Latines Unfiltered: Why You Have More Power Than You Think

Latinas make slightly more than half of what their white male counterparts make for the same job. We don’t get promoted at the same rates as our peers. Our representation numbers in senior leadership are abysmal. Let’s not even go into how many of us sit on boards. It’s practically non-existent.

I’m only one person but I want to change this. I want to see us rise to our fullest potential. I want our managers and peers to appreciate our contributions, have confidence in our abilities, trust our decisions, and be invested in seeing us thrive and grow.

I’m going to share a story with you. A situation that should never have happened. For context, this didn’t happen 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. It happened in the year 2020.

I once knew a woman who was recruited by a very prestigious tech company. A recruiter slid into her DMs and invited her to apply for a role that matched her current position. She interviewed for said position and was offered a job. The original salary they offered was about the same she was making at her current job so she pushed back and said, “listen, if I’m going to make this move, y’all are gonna have to come correct and show me that you really want me”. The company responded this way: “tell us the number that will get you excited to move to our company and take this job”.

This was a critical point in the negotiation. One that this woman had been preparing for. She had a spreadsheet that had that magic number but she was too afraid to share it. Afraid that if it was too high the company would reject it, reject her and she would lose her chance at working for them. So she shared a different number. A number that was about $20K less than she wanted, and more importantly, deserved.

Are you still with me? Buckle up because things are about to get a little spicier.

So, this woman starts her new job and just after a few weeks at the new gig, she recommends that an old colleague join her at this new company. He almost immediately gets called for an interview and before you know it, he gets an offer too. Except his offer is for a more senior position and more money. He accepts.

She’s not sure what to do at this point but knows in her heart that this situation feels pretty fucked up. She and her colleague were in the same role and level at the previous company and now he’s in a more senior role earning more money. That just didn’t seem fair.

First she talks to her manager. Then her manager’s manager. Then to his manager. Then to HR. Then to Employee Relations. Then to anyone who would listen. This situation was really impacting her day to day, especially because it felt like no one else saw how unjust it was.

I’m going to fast forward to the end because we need to keep it moving. This person did not get her level adjusted. She was offered a “fast promotion” which meant she would be promoted within a year of starting the role. In the meantime, she did not get paid her updated salary until 12 months after she started the role. Her new salary was still less than that magic number she had been thinking about from the beginning. In the meantime, her reputation was tarnished because everyone thought she was a troublemaker. She had to work really hard to move past this early experience and solidify her reputation as a high performer and thoughtful contributor. All because she was too afraid to share the number on her spreadsheet in the first place.

That woman was me. And trust me, lesson learned.

I share this story as a case and point that I had power in that negotiation and I pissed it away. Not for any other reason except that I didn’t trust myself to ask for what I deserved. 

Those days are gone! 

Today, I stand in my power and truth. I use my voice. I take up space. I don’t settle and I don’t second guess myself. And I want the same for you.

So, I wrote a book that drops on September 15, 2025. The title is Calladita No More and my book is a rallying cry for empowerment, encouraging Women of Color, particularly Latinas, to speak up and reclaim their voices. It’s a movement centered on breaking through the barriers that harm and silence us. My book is a call to remember who you are, where you come from, and the power you already hold. You are not alone on this journey. The wisdom and strength you desire are already within.

For more information, visit calladitanomore.com