It’s the weeks after the 2024 election, and I’ve moved from shock and utter dismay to being shaken and worried. I was part of a book coaching cohort and was debating whether I should even write the book anymore. Why bother? I mean, there are so many bigger fish to fry right now. Why waste my time writing a book about learning how to use our voice when we are about to go through some shit, and we don’t even know yet how bad it’s going to get.
The we I’m talking about are members of the Latinx community.
I say this as a Latina who was born and raised in the United States.
If you think my passport or birth certificate has made me feel safer on these streets, think again. If you think I don’t have a visceral reaction every time I see our people get dragged away by masked individuals, you’re wrong. Because mi gente, we are being hunted. There’s no other way to say it. Like animals. Like criminals. Like prey.
This is a moment worse than anything I could have imagined: that we would be targeted on the streets of the country where we live simply for being. For existing.
And yet, there I was, in that cohort, trying to write a book about stepping into your power. The very same power they are working, day by day, to strip from us.
We are in some wild times.
Nevertheless, I decided to write the book.
I did so to share the moments I didn’t speak up, and the consequences of not doing so. Not as an expert because, transparently, it’s something I still have to work on. And not because I thought it would change anything. But because I knew our community needed a message of hope more than ever before.
I poured love into the book. Shared affirmations. Declared that our differences were, in fact, our superpower. Encouraged Latinas to stand up, take up space, use their voices, and stop waiting for permission. It was a bold message that met the current moment. And I don’t regret it at all.
Here’s what I want my readers to know. They must learn to show up for themselves in ways that matter even when the stakes are high. Not because it’s comfortable or easy. But because there is a real cost when we don’t.
Before the election, I started a LinkedIn live series called “Latinas: Front & Center” to spotlight Latina trailblazers and leaders.
So often Latinas are overlooked for their contributions. I’ve long maintained that the Latina visibility gap is real. Our work is consistently undervalued and dismissed. It’s viewed as less than by just about everybody.
In response, I wanted to provide a space that celebrated us, inspired us, and reminded us why it is imperative to use our voice. While some members of our community have chosen to stay silent or go into hiding for their safety, that’s not all of us. My show is a reminder that we are still here. Presente. Recounting our journeys and loving our immigrant parents who risked it all to give us a shot at something better. And we’re not going to take that opportunity for granted.
It’s 2026, and my life is different.
I’m an award-winning author with a LinkedIn live show that’s been around for over 2 years. I moved to Madrid, where I get to enjoy a life that doesn’t require me to look over my shoulder for unmarked cars or carry my passport every time I leave the house. I hold a deep sadness for our community wherever I go because things have only gotten worse. And I know so many mothers who worry about their children as they leave for work or school, not knowing if they’ll return at the end of the day.
And yet…
I also raise my voice in celebration of us. Of our contributions. Of our experiences. And of the ways we bravely continue to show up. There will be a time when we look back at this point in our history con mucha vergüenza. And when we do, I’ll be proud to say I used my voice when it mattered most, and made space for others to use theirs too.
Hady Méndez, a Nuyorican, is the award-winning, bestselling author of Calladita No More, and a speaker and coach who helps career-minded women and emerging leaders find their voice and advocate for themselves. Learn more about her work at boldlyspeakingllc.com.
