Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15. I've been thinking about what it really means to honor it. To me it's more than a post or a hashtag. It means amplifying the Latina leaders who are reshaping their communities right now, often without the funding, recognition or open doors they deserve.
On this week's episode of Carrie On!, I sat down with one of them.
Meet the Chingona
Rozalyn "Roz" Lucero Corona is the founder and executive director of Chingona Community, a nonprofit that advances leadership, economic opportunity and community impact for women and youth.
What does chingona mean? In Roz's words, a chingona is a mujer who is fearless, intelligent and, in short, badass.
When she first chose the name, she worried. Would people think it was too rough? Too edgy? Would it scare them off? Then she remembered: that's me. Her daughter suggested "Chingona Community," and the name stuck. It turned out to describe exactly what she was building.
The Year She Didn't Realize She Was Building a Movement
Roz didn't set out to start a nonprofit. She registered a business, trademarked the name and figured she'd "save it for later."
Then, at the end of one year, she scrolled through her photos and counted 52 events, programs and collaborations. That's about one a week.
Two mentors asked her the question that changed everything: "What are you waiting for?"
She sorted that work into three pillars: leadership development, community and wellness. That became her roadmap. She'd been serving her community for 24 months without calling it that. Soon after, she applied for 501(c)(3) status.
Financial Literacy Is Non-Negotiable
This part of our conversation stayed with me. Financial literacy has been at the heart of Chingona Community from day one, and Roz is honest about why: she didn't get that education when she needed it.
She wants her daughters, her granddaughter and every woman and young person she serves to know how to stand on their own, without depending on a partner or carrying credit card debt.
That's a legacy built on purpose.
Investing in the Next Generation
Chingona Community puts youth at the center:
Youth Day, now in its fifth year, is a career expo with college and trade school resources, job opportunities, resume workshops and STEM sessions
An annual book bag drive helps with school supplies and food insecurity
More than $13,000 in scholarships have gone to female college students for gas, books, clothes and whatever else keeps them in class
As Roz put it, sometimes cash is the difference between making it to biology and not.
Somebody Opened the Door for Her
At 19, Roz was a young mom, a student and a paid intern at Xerox People told her she'd never finish college. Then a mentor named Sarah, who led the company's Hispanic employee resource group, opened door after door: conferences, networking and travel across the country. Above all, she kept telling Roz, "You can do it."
Today Roz is that person for hundreds of women. That's how representation compounds.
The Real Talk on Nonprofit Leadership
Roz shared openly what so many founders won't. She has spent years building on sweat equity, and she's only now taking a small stipend. After a layoff, she told her board it was time to get serious about give-or-get.
Her advice to every nonprofit leader: Ask. And don't be ashamed of it.
What's Next
Chingona Community is California-based, reaching from San Diego to Santa Ynez, with supporters in 12 states. Roz plans to open chapters nationally, starting in Kansas City. The blueprint is built and she's looking for leaders who are ready.
She's also looking for an executive sponsor: a three-year commitment that would let her lead the organization full time and expand its impact.
How You Can Show Up This Hispanic Heritage Month
Celebrating Latina leadership means investing in it. Here's how to help:
Visit chingonacommunity.com to donate or explore sponsorship
Sponsor a table at the annual awards in June, which honors women leaders and funds scholarships
Connect Roz with a potential executive sponsor or a future chapter leader
Follow @ChingonaCommunity on Instagram and Facebook
WATCH NOW: What’s a Chingona? Meet the Woman Building a Movement
Prefer to Listen? Available now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
To every chingona out there: keep building the room.
