Hispanic Mama

Empowering through Heritage and Language

blog conference

We All Grow Summit: Basking In The Energy of Sisterhood

Last week I experienced the We All Grow Summit for the first time, an annual conference in California for Latina digital influencers. After attending We All Grow Familia last October, l thought I had a nice idea of what to expect at the annual summit. Boy, was I wrong! It was 1000 times better than I ever imagined it!

The theme for this year’s conference was “The Energy of Sisterhood” and I can’t stress how well it fit not only to what #WeAllGrow Latina is about but it also felt a call for action. In times where our country is divided, the need for strong communities has never been so important. This is why Ana Flores’s welcoming words were on point: “to bask in this energy of love, support and sisterhood”

 

                                            All photos with logo are from Robson Muzel

Basking in the Energy of Sisterhood

 

As I entered the stunning Hotel Maya and noticed its Hispanic-inspired style, I thought it was a beautiful coincidence that the place where more than 400 Latina bloggers, content creators and influencers (and a few men, too) were surrounded with a vibe that brought memories of our heritage lands. And that is exactly when the magic of the summit started to me, the reminder of our Latino identity.

It was not only the beautiful venue that strengthened this message of identity to the attendees, but it was also every detail found in the summit. From the #AlasParaVolar Welcome Party inspired in Frida Kahlo to the careful selection of brands known to empower Latino culture and families. This was the place to elevate the Latina digital influencer and promote passion and diversity.

 

For two days we gathered to listen and learn from the best of the industry. I was in awe with all the knowledge and motivation that they freely shared. Their experiences and tips brought me so much perspective and ignited more my passion for what I do at Hispanic Mama.

Sometimes blogging feels a lonely business so being in the same room with people who are chasing similar dreams or have already walked the path that you are barely starting was very refreshing. This is another thing that makes #WeAllGrow the go-to professional conference for Latina influencers.

 

 

The breakout session were-so-good that I had a hard time deciding what to choose. They were about: Lead. Create. Monetize. Mentor. Wellness. One of my favorite sessions was Sili’s. We not only learned great tools to apply to our own businesses but also to overcome our deepest fears!

 

And this one about activating our storytelling for social good…

Another perk of the #WeAllGrow Summit is the opportunity to connect with brands in a more personal way. This is so important that it starts on the very first day with the sponsored field trips. For this summit, I was selected by Disney Parks to spend part of the day with them. It was a great experience that deserves its own post (stay tuned!)

Then for the next two days, we got to build connections with well-known brands like Neutrogena, Narciso Rodriguez, Mazda, Aveeno, Johnson’s, Colgate, Chase, Turbo Tax, WordPress, La Lechera, etc., and experience closely the quality of their products. I had so much fun trying new make up at the Neutrogena suite and learning from a specialist how to do better at taking care of my skin.

 

 

I also loved meeting fabulous Adamaris López (Thanks Aveeno!), getting technical help from WordPress, trying the newest perfume of Narciso Rodriguez and enjoying this delicious dulce de leche pancake from La Lechera! ¡Nos engrieron mucho!

 

 

The summit was also a great place to discover new brands and connect with them!!!

 

You can feel the “when one grows, we all grow” mantra in the air during the three days but it was the storytellers, presented by Disney Princess “Dream Big Princess” what impacted me deeper. Silvia Olivas, the head writer and co-producer of Elena of Avalor was the first speaker and shared  her inspiration and her commitment to represent Latino children in media.

And then the storytellers…. Listening to their intimate and vulnerable experiences was empowering. I ugly cried with Vanessa and Elayna’s stories. Marianna, Laura, Dora and Camila’s stories were also beautiful and an invitation to keep dreaming ¡y a seguirle dando duro! 

What a great conference! I am so glad I was able to come and I can’t wait for the nationwide one-day city events! The next event is in New York on June 3rd. I will be traveling to Ecuador ..but you bet I’ll be watching it on Facebook live from the plane! 🙂

We All Grow Familia: Celebrating the Millennial Familia

The night when I started this blog, fourteen months ago, I didn’t quite imagine the exciting adventure I was embarking on, after hitting the publish button on that first post about the lady in Target asking me if I dye my children’s hair blond.

As a millennial Latina mom of three, there were so many stories I wanted to share and things I wanted to celebrate through this platform, but I didn’t exactly know how to start. For many nights I spent hours and hours researching about the resources that I needed for my blog to be successful.

One night I landed on the We All Grow website, a network of digital influencers based in California. As I read about them and their mission, I easily recognized the CEO’s name, Ana Flores. She was the lady behind the website about bilingual kids that I used to read religiously back in 2008 when I became a mother for the first time.

The more I learned about the place that she has created, the more I knew I wanted to be part of it. I thought that the #WeAllGrowSummit was going to be my opportunity to get to experience We All Grow for the first time, but luckily for me, a few weeks ago I was invited to attend the We All Grow Familia, an invite-only event for the millennial parent.

 

 

 

We All Grow Familia: The Event For Latina Millenial Moms

 

The first thing you need to know about We All Grow Familia is that I LOVE LOVE every minute of it!  It was a day-event filled with inspiration, knowledge, and empowerment. The Munchkin HQs were the perfect place to gather 200 Latina millennial moms that represent fashion, food, social causes, and more.

 

 

I was impressed with how every-single-detail has been well thought out and carefully planned with intention. From the panels to the decorations, it was a breathtaking experience. And this may sound silly, but I was actually impressed with the order and punctuality. Allí no existe la “hora latina.” Way to raise the bar!

 

“Grow with ❤️” Beautiful details everywhere at #weallgrowfamilia

A post shared by Linda -HispanicMama (@hispanic_mama) on

 

The first panel, “Parenting Online and In-Culture,” presented by Honey Bunches of Oats and moderated by my friend Vanessa was a favorite of mine. It was a beautiful conversation on motherhood and how it pushes us to discover new things and passions.

 

We were also reminded of the power of content creation and how Latino consumers hold $1.5 trillion in spending power. This equated to being the 13th largest world economy! Nuria Santamaría Wolfe, Head of Multicultural Strategy of Twitter mentioned how Latina moms are key reaching latino market since we do 86% of all purchasing decisions and we are 57% more likely to follow blogs.

 

 

 

During We All Grow Familia, I got to fully experience the mantra of the organization: “When one grows, we all grow!” The quality of the panelists, the sponsors and the experiences helped me to be better as a person and social media influencer. I’m so so glad I got to be part of an event that elevates what is dear to me: familia and cultura! Can’t wait for We All Grow next year!