On this episode of The Face of Latina Professionals, Rachel Diaz, CEO of Borinquen cakes, sits down and chats about all things being Latina, Puerto Rican cakes, and more. Rachel grew up in Puerto Rico migrating to the United States when she was 19. As she says, “By the time I was 20, I realized there were no Puerto Rican cakes in Chicago.” Thus her journey of bringing a little slice (pun intended) of Puerto Rico to Chicago began.  She called her aunts in Puerto Rico who are professional...

Berenice Tenorio, CEO of Nuestra Cocina Food Company, sits down on The Face of Latina Professionals Podcast to share her story of being a Latina executive in the food industry.    Born and raised in Hidalgo Mexico, Berenice had a dream of studying at one of the most prestigious schools in Mexico, a private university in Monterey. Coming from humble beginnings without much money, most people told her it was impossible.  “And I said, you know what I'm gonna do? Find solutions. And that's...

Grisell Perez sits down on this episode of The Face of Latina Professionals Podcast to share what it means to her to be a Latina who grew up in Chicago. Grisell talks about what it was like to grow up between two worlds. Born and raised in Chicago, she was raised by her Puerto Rican father and Mexican mother. Growing up in the 80s, she explains how it wasn’t cool to speak or act ‘Spanish’ even around other Latinos. Even though her mother would speak to her and her siblings in Spanish at home,...

Stephanie Martinez, CEO of HR Designed for You, sits down with The Face of Latina Professionals podcast and shares her story of being a mixed-race Latina growing up in Chicago. Stephanie’s father is El Salvadorian and German while her mom is of Polish, German, and Czech ancestry. Growing up in Beverly on the South Side, there weren’t many people that looked like her and didn’t have a ton of friends in her neighborhood. She shares how even when her parents were married, there were people who...

On this episode of The Face of Latina Professionals Podcast, we’re joined by Speech Language Pathologist, Suzy Carbery. Born to a Mexican father and a white mother in Wichita, Kansas, Suzy shares what it was like growing up biracial in the Midwest.  “It was interesting sorting out which culture is which, and when do you identify with which and where. You're in your Mexican culture at this place and maybe in a white culture at this place.”  Suzy discusses the intertwinement of cultures that...

On our second episode the The Face of Latina Professionals Podcast, we chat with Salma Torres about her incredible story and journey to get her to where she is today. Originally from Mexico City, Salma came here with her mother when she was only five years old. From living in a garage in Little Village to an uncle’s basement then an aunt’s attic, Salma and her family faced many hardships and challenges while she was growing up.  In high school, her mom was deported leaving her to look after...

In our inaugural episode of The Face of Latina Professionals Podcast, we sit down with Rebecca Bustos. Rebecca, a first generation Mexican-American, grew up in Logan Square and from an early age was surrounded by strong Latina women.  “Being Latina is being there for your family, being the pillar of the family and being Latina for me is being someone that's powerful as well, because you're holding it down for your family.” Rebecca goes on to share about her own revelation of identifying as...