Alumni Testimonials

Testimonials from our graduates

Karina Zarate
"Giving myself time and space to develop as a Latinx professional allowed me to gain a greater sense of identity and confidence, an amazing network of peers and community organizations who I can identify and connect with, and a set of leadership and design thinking tools."
Ken Cipriano
"The LEADeres program is important because it provides a space for Latinex people here in the Grand Rapids area to come together and learn from each other."
Jessica Ledesma
"The impact that the LEADeres program had on my career was major. It really took me from being behind a desk to advocating for I wanted. I remember graduating from the program and beginning my job search which ended up leading to a position where I gained almost 20% salary increase."
Jackie Hernandez
"It taught me to harness my unique abilities as a Latina, and to know the value of what my perspective and my expertise brings  to the table in my career."
Omar Cuevas
"When you think about Leadership, it's understanding yourself first and foremost introspectively and making sure you know how to motivate yourself, set  goals. But at the same time, it' understanding you have a responsibility to those around you to help lead. Your teams, your employees, those around you that there are situational leadership opportunities, and that Latino leadership can be a different thing on itself. We're here to create this community and make it even better."