Latinas Inspiring Me
In previous years, during Latinx Heritage Month I’ve focused on telling my story, and have participated in interviews to highlight the values on Tap Tap Organics (you can find them on previous blog posts or our press page). This year I’d like to praise the women who are contributing to their communities, performing at an elite level and building empires.
External inspiration is so important for me personally because it’s easy to fall into the daily grind. Following and learning from other women fuels me to be more creative and motivated. I hope this list does the same for you!
Latinas Caring For Our Environment
Carolina Sevilla
Carolina is an environmental and ocean activist and the founder of the global movement Five Minute Beach Cleanup. I came across her story when this video about her went viral. Formerly a diplomat and lawyer, she’s now based in Costa Rica and advocates for the removal of plastic from our beaches and the ocean by encouraging people to simply pick up trash for five minutes while they’re on the beach. Her belief is that these five minutes have a great impact if more and more people embark on this easy activity.
Today, any time I’m on a beach I pick up trash for at least five minutes, but often much more. In fact, Tap Tap Organics is a zero waste skincare company and I often donate to organizations that align with my values. I’ve been so inspired by the movement Carolina created that I contribute to the 5minutefoundation.org on behalf of Tap Tap Organics frequently.
Latinas in Tech
While I’m not in tech myself, I follow and admire women in tech. Inevitably, living in San Francisco has exposed me to this exciting and fast-paced world. I’m very much aware that we need more women, especially more Latinas, in STEM, tech and architecture. Also, my full-time job is to design and implement master plans and open space projects in Silicon Valley for a tech company who is looking to create more diverse, inclusive and sustainable spaces to live, work and play. I have the privilege of knowing the following women personally and I’m in awe of their roles, their influence and what they’ve accomplished.
Ana Corrales
Ana is the COO of consumer hardware at Google. Ana grew up in Costa Rica, studied in the US and has led teams at both startups and large tech companies. She’s considered one of the 50 Most Powerful Latinas in Business by Forbes and one of the Most Influential Women in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Business Times. What I love most about Ana is her boundless energy, her decisiveness and how present she is for her family.
Cathy Hackl
Also known as the godmother of the meta-verse, Cathy is at the forefront of how the Metaverse can change the way companies connect with their consumers and communities. What’s most impressive about Cathy is how she pivoted into this space. She has a background in communications and journalism, but years ago became interested in virtual and augmented reality. As that interest evolved into the metaverse, I watched from afar as Cathy became an expert in this field, all by her own making. I’ve known Cathy since the 7th grade (we went to high school together in Costa Rica) and am so proud of her incredible journey.
Latinas at the top of their game
Leilani Mcgonagle and Brisa Hennessy
If you know anything about me you know I love the ocean and you know that I love connecting with it through surfing. Costa Rican surfers risen the past couple years and represented Costa Rica and Olympics. Our country has shown so support for them as we see them progress and even dominate. Leilani and Brisa are two talented surfers that are representing Costa Rica. They are serious, elite athletes that also live a centered and carefree life. They really embody our “Pura vida” mindset!
There are so many other women that inspire me, this list only scratches the surface. I’m certainly always eager to discover other strong, smart and influential women. The more the better!
(Cover photo credit: Brisa Hennessy)