For as long as I can remember, I’ve been told some version of the same thing: “You need to smile more.” Apparently, my face has been having a career of its own. But somewhere along the way, I stopped worrying about whether I looked approachable enough for everyone else. Because the older I get, the more I realize that a smile tells you very little about a person. Some smiles are genuine. Some are polite. Some are practiced. And some, over time, simply fade. Maybe the real l

Earlier this week, I was invited to give a few words at the launch of Hispanic Image Magazine’s 25 Women of Legacy — Rhode Island Edition. It was a wonderful and intimate gathering celebrating 25 remarkable women in the state of Rhode Island. Of course, I went off script. Not because I am difficult—I promise I am not—but because when I started writing down what I know, or perhaps more accurately, what I feel about legacy, a few questions came to mind. I am an ’80s cool kid. W

What if being nice isn’t the same as being kind? A personal reflection on the messages we’re taught about being agreeable, the cost of always keeping the peace, and learning that kindness doesn’t require self-abandonment.

This Marca Mujer journal entry explores the power of authentic connection in leadership and the impact of simply “taking the call.” It challenges the pressure to treat every interaction as transactional, highlighting instead the value of curiosity, openness, and relationship-building. A reflection on women in leadership, it shows how meaningful growth often happens in unplanned conversations that deepen connection and expand perspective.