Important takeaways from the "Game Changer" workshop and the entire Voto Latino Power Summit event were as vast and broad as the varying interests, concerns, and needs of the Latino community; yet there were some standout impressions: the importance of Spanish-speakers and Spanish-speaking experts at events looking to target Latinos is paramount; recognizing that younger generations are the door to the older generations -- this is important when trying to attract older generations to causes and offers that are only present online; and vice versa: as older generations are identified as the number one factor in pushing Latino millennials to get healthcare.
When Montañez was introduced to the possibility that he could be hired on by the Frito-Lay company, he was already aware that gaining that job could and would feed his destiny. At the Voto Latino Power Summit on April 12th, Montañez shared this story; the origin tale that led to his present day success.
Richard Montañez, who's been christened "the godfather of Hispanic branding," is a best-selling author, the inventor of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, the CEO and owner of Adelante Public Affairs & Communications, a former janitor, and an acclaimed motivational speaker. He stepped onto the stage with gusto, putting hundreds of millennials to shame with his unbridled energy at the early hour. Montañez, author of A Boy, A Burrito, and A Cookie, took to the stage, and applause rang for a long while before he spoke. He praised previous speakers before he dove into his own personal story, which began in a Southern Californian town called Gausti.
Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz Jr. exited the stage at the Voto Latino Power Summit on April 12, and Voto Latino's CEO and President Maria Teresa Kumar thanked Diaz for his powerful and well-chosen words before she called up a man whom she simply called Lemon. Lemon Andersen (born Andrew Andersen) is a Tony Award-winning poet, spoken word artist and an actor, who was an original cast member of "Russell Simmons' Def Jam" on Broadway, and he has shot four films with Spike Lee.
Millennials and tween-agers filled the ranks; filed in close, stood-at-attention, ready to absorb knowledge and wisdom. Maria Teresa Kumar, Rosario Dawson, and Wilmer Valderrama arrived ready to lay down knowledge on the doting audience -offering valuable perspective on Latino emergence, prevalence, and the excellence of the group.
