In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, host Joanna Pineda brought back Josie Hernandez, President of Association Latinos. Josie discusses:

• How Association Latinos came to be. Association Latinos was founded as a LinkedIn community in 2020 and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2022.
• Association Latinos’ mission to advance Latino leadership and representation in the association space.
• Their transition from an informal group to a structured organization with governance and planning.
• How volunteers play a critical role in the organization's success, leveraging their strengths for growth and governance.
• Association Latinos upcoming summit called Conexiones on October 30, 2024, in Washington, DC., focused on skill development, embracing cultural wealth, and advancing Latino leadership.
• The Workforce Trend Survey, sponsored by Association Latinos, that is providing real demographic and advancement data about association executives for the first time ever.
• How Latinos contributed 41.4% of the growth in real U.S. GDP, despite comprising just 19.2% of the U.S. population. https://latinogdp.us/ 
• The story of her parents navigating challenges, especially with her sister born with Spina Bifida. Josie reflects on her parents, and their influence on her leadership.
• The importance of supporters and allies in the success of Association Latinos.
• How Josie is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month this year!

References:

• Association Latinos Website
• Josie Hernandez Associations Thrive Episode 59
• Workforce Trends Survey Special Episode
• Association Latinos LinkedIn community page