I am honored to be the recipient of the "Top Latino Leaders Award" by the National Diversity Council. Thank you for your thinking of me!

Being #AfroLatina means that for all my career I have had to explain- time and time again- to colleagues that I am in fact, Latina. I can't tell you all the crazy questions I have been asked.

That is why this award means so much more to me. To be recognized for my leadership in #childwelfare is great and to have it be recognized by my people means the world to me. Es un orgullo!

To my parents, thank you for your sacrifice, teaching me what it means to be Dominican, and modeling what a strong work ethic looks like. To my husband Heath Cushman, thanks for seeing my potential before I even knew it was there.

To all #AfroLatina’s, I hope when you look in the mirror you see a diaspora of beauty, of color, of differences. Always remembering that #diversity is us!

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