It Started at the Kitchen Table with a Plate of Chuletas

Before I ever knew the terms, and let’s be real, before they were popular, "grassroots organizing" or "community-building," I watched it happen at our family kitchen table. It wasn’t formal, and it wasn’t planned. It was my mom, transforming everyday life into a movement.  

Raising four daughters, my mom faced the inevitable “birds and bees” talk with a twist she didn’t just pull us aside for a one-on-one. Instead, she filled our friends, opened her doors, and hosted a discussion about sex education. The message was clear: abstinence. But that wasn’t the magic. The magic was how she turned one conversation into a ripple effect. She wasn’t just teaching us; she was empowering a group of young people to share that knowledge with their peers.  

While my Mom has a formal education as a registered nurse, there was no formal recognition for her advocacy efforts, but she was a strategist, a leader, and the chef behind it all—serving her famous fried chuletas (porkchops) while guiding us. She taught me, in real-time, that leadership isn’t about the spotlight. It’s about purpose. It’s about mobilizing people with care, love, and strategy. She was a pioneer in ways I’d only come to fully appreciate later. She showed me that creating change starts with the courage to step up and make a difference.  

The Power of Collective Action

Her lessons didn’t exist in a vacuum. They were built on a legacy passed down from mis abuelos (my grandparents). Let me tell you about my (Abuela/Grandmother) Yuta. She wasn’t just a woman ahead of her time—she was a force of nature.  

In Borikén (Puerto Rico), she defied the odds, building a successful glove manufacturing business at a time when women were expected to stay home. And when she and my Abuelo Juan (who believe it or not, provided “uber” services before it was a thing) relocated to Harlem, they brought their entrepreneurial spirit with them. Living in a high-rise on the west side, my grandparents quickly saw the struggles their neighbors faced; struggles they couldn’t ignore as they faced them too.  

They started something small but revolutionary: a "giving circle." Neighbors pooled their money each month, and the collective funds went to one family in need. It wasn’t just a financial safety net—it was a community lifeline. It reinforced bonds, restored dignity, and taught me the power of collective action. My grandparents didn’t wear the title of “community leaders,” but they showed me what leadership looks like in practice. It’s quiet. It’s humble. But it’s profoundly impactful.  

Lessons From a Notepad and a Toolbox

That spirit of service extended through my parents. As landlords of a multi-unit apartment building, they were more than property managers—they were caretakers of a community. My dad, a carpenter and plumber, was always on call for repairs. But what stands out most is how he kept track of rent.  

I’d watch him jot down numbers in his notepad, keeping detailed records of who owed what. If a tenant fell behind, eviction wasn’t his solution. Instead, he offered patience and trust. He’d work out payment plans, allowing families to stay afloat without fear of losing their homes. Looking back, I see this as an early lesson in “trust-based philanthropy.” Relationships came first. Empathy was the foundation. My parents showed me that real leadership is rooted in compassion, respect, and a willingness to lift others up without judgment.  

Carrying the Legacy Forward 

This legacy of community, action, and compassion has shaped every step of my journey. But my path to nonprofit leadership wasn’t a straight line.  

I started my career as a direct care provider for individuals with mental and behavioral challenges, learning firsthand the value of service. But as time went on, I craved a bigger impact. I pivoted into administrative roles, supporting operations behind the scenes, absorbing lessons about resilience, systems, and the everyday realities of nonprofit life.  

Then came my turning point—a local youth empowerment organization in crisis. Leadership turnover and scandal left them scrambling for someone willing to rebuild from the ground up on a shoestring budget. I said yes, despite the low pay and high stakes. As a woman of color and a college dropout, I knew how rare opportunities like this were. And I was determined to make it count.  

That role changed my life. Under the mentorship of an entrepreneurial board president, I learned more than technical writing and fundraising. I learned vision. I learned strategy. I learned how to see the big picture without losing sight of the details. He taught me how to dream bigger than my circumstances—a lesson I carry to this day.  

From Crisis to Creation

Over the next decade, I built on that experience, moving from Development Director to Deputy Director at a community-focused nonprofit. I honed my skills in securing funding, leading teams, and building systems. But beyond the titles, I found purpose in innovation, designing programs that didn’t just meet needs but anticipated them, creating systems that turned visions into realities.  

Now, after more than 20 years working across nonprofit organizations and philanthropy, I’m launching Project Relatable.

Project Relatable is not another consulting firm, we were built as a response to what I’ve seen over and over again.

Communities don’t lack effort. They don’t lack funding. What’s often missing is structure, alignment, and a clear strategy that makes all of it work together.

I’ve worked on the nonprofit side, where leaders are stretched thin trying to deliver impact with limited resources. I’ve worked alongside funders, where good intentions don’t always translate into meaningful outcomes. And I’ve seen how often those two worlds operate without true alignment.

Project Relatable exists to bridge that gap. 

Why Project Relatable?

Project Relatable is built on one simple belief: community impact should actually work.

We partner with banks, businesses, and nonprofits to bring structure to community investment, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that resources lead to real, measurable outcomes.

This is not about adding more effort. It is about making existing effort more effective, more aligned, and more visible.

Where this Work Shows Up Today

Today, this work shows up in different ways.

> Supporting financial institutions in strengthening how they invest in communities

> Helping businesses move from one-off giving to intentional, structured impact

> Working alongside nonprofits to build the systems and strategies needed to sustain that impact

Because real change does not happen in isolation. It happens when these systems are aligned.

Stay in the Loop

If you are thinking about how your organization shows up in the community, or how your current efforts could be more effective, I invite you to stay connected.

Join our mailing list to receive insights, tools, and strategies focused on making community investment more intentional, more aligned, and more impactful.

Let’s Do This Together

If you’re ready to turn your challenges into opportunities, we're ready to help you make it happen. Project Relatable is not here to add more noise. It is here to bring clarity.

Because communities deserve more than effort. They deserve impact that actually works.