Chingonas and Champagne: Latina Leaders Unite in D.C. to Celebrate Each Other—and Rewrite the Rules

Last week in Washington, D.C., power looked like a brunch table full of chingonas. And no, it wasn’t your abuela’s Sunday get-together.

Inside Microsoft’s sleek offices, some of the country’s most influential Latina leaders gathered for the first-ever Chingonas and Champagne Brunch, hosted by Mayra Macías, Javier Gamboa, and Susana Parra of Building Back Together. The invite-only event was a love letter to Latinas changing the game in politics, philanthropy, labor, media, and more.

And let’s be clear: it wasn’t just mimosas and selfies. This was strategy, healing. This was survival.

Why Latina leaders showing up for each other matters more than ever

The brunch came at a time when Latinas remain largely shut out of America’s highest halls of power. According to the LeanIn.org and McKinsey & Company report, The State of Latinas in Corporate America, Latinas make up just 1% of C-suite roles, despite being one of the fastest-growing segments of the workforce. And that’s not even touching on pay disparities or the fact that many Latinas say they rarely see themselves reflected in leadership, or supported to get there.

It’s what researcher Fernanda Ibáñez calls the “concrete ceiling” in her 2023 thesis from DePaul University, describing the added weight of racism, classism, and cultural expectations that block Latinas from advancing professionally, even when they have the degrees, drive, and receipts.

So when Macías took the mic and said, “These women carry home in their pockets,” it hit deep. Her opening remarks celebrated honorees who’ve held space at the highest levels of power and used it to open doors for others:

“Whether they left Cuba, Mexico, the border or the west coast, these women carry home in their pockets and they spring it on you when you’re least expecting it with Spanish dichos shared in the White House, halls of Congress or in the newsroom; with correct pronunciation of your name the way your parents intended it; or encouraging you to take up space – their unapologetic way of existing is a gentle reminder that YOU belong, that WE belong. And this sense of belonging, this affirmation of our humanity is so necessary right now.”

The Latina leaders who were honored—and why they matter

The inaugural list of “Chingona Changemakers” included:

• Dr. Carmen Rojas, President & CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation—one of the only Latinas leading a major national foundation.
• Emmy Ruiz, the first Latina to serve as Senior Advisor to the President and Director of Political Strategy & Outreach in the White House.
• Lori Montenegro, a Telemundo icon and the first Afro-Latina to become a Bureau Chief for a national Spanish-language network.
• Rocío Sáenz, Secretary-Treasurer of SEIU and a fierce labor advocate.
• Xenia Ruiz, Deputy Chief of Staff to House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and the highest-ranking Latina staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives.

These women aren’t just making history. They’re mentoring the next wave, challenging old power structures, and proving you can lead with both grit and corazón.

Latina leaders still face steep challenges—but community shifts everything

In her remarks, Macías reminded the room: “It’s easy to give into despair right now. But these women remind us that we come from resilient people. We ARE resilient people.”

“My hope is that you let their stories inspire you, that their words and actions serve as beacons of hope for all of us. That we shower these chingonas with the love they deserve and, in turn, be reminded of the power of celebrating one another. And this sense of belonging, this affirmation of our humanity is so necessary right now.”

That reminder feels especially urgent in 2025. As anti-immigrant rhetoric ramps up and workplace inequality persists, spaces like the Chingonas and Champagne Brunch offer more than just connection. They offer a strategy. They offer reprieve. And they remind us that leadership can look like sobremesa, like sisterhood, like survival with lipstick on.

According to a recent academic study on Latina leadership traits, compassion, vision, integrity, and optimism are the most consistent qualities found among Latina leaders, many of whom also cite cultural values like personalismo and familismo as guiding principles.

And yet, these same values often become barriers. Familial obligations, cultural scripts, and gendered expectations can make leadership feel like a tightrope. That’s why community is everything.

More than an event—a blueprint

Beyond the brunch photos and powerful speeches, the takeaway was clear: when Latina leaders are given the mic, they don’t just speak—they build. They rewrite what leadership looks like. And they take others with them.

Honorees and attendees alike—from Voto Latino’s Maria Teresa Kumar to UnidosUS President Janet Murguía—showed what it means to hold space for each other across sectors. There was no competition in that room, only celebration and collective power.

The organizers hope to make Chingonas and Champagne an annual tradition. If this first gathering proved anything, it’s that when Latinas get together, the future gets louder.