Welcome to our first HJHP Podcast episode for the 2019-2020 academic year. We kick off this year’s series, Pain to Power, with an interview with Delia Garcia, Kansas Secretary of Labor.
In our conversation with Secretary Garcia, we learned about her journey from her family’s restaurant in Wichita to her role as an executive at national nonprofit in Washington, DC. We talked about her decision to accept Governor Kelly’s appointment as Secretary of Labor, her priorities for her tenure, her advice on reaching across the aisle, and her favorite music. This episode of Pain to Power was co-sponsored by the Harvard Taubman Center for State and Local Government.
Pain to Power: Voices of Latinx Leaders and Trailblazers is the theme for the 2019-20 Policy Podcast. Throughout the year, Journal staff will interview Latinx elected officials, students, academics, activists, and leaders, to learn about their journey, perspectives on culture, policy, and social change, and how they leverage their Latinidad to break barriers and influence society at large.
Stay tuned! Episode 2 will feature another powerful Latina, Michelle De La Isla, Mayor of Topeka, Kansas. Our conversation will center on her journey from New York to Kansas, inclusive economic development, and how to lead across difference.