Growing up in the ’80s with two working parents, Javiera Balmaceda Pascal often found herself at the movie theater with her younger brother Pedro Pascal. The siblings, raised in Texas and California by parents who had fled Chile, found comfort in the stories they saw on the screen.

Where her brother chose to step in front of the camera, Balmaceda pursued shaping narratives instead—with a focus on Latin American storytelling.

For the past two decades, the Chilean native has helped major production companies like HBO Latin America and now Amazon Prime develop successful series and films for Hispanic and international audiences.

With each project she produces—News of a Kidnapping, Oscar-nominated Argentina, 1985, or the upcoming House of the Spirits—Balmaceda shows that there is a desire from all audiences for Latino storytelling.

Carla Vernón imagines a future that isn’t here yet.

Her power of imagination has been her guide since childhood, allowing her to see beyond the information available to make decisions with both her head and her heart.

The Princeton alum built her brand and leadership expertise at General Mills for almost twenty-two years, brought her vision to Amazon—and then became one of the first Afro-Latina CEOs of a US publicly traded company when she joined the Honest Company in 2023. She saw an opportunity to turnaround the personal care brand while transforming into the leader she was always meant to be.

Vernón has stepped into her own not only as an executive but also an Afro-Latina leader. She’s unfolded her wings to fully be herself among her fellow Latinos, particularly on the board for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino.

She imagines a museum that inspires us to move forward and welcomes the rich complexities of what it means to be Latino.

Wealth is more than just finances. It’s about securing a legacy. Building a rich and fulfilling life.

And Ileana Musa wants to make sure Latinos have every opportunity to build their wealth.

She knows firsthand the challenges that come with building wealth. Musa was raised by a single mother, who brought her and her siblings over from Cuba at a young age. She saw her mother in action as an entrepreneur to take care of her family and build a brighter future.

Through her work as head of sales at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and in the wealth management space, Musa focuses on the Latino community to provide financial empowerment.

This mission culminates in The Latino Wealth Journey study, conducted in collaboration with the Morgan Stanley Institute for Inclusion, Hispanic Executive, and Semilla Multicultural. The report provides rich insights into the Latino financial journey and how they can build multigenerational wealth sooner rather than later.

For Musa, it’s an exciting catalyst to move beyond achieving stability and secure financial independence and future for generations.

Not tomorrow. Today.

Being a political trailblazer is in Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s DNA.

Her grandfather Eugene D. Lujan was one of the first Hispanic justices of the New Mexico Supreme Court. In 2019, she made history as the first Democratic Latina elected governor in the United States.

Lujan Grisham’s successes for New Mexicans—investing in high-quality education from early childhood through college, reaching historic economic growth, setting ambitious climate goals—come from the relationships she’s built during her forty-year career. She is honest about the challenges that lie ahead and the conversations that need to happen.

For Lujan Grisham, to be a leader is to represent your community. She sees her responsibility, her legacy, to uplift the next generation of Latinos and Latinas. To have our elected officials better represent America.

It’s a challenging path, but it’s one worth pursuing.

Grit. Perseverance. Love.

Those family values have been and will always be part of Monica Gil, who grew up the youngest of twelve children. She watched her parents and older siblings navigate systems and unspoken rules of the game, trailblazing a path for her to advance.

Throughout her career at Nielsen and now at NBCUniversal Telemundo, Gil has always figured out how to reach back to bring Latinos along with her. To remove that “hassle factor” for Latinos and Latinas, and to remove barriers for future generations to get into spaces where they are few and far between. She’s launched women’s leadership programs, going beyond just doing one-on-ones. There’s also the Telemundo Academy, which serves students interested in pursuing careers in the media industry.

Providing exposure to leadership and corporate opportunities is an important piece of the puzzle to Gil. It allows our community, our familia, to celebrate the wins and the defining moments together.

Advocacy is at the heart of everything Dolores Huerta does.

It was the influence of her mother’s community activism and her initial time as a teacher that spurred her lifelong journey as a community organizer. She met César Chavez while serving in the Stockton Community Service Organization, and the pair went on to launch the United Farm Workers union in 1962.

That was only the beginning for Huerta. She became the most visible spokesperson for the union, securing seemingly impossible feats that allowed California farm workers to wield economic power. She challenged gender discrimination within the farm workers’ movement and campaigned in the early 2000s to encourage Latinas to run for office.

At 94, Huerta continues her life’s work as president and founder of the Dolores Huerta Foundation. She’s advocating for women’s rights and the Equal Rights Amendment. She’s encouraging young Latinos to make their voices heard at the ballot box.

Because for Dolores Huerta, Latinos are the future.

For Alvaro Luque, marketing strategies that promote avocados and celebrate the rich heritage of the Latino community will always be the way to go. 

With a career marked by groundbreaking initiatives, including AFM's historic Super Bowl advertising campaigns, Alvaro has solidified his reputation as a trailblazer in the marketing world. His dedication to authenticity and cultural resonance has propelled AFM to unprecedented success. He’s also sparked meaningful conversations about diversity, inclusion, and representation.  

Alvaro shares insights into the complexities of bicultural identity, the evolving landscape of marketing to a multicultural nation and the transformative power of storytelling – something we especially champion here at The Latino Majority. Through his experiences and wisdom, get inspired to embrace your own cultural heritage and contribute to a more inclusive society. 

In every episode of The Latino Majority, we ask our guests a significant question: "If you were to author the story of Latinos in America today, what would be the theme and title?"

Over fifty episodes later, we've gathered profound reflections from a diverse array of voices. This special compilation highlights some of the most impactful moments, showcasing the resilience, creativity, and dynamism of the Latino community.

Whether you're a longtime listener or tuning in for the first time, we hope these stories inspire and resonate with you. Enjoy!

For Stacie de Armas, a trailblazer in media and cultural representation, her passion for exploring the intricate layers of Latino identity in modern America is unmistakable.  

As a first-generation Cubana, Stacie brings a wealth of multicultural insights to her work as the Senior Vice President of Diverse Intelligence & Initiatives at Nielsen.  

Stacie's work has influenced major brands and media networks and deepened the understanding of the Latino community's cultural impact in the US. She continues to drive conversations and initiatives that celebrate the richness of Latino culture while empowering individuals to embrace their identities in an ever-changing world. 

For José Tavarez, leadership isn't just about climbing the corporate ladder; it's about challenging the status quo and advocating for oneself in the face of uncertainty. Raised in a family where hard work and respect were foundational, Tavarez's career path wasn't linear but marked by pivotal moments of determination and perseverance. One such moment came during the merger of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch, where Tavarez took a risk by asking for a meeting with the new boss, setting him on a trajectory of leadership that defied expectations. 

 As one of the top leaders in finance, Tavarez's story resonates with the Latino community and beyond, inspiring young professionals. His commitment to authenticity, empathy, and trust has shaped his career and philanthropic endeavors. Through initiatives focused on education and economic empowerment, José knows that to make a lasting impact on underserved communities, he must embody the values instilled from his upbringing.