Strategies: 4 steps Latinas — or any immigrants — can take to create a professional community

When I emigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela, I spoke no English, had no community or resources for jobs. As a journalist, I fled my home country because of brutal attacks on the press. Although I assumed I would immediately find opportunity, the opposite occurred; I felt lost and overwhelmed.

After a short time, I realized that the way to succeed was to take matters into my own hands, leverage my knowledge and journalistic experience and create something new.

In 2012, I founded founded Te Lo Cuento News hiring contract journalists — more than 100 fellow Hispanic journalists from 20 countries who had also fled their homelands — as well as the nonprofit Latinos Connect, a regional resource where people can find other Latinos and Americans but also mentors, education resources and more. Eventually, I met and connected with both English and Hispanic people who have become my new community and anchors.

I am sharing the following actions which worked for me for other Latinas — and could for any immigrant population — to overcome obstacles, acclimate to a new culture and establish vital community connections.

1. Engage in professional life and step out of your comfort zone: It is vital to consistently present yourself as a professional. Many Latina professionals in the US work in service roles and believe that working in restaurants or retail is their only option. Be proud of taking that step, and always make known who you are and what you have done. Never stop practicing your original profession, even if it’s in a volunteer capacity at first.
2. Network with purpose: Put yourself in social situations and do it with purpose. Be strategic about the places where you join or become active, considering where it benefits you the most. Join professional groups when you arrive in the U.S., as staying active in your chosen field through networking is the best way to progress. Organizations like The Quorum Initiative can be beneficial in meeting like minded Latinas. At first, I became active in local community groups as a means of forming connections in my new neighborhood.
3. Aggressively learn English: No matter how much or how little you can learn, or how quickly or slowly you progress, make learning English a priority. It is essential for integrating into the community and professional environment. This includes watching English language television and movies and using apps to help accelerate learning and conversational fluency such as Duolingo or Babbel.
4. Find a mentor: Look for mentors who can help you and don’t be afraid to ask people who may hold more senior positions and ask them to be your mentors. Try setting up initial meetings in the way that is best for such mentors which may include a lunch, a Zoom, a chat over coffee to adapt to what they offer you. Remember to mention that you are the most interested in mentoring so you are the one who should be connecting with them if they say yes.