Leading While Latina: Identity, Power, and the Politics of Nonprofit Work

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What is it like to lead a nonprofit when you’re constantly being told you’re “too much” of one thing and “not enough” of another? On this week’s episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Sharonne Navas shares what it’s been like to navigate a predominantly white sector as a first-gen American Latina. With experience spanning organizations like Para Los Niños, Ayuda, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and national justice movements, Sharonne names what it means to do deeply political work in a sector that loves to pretend it’s “neutral”. 

Maria sits down with Sharonne — co-founder and Executive Director of the Equity and Education Center in Seattle and a longtime advocate, organizer, and policy leader — to talk about identity, race, and power in nonprofit leadership. Nonprofit leaders will walk away with language to describe what they’re experiencing, validation that they’re not imagining it, and practical ideas to lead in ways that centre community, democracy, and their own humanity. 

The Highlights 

• Living in the “in-between” as a Latina ED – Sharonne reflects on growing up as the first American-born child of Central American immigrants, never feeling quite “Latina enough” or “American enough,” and how that plays out in mostly white nonprofit spaces. 
• Racism and tokenism in fundraising – From being treated as a bilingual “two-for-one” hire to working with wealthy donors, Sharonne names the microaggressions and structural issues that racialized leaders face in development and leadership roles. 
• Why nonprofits are inherently political – Sharonne challenges the idea that nonprofits should be “non-political,” framing our work as resistance in systems where governments have stepped back from their responsibilities to marginalized communities. 
• Democracy, philanthropy, and power – Drawing on her policy and advocacy work, she unpacks the contradictions of billionaire philanthropy. 

Resources and Links 

• Connect with our host, Maria Rio 
• Connect with our guest, Sharonne Navas 

Support the show

• Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded!
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