understand our own power.
We won’t let go until we cross that line and realize if we’re gonna hire we’re gonna hire from each other, if we’re gonna mentor we should do it from each other. We should have each other’s back and burst the bubbles that separate us from those 26 different groups. The Mexicans don’t want to deal with the Dominicans, who don’t want to deal with the Colombians, and so on. We are all Hispanics and we should be proud because we’re incredible contributors to this country.

H: What is the Hispanic Promise?
CRE: It’s a pledge of intentions to incetivize corporate America to hire Hispanics and celebrate them in the work place. According to the Harvard Business Review 76 percent of Hispanics have to pretend to be someone they’re not in the work place and we’re not okay with that. We want to change that and incetivize corporations to create an inclusive environment so everyone can be themselves, particularly Hispanics.

H: How has the Pledge been received?
CRE: We have 140 companies that have signed the pledge in less than a year, which was a big surprise. We want to reach critical mass and get to the Fortune 500 companies. We want to build the meat, the flesh… what does this mean, what are the metrics, how do we measure monetary results, and then share those results in 2021. In the meantime we just want to have the majority of those Fortune 500 companies manifest themselves Hispanic friendly and understand the huge potential that Hispanics are for them as employers.

H: Why is it important to give back?
CRE: Giving back gives you meaning and until you understand what it means to be bigger than yourself you’ll never feel fulfilled. Being on the space of giving back with organizations such as UNICEF, the United Nations, and the UN Refugee Agency, I had the priviledge of seeing people that had nothing and yet they’re very fulfilled and proud because they’re able to help each other. When you’re a refugee and need to leave everything you have and start from zero, but still have that spirit of giving back – that is when you can transcend and become resilient and also believe that everything is possible. I hope we can instil that sense of giving back in young Hispanics because that is something that is not culturally ingrained in us.

H: What would you say is the key to success?
CRE: Collaboration. I’m not sure we’re successful but we’re very persistent. I think that is by establishing a sense of ‘everybody wins.’ We have been able to create a sense of community among Hispanic leaders that trust us, that trust each other, that want to unify because in any sport if you operate solo you can only achieve so much. It’s only when you collaborate that you’re bigger, that you’re all strong that there is no one that can pass you. We feel very accomplished.

H: What has given you this drive to succeed?
CRE: I didn’t know I was Hispanic until I moved here a few years ago. And when I moved to America and started seeing the numbers I thought I would’ve been a part of the winning team. That people were going to say you Hispanics are giving us all the growth and thank you for making America so strong. On the contrary, you don’t see that. I’m not a diplomat anymore and my life will be in America. It became personal because I have two kids and now they will make half the salary they would have earned otherwise.

H: What is the best advice your parents ever gave you?
CRE: My mother gave me the best advice of my life. She said you have to be an acrobat, you have to be a bullfighter, and you have to be brave. 
An acrobat because as women we have to struggle with a number of things and do it gracefully; a bullfighter to never take anything personally and just let problems pass because when you become entwined in problems they become stronger, so don’t let it happen. And be brave enough to believe in your dreams and that anything is possible.
I’m not irrational and if I see that the Hispanic community has a desire to unite and needs a little assistance many people will say how ambitious, and I say, why not?