Terri Cruz, Rose Marie Lopez, Guadalupe Huerta, Dolores Huerta, Mary Rose Wilcox, and countless other women...  

They all have one thing in common: they identified a problem and took the initiative to make a difference. 

They listened to the needs, organized the community, and never stopped pushing for change. And that’s how we earned many of the opportunities and rights we have today. 

Last week, CPLC staff and leaders in our community came together for our fourth Latina Leadership Conversation. We got to hear from inspiring women who cleared the path for many of us: 

Irma Payán, fourth generation Mexican American, educator, activist, and current Community Archivist for AZ Barrio Stories 

Sandy Ferniza, Director of Campus Events at Helios Education Campus and former President and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, where she oversaw the creation of the landmark DATOS: The State of Arizona’s Hispanic Market annual research report 

Margie Emmermann, retired state and foreign policy advisor who served as Director of the Arizona Department of Commerce and Executive Director of the Arizona-Mexico Commission, whose work earned worldwide recognition and served as a model for cross border relations 

Luz Sarmina, retired President and CEO and current President Emeritus of Valle Del Sol, where she helped the nonprofit’s revenue and company size grow exponentially 

And Carmen de Novais-Guerrero, bead artist, musician, educator, and producer who co-founded Xicanindio (now Xico), the Cultural Coalition, and the Arizona Latino Arts Center (ALAC), and currently serves as Arts Education director at El Rancho del Arte 

A notable accomplishment is that both Margie Emmermann and Luz Sarmina are recipients of the prestigious OHTLI Award from the Government of Mexico. This award is named after the Nahuatl word “ohtli,” which means “path” or “road,” and is awarded to exceptional individuals in the Mexican diaspora who clear the path for others. 

And that is exactly what each of these women have done for our community. 

Irma, Sandy, Margie, Luz, and Carmen: thank you for all you have done for our community and for leading us forward, Hacia el Sol. 

I’m so grateful to be part of a community with such powerful and courageous women. And it is at events like this where we can learn, connect, and exchange wisdom across generations—and even celebrate how far we’ve come! 

So let’s learn from their examples and pay it forward by stretching out a hand to other women in our community who are just starting on their journey. 

Because that is how you leave a legacy and clear a path others can walk on. 

In gratitude, 

Alicia Nuñez 
President & CEO 
Chicanos Por La Causa