From the Border to the Boardroom: Redefining Equity in Corporate America

Growing up in a border town as a Chicana and a first-generation college graduate, I always understood the value of resilience, hard work, and community. My mother, a beacon of strength, taught me that even the smallest acts of kindness can ripple outward and create lasting change. Watching her navigate an unforgiving system as a worker exploited for her labor, I developed a deep-seated commitment to justice and equity in all aspects of life. This foundation has shaped not only who I am but also the work I do today.

My career began as a first-generation office worker, stepping into a world where navigating corporate America required skills I had not been privy to before. I had to learn a new language—adopting a “White Voice” and “White Professionalism”—if I ever hoped to make it. It wasn’t just about the work; it was about understanding the unspoken rules, building the right connections, and learning to "play the game." I’ll always be grateful to the roommate who took the time to teach me how to communicate in a way that resonated in corporate spaces. That knowledge became my key to growth, but it also opened my eyes to the stark inequities faced by marginalized communities in these environments.

What struck me most was the silent acceptance of these inequities. From the treatment of BIPOC employees to the systemic barriers preventing fair advancement, these injustices were seen as part of the norm. And yet, speaking up about them was often considered taboo. I couldn’t accept that. I started small, addressing these issues within my own organizations. When HR responded with, “You do it,” I absolutely did. I rallied a group of smart, courageous women, and together, we pushed for change. We created initiatives that made a lasting impact—and that work lit a fire in me to do more.

Fast forward to today: I founded Workforce Evolution Consulting to help organizations transform the way they think about work, equity, and the future. Traditional HR structures and workplace norms aren’t resonating with today’s workforce. Millennials and Gen Z are demanding transparency, flexibility, and authenticity—and they’re leaving workplaces that fail to adapt. In fact, Millennials have become the largest generation in the U.S. labor force, surpassing Gen Xers in 2016, while Gen Z is projected to make up 30% of the workforce by 2030, amounting to nearly 50 million jobs. (Pew Research)

But the challenges go deeper. Wage inequality remains a persistent issue: in 2022, women working full-time year-round earned 84 cents for every dollar earned by men, with the disparity even worse for women of color. Compared to white, non-Hispanic men, Black women earned 69 cents and Hispanic women earned just 57 cents for every dollar. (DOL) Meanwhile, about 42% of working women in the U.S. report experiencing gender-based discrimination in the workplace, including being passed over for key assignments or earning less than male counterparts. (Pew Research)

My approach is rooted in both personal experience and practical solutions. It’s also deeply personal and passionate. I’m not an expert in “White Professionalism”—it’s something I’ve had to learn the hard way. My work is for those who care about real results and meaningful change in what is considered “Professional Corporate America.” It’s for all of us who belong to marginalized communities. It’s for your parents who deserved better treatment and shouldn’t have been judged for navigating systems that weren’t built for them. Because let’s face it: corporate structures were designed for a specific type of person, but the bulk of the work is done by the rest of us.

I’ve been on the front lines, navigating systemic barriers, and I’ve worked at a leadership level to drive change. At Workforce Evolution Consulting, I specialize in creating actionable strategies that foster collaboration, develop leadership, and build workplaces where everyone feels valued. Whether it’s creating impactful Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), addressing retention challenges, or navigating the shift to fractional workers, my goal is to help organizations evolve for long-term success.

But my work goes deeper than just strategy. It’s about community and connection. Marginalized communities and allies must come together to lift each other up, share knowledge, and listen with intention. We all have blind spots, but we also all have wisdom that can benefit others. The goal isn’t to be a perfect ally; it’s to commit to learning, growing, and standing together.

This work is deeply personal to me. It’s about honoring my mother’s resilience, my community’s strength, and my own journey through systems that weren’t built for me. It’s about creating workplaces where no one feels they have to shrink themselves to succeed. And it’s about building a future where equity, innovation, and opportunity go hand in hand.

If you’re ready to take your organization to the next level—to not just adapt but thrive in a rapidly changing workforce—let’s connect. Together, we can build a future of work that works for everyone.