Check out the journeys of some of our incredible Hispanic and Latinx DreamSpeakers!
From the East to the West Coasts, our inspiring Hispanic and Latinx DreamSpeakers’ careers and life journeys have taken them all over the country. Approximately 18% of all of DreamWakers’ flashchats have been hosted by Hispanic or Latinx DreamSpeakers! Throughout our Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, we had the opportunity to learn more about some of these inspiring folks.
The map above highlights where several incredible DreamSpeakers are based, and where their flashchats took them virtually over the past month.
These DreamSpeakers’ legacies and work in the technology, entertainment, entrepreneurship, and mental health fields, along with their impact on students, is immeasurable. Let’s dive in to some of their fascinating stories of resilience, passion, hope, and determination as we discover how each of these individuals got to where they are now, achieving their wildest dreams!
Luis Sandoval
Luis Sandoval is a Brooklyn-born and Queens-raised New Yorker currently living in New Jersey. He is an audio/visual engineer who previously worked at Twitter and is now an entrepreneur and full-time motivational speaker.
This month, Luis spoke with a group of 7th-grade English language learners at Sandusky Middle School in Lynchburg, Virginia. Together, they discussed the importance of being bilingual, finding and pursuing passions, and embracing Hispanic culture.
Dr. Ivania Delgado
Dr. Ivania Delgado is a Professor of Psychology and Social Work at multiple universities based in Miami. Dr. Delgado is a mental health and multi-hyphenate professional who holds a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, a master’s degree in psychology, and a master’s degree in social work.
Dr. Delgado’s personal identity and Hispanic heritage are deeply tied to her work with people who have experienced trauma. In her flashchat this month with 10th- through 12th-grade students at Winfield High School in Winfield, Kansas, she emphasized the importance of identity and caring for one’s mental health.
Julio Chavez Bosa
Julio Chavez Bosa is a software engineer at YouTube currently based in San Francisco. Julio’s family emigrated from Venezuela to the United States in 2003 as asylum seekers. He went to high school and college in Florida before relocating to the Bay Area for work.
In a flashchat with 4th- through 8th-grade debate club students at Hudson Arts and Science Charter School in Kearny, New Jersey, Julio shared about his upbringing from transitioning to life in the U.S. to being a theater kid in STEM.
Mark Machado
Mark Machado is a Chicago-based Senior People Consultant and Human Resources Business Partner at Google. Mark’s family emigrated to the U.S. from Argentina, where the majority of his relatives still live. He is a first-generation college student and first-generation Argentinian American.
As a native Spanish speaker, Mark spoke to the importance of being bilingual in his life and career to a group of high school Spanish students at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, Virginia. He emphasized the unity in many peoples’ shared experiences in America along with how he preserves his heritage by continuing to communicate with his family in Spanish at home.
We are incredibly grateful to our inspiring DreamSpeakers for their vulnerability in sharing their personal journeys with us. They are generous in their time, effort, and energy, and continue to share their culture with us while inspiring students across the country.
Positive representation in all aspects of society is crucial as it not only enriches the diverse tapestry of our nation but also ensures that the stories, perspectives, and contributions of marginalized communities are heard and valued. We at DreamWakers are honored to uplift the voices and stories of our Hispanic and Latinx community members, and we continue to celebrate Hispanic and Latinx heritage and culture year-round!
DreamWakers’ mission is to help students see what they can be, inspiring the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals in all industries. Representation matters, and we connect students across the country with career professionals who look like them, so that the youth of America can truly see themselves in the faces of their role models year-round.
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