From Compliance Officer to Social Change Maker: My Experience as an Ashoka Executive in Residence

If someone asked me about my bucket list of trips for the year, I’m happy to say I checked my favorite one off the list: I spent two weeks in Mexico City and got a chance to help a local organization make positive changes for the community. When Western Union asked me to be a part of the Ashoka Executive in Residence Program (EIR), I knew my experience would change me for the better. I was extremely happy I met such incredible people during my stay in Mexico City.

So what is the Ashoka EIR? It’s a great organization that encourages corporate executives, like me, to engage in collaborative efforts with leading social initiatives to affect change. For my engagement, I chose to collaborate with Reinserta un Mexicano, an organization that works with the young inmate population to aid in their integration back to society, including working with those children who were raised in the prison system while their parents were incarcerated and those wrongly accused of a crime. I looked forward to gaining insights in organized crime and risk typologies from a completely different perspective than what I was accustomed to.   

Since I’ve returned back home in Miami, I would like to share what I learned during my participation in the Ashoka EIR:

1) Volunteer your skills

Wherever you go, the skills you learned from your past experiences may help others, even if you don’t know it yet. For instance, during my time with Reinserta un Mexicano, I developed a Strategic Plan for 2017-2019 to help them increase the impact of Reinserta. I was very excited to participate in this project as it was a perfect match with my passion for anti-crime programs, especially those in Latin America. The plan provided guidance to Reinserta’s staff, Board of Directors and other key partners over the next two years, including: program direction options, set fundraising priorities, allocate the use of limited human and financial resources and develop mid-term action plans. At times, I have taken for granted the number of skills I learned and practiced at WU. Skills in strategic thinking, governance, organization, human resources and finance, to name a few, that have been enhanced during my two years at WU, were critical to the success of my assignment with Ashoka and I was happy to volunteer and contribute as much as I can to Reinserta un Mexicano.

2) There is no age limit to leadership

Reinserta’s team is proof that young people can and are changing the course of the world. The staff is comprised of 27 employees, all under 30 years old and 95% women. It was energizing to see so much good come from people who may experience negativity or fear from those they try to help. There is a generation of fearless and optimistic young leaders in Mexico who are challenging norms and working to achieve a better future for their country. These young leaders are intolerant to corruption and see vast opportunities to positively shape policy. I also believe that there is hope for the troubled youths I had the opportunity to meet while working with Reinserta. I spent time with these youths visiting museums, joining salsa workshops and sharing our life stories and lessons. Hearing their stories and the challenges they overcame in their lives have truly left an imprint.

3) Do not fear vulnerability

Everyone has moments in their lives when they must overcome the fear for their own safety and security and take the chances that avail themselves in order to experience something unique. The feeling of vulnerability when you are conversing with a group of people who have been in the prison system can be overwhelming. However, the reward I have achieved by hearing their stories and their successes far outweighed my fear. I found the young offenders and those raised in the prison system fascinating. It is amazing to lift the tough veil that masks the human behind the criminal and see into their souls. Their stories will stay with me forever.

After all these years as an executive, working with Reinserta un Mexicano has taught and challenged me in unique ways; not only professionally, but also personally. The strategic plan I helped develop was positively received by the Reinserta board and staff, as it helped bring clearer roles and enabled the organization to focus on what matters most to the success of the program, including aligning resources to key priorities. The plan also included recommendations to enhance public policy programs. At the end of the program, we also identified six key measures that Mexico should implement for a safer country overall. These recommendations will be brought to Mexican lawmakers for consideration. I was a little concerned about the actual mission assigned to me as it required me to make assessments and strategic recommendations in a very short time. However, developing the plan and meeting wonderful and courageous people at Reinserta has empowered me to make a positive change, big or small, back at home.

To learn more about the Ashoka EIR Program, please click here.