WE ARE HACE – Yahaira Guzman

Newly elected Chair for HACE’s Young Professionals Board, Yahaira Guzman, says she is a product of the organization’s mission and stands by its values. Yahaira first heard about HACE as an undergraduate student at DePaul University. As an enthusiastic student, she attended HACE’s career and internship fairs as well as their development seminars. As a young professional, she participated as a volunteer at University Leadership Network activities as well as attended their professional networking events. However, it is the HACE network that has kept her involved with the organization.

“HACE has given me a sense of community. Being surrounded by people who look like me, hearing their success stories and lending a helping hand to others makes my involvement worthwhile.”

It’s a great honor for Yahaira to lead an All-Star team of strong, passionate, and determined professionals. As the board Chair, she is responsible for the governance of HYPB’s board along with executing ambassadorship, fundraising and professional development to the community at large. Overall, HYPB has been at the heart of her HACE experience.

“My fellow board members and I have invested our personal time in partnership, planning, and execution of our annual events, which has allowed us to develop a grand sense of comradery.”

When asked about her favorite memory at HACE she points to her recent participation in the Mujeres de HACE program.

“There are so many great experiences in my HACE memory bank, but one of my most recent memories occurred this past week. At the beginning of our final session, I led my Mujeres de HACE (MdH) cohort in an impromptu “Warrior” call. It was an amazing feeling to set the tone of our last session and ignite confidence in my fellow cojelas, by standing together in our individual Wonder Women poses and chanting “I am beautiful, I am strong, I am confident.”

As a compassionate, confident, and adventurous individual, Yahaira is sure to make a great HYPB Chair. She is driven to be her best self and supports the dreams of others. This sense of self is surely attributed to her strong blood line of fearless Puerto Rican women.

She speaks highly of her mother and grandmother by saying, “As the Matriarchs of my extended and immediate families, they have been my teachers, my prayer warriors and dream chasers. Their compassion, humility and passion have influenced my leadership style of engagement and integrity. Watching them pour their hearts and souls into their people and familias, has ignited my understanding of purpose as well as the importance of investing time to plant seeds of success in those I am guiding. Listening to them speak in their native tongue and dancing to salsa in the kitchen, has taught me to take pride in my roots. Understanding their struggles has been my foundation of keeping things in perspective and trained me to invest myself fully, but also keep my priorities in order. As a legacy of these amazing mujeres, the lessons of my mother has positively impacted me, and I hope that all those I come in contact with.”