Reflections From the ALPFA DC Panel

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  • Reflections From the ALPFA DC Panel: Redefining Work In The Age Of AI
  • Last Thursday night, I had the privilege of joining ALPFA Washington, DC, for a Gold Member event that still has me thinking days later. The room was full of Latino professionals, students, and leaders who were all navigating the same reality. Work is changing fast. AI is reshaping our careers, our companies, and our sense of stability.

  • I was invited to speak about my book, Redefined: Finding Purpose and Power After Job Loss Amid AI Disruption and Market Uncertainty, and to join a panel of thoughtful, experienced leaders who care deeply about our community. Together we explored where work is headed, what these shifts mean for us as Latinos, and how we can prepare rather than panic.

    It was an honor to share the conversation with Madeleine F. Wallace, Ph.D., and Refugio A. Atilano, two brilliant leaders and authors whose insight, energy, and commitment to lifting others are felt instantly. I left inspired.

  • Purpose, Power, and AI
  • One of the first questions we explored was how AI is changing the way we think about purpose and power at work.
  • I shared that, for me, purpose is no longer tied to a title. It is tied to contribution. AI can crunch data at a speed we cannot touch, but it cannot replace judgment, empathy, lived experience, or values. Those human skills are where our power sits now.
  • We also talked about adaptability. In a world shaped by automation and constant change, power belongs to those willing to learn, unlearn, and evolve. The tools will keep changing. Our ability to stay curious and flexible is what will carry us forward.
  • Turning Job Loss Into A Turning Point
  • Another part of the conversation focused on what happens when change is not chosen for us, like a layoff or restructuring. I spoke about my own experience with job loss and how it led to Redefined.
  • We walked through a simple framework I use in the book:
  •     Pause: Name what happened and how you feel.
  •     Pivot: Start rebuilding clarity and confidence through small, intentional steps.
  •     Propel: Move toward work that feels aligned with your values and strengths. 
  • The room was very honest. People shared stories of being the “only one” in the room, of carrying family expectations, of feeling pressure to be grateful for any job even when it no longer fits. We talked about giving ourselves permission to grieve, and also permission to imagine something better.

  • Gratitude And Next Steps
  • I left the event feeling energized and deeply grateful.
  • Thank you to ALPFA DC for creating a space where we can talk honestly about disruption, identity, and opportunity. Thank you to my fellow panelists for the wisdom and vulnerability they brought to the conversation. And a special thank you to the friends and colleagues who took time out of a busy week to show up, listen, and share their own stories.
  • Nights like this remind me why I wrote Redefined in the first place. None of us can control every twist and turn in our careers, but we can control how we respond, how we support each other, and how we prepare for what is coming next.
  • The future of work is not something happening “out there.” We are shaping it right now, together.


#InclusiveLeadership #FutureOfWork #EthicalAI #AIBias #ResponsibleAI #AIEquity #AIWorkforce #Redefined #DigitalEquity #RepresentationMatters #WorkplaceInclusion #TechEquity #EquitableDesign #AIForGood





Location: Washington, DC, USA

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