Esmeralda Sierra, HLI Pinal 2024

Through the Hispanic Leadership Institute, I gained valuable skills in connecting with local organizations to foster unity. The program also helped me overcome my fear of public speaking and grow both personally and professionally.

I was especially inspired by the leadership brought in by Valle del Sol—such as the Mayor of Casa Grande and the CEO of the Pinal Hispanic Council—which showed the importance of community support in achieving our goals.

Professionally, HLI reinforced how our community is connected through business, education, and service. I’ve continued advocating through my platform, "Manos Unidas: Comunidad con Voz y Acceso," which aims to eliminate language barriers in healthcare, mental health and promote equity through culturally relevant resources.

As a community health counselor, Miss Casa Grande Latina, and student of linguistics, I’ve supported these efforts by developing a Spanish resource book for the Pinal Hispanic Council and introducing a language policy at Intermountain Centers.
HLI has been a powerful influence on my journey, and I’m grateful for its impact.