As chief communications officer at National Public Radio (NPR), Isabel Lara ensures there's a unified brand voice at the trusted news institution—one that acknowledges all voices, all accents, and all experiences. A Venezuelan immigrant who came to the United States 20 years ago, Lara has already spent considerable time walking the halls of media companies and museums. What's been made crystal clear during her journey is that "the Latino story is part of the American story."

For Alicia Menendez, introducing mainstream media to the Latino community brings with it a deep sense of responsibility. An MSNBC anchor and the host of the Latina to Latina podcast, Menendez understands the value of context when shaping media narratives, and with her "heart of service," she promotes the message that if you want to break down silos, you need to be clear about the why and be willing to ask for help.

For Dr. Cristina Mora, the greatest challenge faced by Latinos is being seen as American. The community's collective consciousness may have developed as a result of never being accepted, but every new generation brings with it an added layer of dynamism and a welcome discourse about the identity of America. Today, as a professor of sociology at UC Berkeley and author of Making Hispanics: How Activists, Bureaucrats, and Media Constructed a New American, Dr. Mora insists on the nuance of Latinidad and calls for Latinos to work together towards a project of justice.

As a child, Maria Teresa Kumar often acted as her family's de facto translator, in some instances going to the doctor with her grandmother to make sure she received the right prescriptions. Her responsibility meant she often navigated two worlds and assumed the role of advocate for those the system quickly left behind. Today, as president and CEO of Voto Latino—and as an Emmy-nominated MSNBC contributor—she maintains an advocacy for Latinos that is louder and more critical than ever before.

Samara Mejia Hernandez discovered early on that math acted as a universal language when she was challenged by a fifth-grade teacher to pursue accelerated courses. Later, when an older sister pushed her towards an engineering program, Hernandez began to recognize the value of investing in potential. Today, the Chingona Ventures' founding partner carries that insight into her investment strategies, embracing the totality of her life experience to benefit the founders in whom she sees potential.

The first-generation son of a Cuban mother and Peruvian father, Mike Roggero never saw anything on television growing up that represented who he was. Today, as chairman and CEO of Fuse Media, Roggero has a goal to make the voice of the underserved stretch out across the entire media ecosystem—so that the Fuse brand becomes ubiquitous and, in turn, showcases the right representation of a blended America.

You don't become the CEO of a Fortune 200 company at the age of 42 without talent, self-confidence, and a clear vision for growth in market share and shareholder value. What makes Sol Trujillo legendary is that he brings that same competitive spirit and foresight to the project he now leads. Today, Trujillo is cofounder of L'Attitude and chair of the Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC), an immensely important role in which he ensures that Latinos take their rightful place in the family photo of America.

When Aidymar Bigio immigrated to the United States—having been accepted to the engineering program at the University of Rochester—it came as more than a culture shock. She describes that first step of her journey as a "survival game in assimilation." Aidymar Bigio's story begins as that of a curious girl who heard a ticking coming from her mom. That experience propelled her towards a career in engineering, and today, as a prominent Latina at Meta, she leads the future of Oculus.

One evening, while returning home from a baseball game on the team bus, Bobby and his brother didn't follow the rest of the players into a restaurant for dinner. They simply couldn't afford it. That night, the generosity of one man set into motion Bobby's ambition to always pay it forward—to his friends, his coworkers, his family. Today, Herrera is cofounder and president of Populus Group and the author of The Gift of Struggle, a book about leadership and the life-changing lessons learned in working through the grind.