Age: 28
Lives in: Westchester
Favorite Book: George Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London
Favorite Movie: “Coming to America”
Place I Most Want to Visit: Colombia, where I am always surrounded by family and love
Favorite NYC Restaurant: La Esquina
Person Most Like to Meet: My grandmother, who passed away when I was younger
“I think the dual-mission is simply beautiful but what most drew me was the opportunity to connect and give back to students in the New York City area. ”
How did you learn about read alliance?
“My story is actually similar to that of David Foster and his mentor, Marcia Cantarella, who I saw speak together at READ’s Care to Know: Socially Conscious Event". I was introduced to READ by David Lewing, the retired president of the Hudson Valley-Metro New York market for KeyBank. David always spoke very highly of Read Alliance and wanted to see how our Key Young Professionals [KeYP] group and Read Alliance could partner to create impactful programming for the teen leaders, who are young professionals themselves!”
What personally inspired your involvement?
“I know first-hand what a huge difference it can make on a young adult’s life when they have someone in their corner to provide guidance and mentorship. The proper guidance can help to change a child’s future forever. I grew up as the child of an immigrant family and had to figure out a lot on my own. I never had anyone to guide me as a young adult through building credit or student loans, develop my leadership skills, or teach me networking and help me with my resume. Now that I am in a position to give back, it’s very important for me to be that person I never had. I’m continuously inspired by the opportunity to provide the youth in our community with the guidance I always longed for.”
How did the workshop series originate?
“Once the connection [between the Key Young Professionals and Read Alliance] was made, my team and I got to work very quickly to not only learn what Read Alliance was about but to see how we could deepen our partnership. We began with a couple of one-off workshops which lead to the first KeYP READ Alliance Youth Leadership Series, an initiative that aims to equip READ’s teen leaders with the tools they need to be effective and empowered leaders. The series featured workshops held bi-weekly for 30+ teen leaders covering a number of topics including: Financial Wellness, DE&I [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] and building your best habits with a New York Times best-selling author/corporate success coach."
What surprised you most about the teen leaders?
“We had a very diverse group of students and I could really appreciate the amount of respect everyone showed one another. It created a safe space where we could have impactful and open discussions that are not always easy to have. What really surprised me the most was their commitment to showing up every time, on-time. To come to all five workshops and diligently interact? That level of commitment truly impressed us. I will never forget one week, there was a teen leader who looked to be commuting home from in-person school. This teen leader took the entire workshop standing on the public bus on the way home, one hand on the handlebar, the other holding a phone, determined not to miss that workshop.”
Which workshop discussions have been the most memorable?
“I think the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion workshop stands out for a number of reasons. It was a timely discussion in light of current events. An example that comes to mind from this workshop is when a student pointed out that non-binary pronouns were not included in the list of options we had presented. She kindly informed one of the higher KeyBank HR business partners that his exclusion of such pronouns could be offensive and it gave us chills. We were so excited that she had the courage to speak up for what she believed in. My colleague [the HR business partner] turned it into a learning example for everyone. He applauded her and explained this was a great example of how to respectfully approach a friend or colleague to discuss.
“Also during the same workshop, a student shared a story of applying for a job and being discriminated against because of his hair style. He was wearing his hair naturally and had been told that this was unprofessional. We had a deep talk about whether he should change his hair and take the job for the experience or look for another opportunity. It was very impactful because the conversation was so raw and real.”
What drew you to get involved on this level with Read Alliance?
“I think the dual-mission is simply beautiful but what most drew me was the opportunity to make a tangible difference in the New York City area. When you look at the Read Alliance numbers--70% of students are coming from low-to-moderate-income families--that resonates with me because I was once a student from such a family. If these workshops can give one student an upper-hand in life as they enter the working world, then I have done my job.”
How do KeyBank values align with and support this work?
“It’s funny, I come from a marketing and communications background yet here I am, working for a corporate and investment banking team. Why did I select Key? I truly fell in love with their corporate culture. I have never worked somewhere with such an inclusive environment – fully promoting and celebrating the importance of individuality and bringing your authentic-self to work every day. KeyBank’s core values include making each of the communities where we live and work a better place. That is what it means to be part of a community. This corporate environment not only aligns with my personal values but empowers me and countless others to continue this type of work through our Key Business Impact Networking Groups.
What are you most excited for in 2021?
“The KeYP team and I are looking forward to working more closely with READ Alliance and expanding on the KeYP READ Alliance Youth Leadership Series in 2021! It’s my goal to ensure this type of programming will continue indefinitely for the READ Teen Leaders.”