Shining with radiance: Uplifting Latinas leading in education
By Dr. Gina Delgado, Senior Program Manager
Dr. LeAnne Salazar Montoya stands as a beacon of dedication in the field of education, her journey weaving through the roles of teacher, superintendent and now Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. As a proud Latina and visionary leader, Dr. Salazar Montoya is renowned for seamlessly bridging research and practice while empowering the next generation of school leaders and uplifting Latino communities both through her scholarship and advocacy.
Through her commitment, she not only advances academic discourse, but also inspires others to recognize the richness and diversity of Latino experiences. She recently received the 2024 Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents Advocacy award and was featured in Latina Style Magazine for her work on Latina Radiance: Love Letters to the Soul. Her work resonates deeply with the mission of UnidosUS, as she elevates the Latino narrative by sharing powerful personal stories from the perspectives of Latinas in educational spaces. UnidosUS recently sat down with Dr. Salazar Montoya to explore the creation of Latina Radiance and to discuss how this work can serve as a guiding light for aspiring leaders everywhere.
Q: Can you share your personal journey and how it shaped the themes explored in Latina Radiance?
My journey began in rural New Mexico, a minority-majority state, that provided me with a unique experience and foundation when it came to my education. As a first-generation college student, I quickly learned that spaces outside of New Mexico viewed Latino/as differently. One theme that is salient throughout the book is “you don’t know what you don’t know”. In my story, I was navigating systems that were not built for me. I quickly understood that I would have to navigate spaces while not having key information to help me succeed. For example, when I started my career in academia, I did not have anyone to mentor me through the process. I did not know that you could negotiate previous publications to be counted towards your tenure, nor did I know you could negotiate your course load, so I started my career at a slight disadvantage. If I had had family members (generational knowledge) or friends (social capital) who had gone through the academic process, then I would have most likely known about this detail. Yet, only 2% of Latinas in the United States have a doctorate, which signals that there are not many of us to share important information.
Not having established social capital in academia has brought me many surprises about the system itself. Through trial and error, much frustration, and an insatiable urge to create change in these systems — I persisted. Those experiences taught me resilience, but they also illuminated the deep gaps in representation, access and affirmation for Latina leaders. Latina Radiance was born out of that personal truth — an invitation to honor our stories, our roots and brilliance we carry. It’s a reflection of struggle, strength and the beauty of lived experience.
Q: How has your experience in K-12 and higher education influenced the stories and messages in the book?
My dual experiences in K-12 leadership and higher education have shown me the layered ways Latina leaders are both celebrated and silenced. I saw talented women navigate structures that didn’t always recognize their contributions. In academia, I witnessed the same struggles through a research lens. A personal example of being silenced is that I received a prestigious Community Engagement Service-Learning Faculty Award, yet instead of receiving warm congratulations from the department, I was chastised. One of my colleagues emailed me (and CC’ed the rest of the department) to ask if I was even qualified for the award and accused me of applying for the award under false pretenses. What they didn’t know is I received the award due to independent nominations; I did not apply for the award myself. Yet, in their emails, they had outwardly assumed that I received the award for teaching classes that they created years back; the award was for other work unrelated to their assumptions. Being the only Latina in the department, I have grown accustomed to having my every move be questioned.
While other professors’ work was being disseminated for celebration at the department level, none of my awards or achievements have been celebrated outwardly. Even a dean from another school noticed that my contributions were not being celebrated by the department. It is things like this that can slowly erode morale and resilience, especially for Latinas. For this book, I was determined to find others who had experienced the same thing I had. Being a Latina in education can be a lonely world, mainly because historically we were not part of the creation of the educational system currently in place. These experiences deeply shaped what would compose Latina Radiance, bridging practice and scholarship with purpose, and authenticity with vulnerability.
Q: What are some challenges Latina leaders face today, and how does Latina Radiance address them?
Latina leaders often face invisibility, tokenism and lack of mentorship. There is also the pressure to conform to dominant leadership models that don’t reflect our values or voices. As we have seen women climb to leadership success, we have also seen the cost of leadership. Many Latinas have fought their way to have a place at the leadership table, only to be ignored and tokenized as soon as they get there. Our upbringing highlights a collective mentality, one that contrasts sharply to the rugged individualism that is expected of Americans across the country. This also creates a hurdle for Latinas to find mentors who will support them and help them develop. The education field is mostly dominated by men, with only 28.5% of superintendents being female. In addition, only 14.5% of superintendents are Latino, making it even harder for Latina superintendents to find a mentor specific to their needs.
Latina Radiance addresses these challenges by offering counter-narratives — stories of women who have navigated these barriers and led with authenticity. It explores the challenges that Latinas face today, while providing insight into how these leaders overcame their barriers. This book is not just a resource, but also a mirror, in which I hope those who read these stories will see themselves within them, and hopefully also gain some strategies to help them through the tough times.
Q: What role does mentorship and community play in supporting Latina leaders, based on your experience?
Mentorship and community are lifelines. I would not be where I am without the mujeres who walked ahead and me and reached back. The importance of leaders reaching back to help those after them is the key. That is why I mentor other Latina leaders and grad students. We need their talent and unique experiences in this field, and I know by providing opportunities that I was not provided, we can lift each other up. This book amplifies the idea that when we support one another — through mentorship, affirmation and solidarity — we all rise. It is not just about climbing the ladder; it’s about building one together.
Q: How do you encourage Latina educators to use their heritage as a strength in leadership?
I tell them: Tu historia es tu fuerza. Your story is your strength. Embrace your accent, your traditions, your family values. These are not things to shed in professional spaces — they are sources of wisdom, empathy and leadership that others can learn from. Leading as your full self creates pathways for others to do the same.
Q: What strategies can institutions adopt to better support and retain Latina leaders?
Institutions must move beyond performative inclusion and invest in intentional structures: mentorship programs, equitable hiring practices, leadership development tailored to culturally diverse perspectives. They must create spaces where Latina leaders are not only invited but empowered to lead authentically.
Q: How does your work as a professor inform your vision for inclusive leadership development?
As a professor, I mentor aspiring leaders daily. My work is rooted in helping them unlearn deficit narratives and embrace asset-based frameworks. I design curriculum and spaces that center equity, community, and critical reflection. My goal is to cultivate leaders who not only navigate systems but can also transform them. We currently work in a system that does not provide support for all students, and in turn, little support for leaders entering the field. I aspire to help leaders approach systems change by starting with themselves. Reflection is a powerful tool as it helps ground us in our lived experiences. Leaders who cultivate that reflection “muscle” can start to understand their strengths and areas of opportunities, sharpening their skills to be better, more intuitive leaders.
Q: What are the core messages you hope readers will take away from Latina Radiance?
At its heart, Latina Radiance is about visibility, validation and empowerment. It is important to me to uplift and support other Latinas while creating visibility for their hard work. It is also important to provide that validation, as many of us did not grow up with mentors or family members who had experience in educational spaces. Lastly, I want others to feel empowered by reading these testimonios. I want readers to understand that their story matters — that their cultural identity is not a limitation but a source of power. That the hardships they endured were not in vain, and that others are out there who have similar experiences. In essence, I hope this book makes Latina leaders feel less alone, as being in education can be an alienating experience since we are the minority. Never in the history of education has there been this many Latina leaders — bringing our expertise and culture to help foster the next generation. This book affirms that leadership does not require assimilation; rather it flourishes when authenticity and heritage are embraced.
Latina Radiance: Love Letters to the Soul is part of a three book project called The Radiance Project. In addition to Latina Radiance, Dr. Salazar Montoya has created Latinx Radiance: Leadership Recipes for Success and Empire of Radiance: Unity and Legacy.
