Leadership movements rarely begin with statistics. They begin with people who believe something better is possible. Across the United States, Latinas continue to demonstrate extraordinary talent, resilience, and leadership capacity. Yet the professional landscape has not fully reflected that potential. Latinas represent more than 9% of the United States population, but fewer than 5% hold entry-level corporate roles, and only 1% reach the C-suite. This gap is not simply a matter of representation. It reflects a loss of leadership talent and opportunity across industries.

The 2025 Lean In Latinas Impact Report, developed in collaboration with El Puente Institute®, captures how a growing leadership community is actively working to change this trajectory.

At first glance, the report presents measurable outcomes. Participation. Community growth. Leadership development. Professional advancement. Representation in spaces where Latinas have historically been overlooked. These numbers matter. They provide visibility in environments where Latina leadership has often been underestimated or invisible. But the report ultimately tells a deeper story. It affirms how Latinas lead and why their leadership has always mattered, even when systems failed to recognize it.

When Measurement Becomes Meaning

Leadership data is often used to measure how closely individuals align with dominant leadership expectations. Who advanced. Who stayed. Who adapted successfully to the prevailing model. The Lean In Latinas Impact Report invites us to view leadership differently. It does not simply track what Latinas are achieving. It reveals how they lead and affirms that their leadership is neither accidental nor compensatory, nor borrowed from existing models.

Latinas are not succeeding despite how they lead. They are succeeding because of it.

What emerges from the report is a portrait of leadership rooted in relational intelligence, adaptability, resilience, and responsibility to the community. These qualities are not secondary to leadership performance. They are central to it.

Leadership in Systems That Were Not Designed for You

Many professional systems continue to prioritize leadership models centered on hierarchy, individual recognition, and narrow definitions of authority. Latinas often navigate these systems while bringing leadership approaches shaped by community, collaboration, and accountability to others.

And still, Latinas lead.

They build trust where none existed. They strengthen teams during moments of uncertainty. They navigate conflict with cultural awareness and emotional intelligence. They sustain progress through connection and shared purpose. These are not secondary behaviors. They are leadership strategies shaped by lived experience. The Lean In Latinas Impact Report demonstrates that when leadership spaces acknowledge and support these strengths, the results are powerful.

The Leadership Strengths Latinas Were Once Told to Minimize

For many Latinas, early professional experiences included messages that certain cultural strengths needed to be softened or hidden. Connection was sometimes framed as inefficiency. Community focus was treated as a distraction. Cultural intuition was occasionally dismissed as subjective rather than strategic. Yet Latinas continued to lead with these strengths.

The data now affirms what lived experience has long demonstrated. Leadership is not only about authority or title. It is about the ability to move people forward, navigate complexity, and create environments where others can contribute with confidence. What many Latinas were once encouraged to downplay is now recognized as essential leadership capacity.

Leadership in Action: The Take Charge 2025 Conference

The momentum of the Lean In Latinas community came together powerfully during the Take Charge 2025 Conference, hosted at LinkedIn headquarters in Silicon Valley. More than three hundred Latinas and allies gathered for a day dedicated to leadership development, professional coaching, and community connection. Participants engaged in keynote sessions, skill-building workshops, and one-on-one coaching designed to strengthen professional confidence while honoring the cultural experiences that shape Latina leadership journeys.

The response from participants was extraordinary. Nearly 80% rated the conference a 10 out of 10, and the event achieved a Net Promoter Score above 85. Beyond the metrics, the conference created something many participants said they had never experienced in a professional setting. A space where Latina identity, ambition, and lived experience were recognized as leadership strengths rather than obstacles. When Latinas gather in environments where they feel seen, the result is not only inspiration. It is a transformation.

Leadership Development That Continues All Year

While the conference served as a catalyst, the broader impact of Lean In Latinas extends throughout the year. In 2025, the organization hosted numerous mixers, leadership conversations, and Circle gatherings focused on entrepreneurship, financial wellness, career advancement, and leadership confidence. These gatherings foster mentorship, strengthen professional networks, and create spaces where Latinas can share strategies for navigating complex workplaces.

One particularly meaningful initiative was the First-Generation Leadership Summit, which brought together nearly 400 participants in a virtual program designed to support professionals who are the first in their families to pursue higher education or to navigate professional careers. Programs like this reflect the organization’s commitment to meeting the real needs of the community while strengthening the next generation of Latina leaders.

The impact of Lean In Latinas has gained national and global recognition.

In 2025, the organization received the Lean In Network of the Year Award, a distinction that recognizes exceptional impact within the global Lean In network. This recognition reflects the strength of a leadership model that combines cultural awareness, professional development, and community support. It also signals that the work being done within the Lean In Latinas network contributes to broader conversations about leadership equity, talent development, and the future of inclusive workplaces.

As the organization continues to grow, this momentum is creating new opportunities for partnerships with companies, foundations, and community leaders who share a commitment to advancing Latina leadership and expanding access to leadership development.

Empowerment as a Leadership Practice

At its core, the Lean In Latinas Impact Report affirms empowerment, empowerment as a leadership practice. It reflects leaders who see people as a whole. Leaders who recognize the value of lived experience. Leaders who create environments where individuals do not have to erase parts of themselves in order to succeed. Latinas led with dignity, not because it is easy, but because it is necessary. It is necessary for the community. It is necessary for resilience. It is necessary for impact.

Why This Story Matters for the Future of Leadership

Organizations across industries are increasingly recognizing that the future of leadership requires cultural intelligence, collaboration, and the ability to build trust across differences. Latinas bring many of these capabilities through values shaped by community, resilience, and relational leadership. Supporting Latina leadership development is not only a matter of representation. It is a strategic investment in a powerful leadership pipeline.

The Lean In Latinas Impact Report demonstrates that when leadership development is supported through community, mentorship, and culturally grounded programming, measurable transformation follows.

An Invitation to Partners, Allies, and Future Leaders

The story captured in the 2025 Lean In Latinas Impact Report reflects what becomes possible when leadership, culture, and community come together with intention. Latinas are stepping forward to lead across industries. Allies are joining the movement to expand opportunity and strengthen leadership pathways. Organizations are recognizing the value of investing in leadership development that reflects the diversity of the communities they serve.

When we truly see how Latinas lead, we see more than achievement.

We see resilience.

We see community.

We see leadership rooted in humanity.

And when that leadership is supported, the impact extends far beyond individual success.

Organizations grow stronger. Communities become more connected. And new generations of Latina leaders move forward with confidence and purpose. Because when one Latina rises, we all rise.

For organizations, partners, and allies who believe in strengthening the future of leadership, Lean In Latinas welcomes collaboration and support. Through sponsorship, philanthropic investment, and strategic partnerships, supporters help expand leadership development programs, mentorship opportunities, and community spaces where Latina leaders can thrive. To learn more about partnership opportunities or ways to support the continued growth of Lean In Latinas, visit www.leaninlatinas.org.

Support Lean In Latinas

Lean In Latinas is a volunteer-powered nonprofit dedicated to advancing Latina leadership. Ways to support: • Become a corporate sponsor • Make a philanthropic contribution. Learn more: www.leaninlatinas.org.

El Puente Institute is honored to have collaborated with the wonderful leaders of Lean In Latinas. Thank you to you all. Anna Dapelo-Garcia Nancy Marmolejo Jenny Xochilt Salinas

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