If you follow me on my social media platforms, you are probably familiar with my activities and events, especially those that empower Latinas. You might have also guessed, that one of my favorites events is the #WeAllGrow Summit, which was held in Los Angeles for the first time last year. And, in case you are new to my blog, #WeAllGrow Summit is the premiere social media conference for Latinas. Created by social media influencer dynamo, Ana Flores, and assisted by the talented team at Latina Bloggers Connect, this is the place where Latina content creators gather to share, learn, inform, empower one another, motivate, inspire, and mostly, to champion each other as we navigate the ever-changing digital world. A world so new to me, that until my first #WeAllGrow Summit, I found scary and mindboggling.
You see, as part of the baby boomer generation, I was used to connecting with people by phone, “snail mail,” in person meetings, to my articles and columns being published by print media, and to the occasional broadcast interview. Now, I could communicate with people daily, have my own blog, produce my own own podcast, create vlogs and even have my own YouTube channel!
Ana and her team will probably never know the exact impact that #WeAllGrow Summit 2015 had on my life. It introduced me to a whole new way of communications and it gave me the tools I needed to jump in full forth all the while I was cheered on by the wonderful women I met there. Those women are my friends today and for the last year, they were my rock and my motivators. So many times I wanted to say, “Ladies I am too old for this, I can’t do it.” But I would see a post by one of them, giving us all encouragement and hope, and that was all I needed to move on.
At last year’s #WeAllGrow Summit I was introduced to the how-to and the uses of social media, and I was lucky enough to listened to very inspiring keynote speakers and attend informative sessions. It was all new to me. I felt shy and unsure of my own voice and the part I could play as a Latina blogger.
Fast forward to the second year, I was right there among the most amazingly talented Latina bloggers, 
vloggers, YouTubers, and digital gurus in social media. Most importantly, I was able to see my friends again, the ones I met last year, and have lit the torch as I kept walking through the digital arena. And yet again, I met so many Latinas that I now call my friends! All of us together, older and younger generations, like sisters, marching on in our quest to empower each other and into making this digital world a better place for our children and our children’s children.
This year I learned specifics about Instagram, Live-streaming, marketing and collaborations, media pitching, working with brands, and how to make my blog profitable. I learned how to be motivated, and that the way I see myself and the way I love myself, can impact our lives and the lives or others. I learned that we all matter, that we all have a purpose. And, like one of our speakers said, “we all have messy moments but we stand in our power.” I learned and celebrated the stories of accomplished multicultural women who are making a difference in our Latino community and beyond. It was an honor to be in their company!
As my husband walks in the room he sees me writing. Usually, he knows not to disturb my train of thought when I’m writing. But this time, he asked, “why are you grinning?” My smile grew wider and I replied, “I can only imagine what Ana Flores and her LBC team have in store for us next year!”
Bai, Bai for now,
Maritere
