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181 Leadership Books Written by Hispanic/ Latino/ Latinx Authors (2026)

In honor of Latin American History Month, we updated our list of leadership books with 181 leadership books written by Hispanic/ Latino/ Latinx authors. This list is meant to be a resource, not an official endorsement. The books are not ranked or listed in any particular order.

Check out our other leadership book lists by authors who identify as LGBTQIA+, AANHPI, Native American, women, Black and those who identify as having disabilities.

  1. !Viva Latina!: Wisdom from Remarkable Women to Inspire and Empower — Sandra Velasquez
  2. ¡Ándale, Prieta!: A Love Letter to My Family — Yasmin Ramirez
  3. ¡Rise up, Mi Gente! A Roadmap for Latinos to Achieve Success in Corporate America — Jesse A. Mejia
  4. [Un]framing the “Bad Woman”: Sor Juana, Malinche, Coyolxauhqui, and othe rebels with a cause — Alicia Gaspar de Alba
  5. A Cup of Water Under My Bed: A Memoir — Daisy Hernández
  6. A Holistic Approach to Your Career — Blanca De La Rosa
  7. A House of My Own: Stories From My Life — Sandra Cisneros
  8. Accordian Eulogies — Noe Alvarez
  9. Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader — Hermina Ibarra
  10. Almost a Woman — Esmeralda Santiago
  11. Always Running: La Vida Loca – gang days in L.A. — Luis J. Rodriguez
  12. American Poison: How Racial Hostility Destroyed Our Promise — Eduardo Porter
  13. Amplify Your Influence — René Rodríguez
  14. An American Son: A Memoir — Marco Rubio
  15. An Organizer’s Tale — Cesar Chavez
  16. An Unlikely Journey: Waking up from My American Dream — Julián Castro
  17. And A Voice to Sing With: A Memoir — Joan Baez
  18. AOC: The Fearless Rise and Powerful Resonance of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes — Lynda Lopez
  19. Autentico: The definitive guide to Latino career success — Robert Rodriguez
  20. Becoming Dr. Q: My Journey from a Migrant Farm Worker to Brain Surgeon — Alfredo Quinones-Hinjosa
  21. Becoming La Jefa – A Bold Latina Memoir on Leadership, Identity, and Breaking Barriers — Samí Haiman-Marrero
  22. Being Brown: Sonia Sotomayor and the Latino Question — Lázaro Lima
  23. Beyond Inclusion, Beyond Empowerment: A Developmental Strategy to Liberate Everyone — Leticia Nieto
  24. Bird of Paradise: How I became a Latina — Raquel Cepeda
  25. Borderlands / La Frontera: The New Mestiza — Gloria Anzaldúa
  26. Born Bold — Onaysia Martinez
  27. Breaking Ground and Barriers: Hispanic Women Developing Effective Leadership — Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, Ph.D.
  28. Brown Church: Five centuries of Latina/o Social justice, theology, and identity — Robert Chao Romero
  29. Brown Enough — Christopher Rivas
  30. Build a Beautiful Business con Confianza — Rosalie Ennes
  31. Burnt out to Lit Up — Daisy Auger-Dominguez
  32. Calladita No More: My Latina Journey and the Lessons that Shaped Me — Hady Méndez
  33. Calling Forth the Waves? — Janine Hernandez
  34. CAREER WITH INTENTION: Your Guide to Find the Clarity, Confidence and Courage for Your Next Move — Diana Bernal
  35. Children of the Land: A Memoir — Marcelo Hernandez Castillo
  36. Chingona: Owning Your Inner Badass for Healing and Justice — Alma Zaragoza-Petty
  37. Citizenship: Notes on an American Myth — Daisy Hernández
  38. Crux: A cross-border memoir — Jean Guerrero
  39. Culture-Minded — Adriana Vaccaro
  40. Dear America: Notes of an undocumented citizen — Jose Antonio Vargas
  41. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Strategies for Facilitating Conversations on Race — Caprice Hollins and Ilsa Govan
  42. Dream Big — Deborah Rosado Shaw
  43. Dream First: How to Quit Overthinking and Make it Happen — Ellen Marie Bennett
  44. Dream in Color: How the Sánchez Sisters are Making History in Congress — Linda Sánchez
  45. Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear into Pride, Power, and Real Change — Cristina Jiménez
  46. El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition — David Hayes-Bautista
  47. Empower Yourself for an Amazing Career — Blanca De La Rosa
  48. Extraordinary Latinas: Powerful Voices of Resilience, Courage & Empowerment — Ilhiana Rojas Saldana
  49. Farmworker’s Daughter: Growing up Mexican American — Rose Castillo Guilbault
  50. Field Mice: Memoirs of a Migrant Child — Emma Gonzalez
  51. Financially Lit!: The Modern Latina’s Guide to Level Up Your Dinero & Become Financially Poderosa — Jannese Torres
  52. Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity — Paola Ramos
  53. Finding Manana: A Memoir of a Cuban Exodus — Mirta Ojito
  54. First-Gen, NextGen: A Guide to Thriving as a First-Generation Latinx in the Next Generation of the American Workforce — Victoria F. Banuelos
  55. Frida — Barbara Mujica
  56. From Farmworker to Astronaut — Jose Hernandez
  57. From the Border to the Boardroom: A Journey from Poverty to Passionate Purpose — Griselda Castro Abousleman
  58. From the Streets to Corporate America: The Power of Mindset & Method: Corner to Cubicle — Amervis López Cobb
  59. From the Texas Cotton Fields to the United States Tax Court — Mary Theresa (Terry) Vasquez, Anthony Head
  60. Gaby Brimmer: An Autobiography in Three Voices — Gaby Brimmer, Elena Poniatowska
  61. Get Rooted: Reclaim Your Soul, Serenity, and Sisterhood — Robyn Moreno
  62. Gmorning, Gnight!: Little pep talks for me & you — Lin-Mauel Miranda
  63. Growing American Roots — Bob Menendez
  64. Healing Journey: Surviving Domestic Violence — Lupe Valdez
  65. Hermanas: Deepening our identity and growing our influence — Natialia Kohn Rivera
  66. Hispanic Women Seeking Higher Leadership Roles in Business — Syliva C. Motta, PhD
  67. Homeless by Choice — Roy Juarez Jr.
  68. How to Implement Self-Service Without Failing: A Practical Guide for Retailers and Decision-Makers — Adriana Rivas
  69. I Got This: To Gold and Beyond — Lauren Hernandez
  70. In Defense of Our America: The Fight for Civil Liberties in the Age of Terror — Anthony D. Romero
  71. In My Own Words: A Memoir — Eva Peron
  72. In the Country We Love: My Family Divided — Diane Guerrero
  73. In The Dream House: A Memoir — Carmen Maria Machado
  74. In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage — Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
  75. Inclusion Revolution: The Essential Guide to Dismantling Racial Inequity in the Workplace — Daisy Auger-Dominguez
  76. Inventing Latinos: A New Story of American Racism — Laura E. Gómez
  77. Isabel’s Hand-Me-Down Dreams — Isabel Lopez
  78. Journey to the Future: A Roadmap for Success for Youth — Ltc. Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch
  79. Justice & Space Matter in a Strong, Unified Latino Community — Kathy Bussert-Web, et. al.
  80. La Nueva California: Latinos from Pioneers to Post-Millenials — David Hayes-Bautista
  81. Latina Empowerment Through Leadership: Mindful Stories from Inspiring Women — Catherine Munos Garces, Monica Rivera, et al
  82. Latina Leadership Lessons: Fifty Latinas Speak — Delia Garcia (editor)
  83. Latina Madrina: Stories, Lessons, and Hard Truths From A Brown Latina In Tech — Julissa S. Germosén
  84. Latinas in Aviation — Jacqueline S. Ruiz
  85. Latinas in Corporate: Overcoming Cultural Obstacles While Juggling a Career and a Family — Myriam Del Angel
  86. Latinas in Real Estate: Stories of Passion, Resilience, and Breaking Barriers of Latinas in the Real Estate Industry — Maggie Antillon-Mathews
  87. Latinas Rising Up in HR — Priscilla Guasso
  88. Latinas Rising Up In HR Volume III Executive Edition: Inspirational Stories of Human Resources Professionals Leading, Thriving, and Breaking Barriers — Priscilla Guasso
  89. Latinization and the Latino Leader: How to Value Professionals — Cristina Benitez & Marlene Gonzalez
  90. Latino and Latina Leaders of the 21st Century — Kay (Kayla) S. Garcia
  91. Latino Leaders Speak: Personal Stories of Struggle and Triumph — Mickey Ibarra, Maria Pérez-Brown
  92. Latino Talent: Effective Strategies to Recruit Hispanic Professionals — Robert Rodriguez
  93. Latinos in American Society: Families and Communities in Transition — Dr. Ruth Enid Zambrana
  94. Latinx Business Success: How Latinx Ingenuity, Innovation, and Tenacity are Driving Some of the World’s Biggest Companies — Frank Carbajal and José Morey
  95. Latinx: The New Force in American Politics — Ed Morales
  96. Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows — Charles P. Garcia
  97. Leading Toward Liberation: How to Build Cultures of Thriving in Higher Education — Annmarie Caño
  98. Leading with Psychological Safety: 52 Essential Practices for a Year of Building Trust and Empowering Teams — Amervis López Cobb
  99. Leapfrog: The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs — Nathalie Molina Niño
  100. Leaving Little Havana: A memoir of Miami’s Cuban ghetto — Cecilia M. Fernandez
  101. Life Is A Beautiful Journey: 15 Ways To Create A Life Full Of Joy and Gratitude — Janine Hernandez
  102. Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America — Margarita Longoria
  103. Love Is the Path: An Immigrant’s Journey to Belonging Through the Workplace — Claudia Cardozo
  104. MAMI on a Mission! Mujeres Alcanzando Metas Imposibles: A Guide Towards Healing, Self-Discovery, and Walking in Confidence! — Mariana Moreno Monterrubio
  105. Me — Ricky Martin
  106. Mean — Myriam Gurba
  107. Mexican Enough: My Life Between the Borderlines — Stephanie Elizondo Griest
  108. Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget — Reyna Grande
  109. More than Ready: Be Strong and Be You . . . and Other Lessons for Women of Color on the Rise — Cecilia Muñoz
  110. My (Underground) American Dream — Julissa Arce
  111. My Beloved World — Sonia Sotomayor
  112. My Invented Country: a Nostalgic Journey Through Chile — Isabel Allende
  113. My Time to Speak: Reclaiming Ancestry and Confronting Race — Ilia Calederon
  114. Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America — María Hinojosa
  115. Palatable, Profitable, & Dying Inside — Jackie Roby
  116. Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist — Sylvia Acevedo
  117. Perfectly You: Embracing the Power of Being Real — Mariana Atencio
  118. Persevere with Power: What Heaven Starts, Hell Cannot Stop — Samuel Rodriguez.
  119. Pork Belly Tacos with a Side of Anxiety: My Journey Through Depression, Bulimia, and Addiction — Yvonne Castañeda
  120. Powerhouse Principles: Blueprints for Real Estate Success — Jorge Perez
  121. Presevere with Power: What Heaven Starts, Hell Cannot Stop — Samuel Rodriguez
  122. Presumed Incompetent: Intersections of Race and Class for Women in Academia — Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs, et. al.
  123. Professional Life Skills for Young Adults: 7 Keys to Empower Career Readiness — Christianne Meneses Jacobs
  124. Pursuing a better tomorrow — Blanca De La Rosa
  125. Ready, Set, Manifest: A Handbook for the in-between and leaps in life — Debbie Lacey
  126. Rita Moreno: A Memoir — Rita Moreno
  127. Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a multicultural age — Juana Bordas
  128. Self Made: Becoming Empowered, Self Reliant and Rich in Every Way — Nely Galán
  129. Sexy Confidence™: A U.S. Marine’s Blueprint for Women to Command their Seat at the Table to become Bold, Beautiful, & Bulletproof — Sandra Gonzalez
  130. Silencing Gender, Age, Ethnicity and Cultural Biases in Leadership — Camilla A. Montoya, et. al.
  131. Solito: A Memoir — Javier Zamora
  132. Spirit Run: A 6000 Mile Marathon Through America’s Stolen Land — Noe Alvarez
  133. Still Dreaming: My Journey from the Barrio to Capitol Hill — Luis Gutiérrez
  134. Take a Stand: Lessons from Rebels — Jorge Ramos
  135. Take Charge of your Brand: Personal Brand for Professional Success — Guisselle Nuñez
  136. Taking On the System: Rules for Change in a Digital Era — Markos Moulitsas Zuniga
  137. Tattoos and Pearls: Combining Street Wisdom with Corporate Strategy — Miriam Simon
  138. The 5 Disciplines of Inclusive Leaders: Unleashing the Power of Us All — Andrés Tapia (coauthor)
  139. The Buena Salud Guide to Understanding Depression and Enjoying Life — Jane Delgado
  140. The Devil’s Highway, A True Story — Luis Alberto Urrea
  141. The Engine of America: Secrets to Small Business Success — Hector V. Barreto
  142. The Far Away Brothers: Two young migrants and the making of an American life — Lauren Markham
  143. The Four Sacred Gifts: Indigenous Wisdom for Modern Times — Anita L. Sanchez
  144. The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas — Monica Muñoz Martinez
  145. The Latina Guide to Health: Consejos and Caring Answers — Jane Delgado
  146. The Latino Advantage in the Workplace — Mariela Dabbah, Arturo Poiré
  147. The Leadership Shift: Positioning of Latino Business Leaders — Dr. Nilda Perez
  148. The Life Agreement: Own The Courage To Pursue Your Soul’s Ambitions — Sandra Noemi Torres
  149. The Light In Times Of Darkness — Janine Hernandez
  150. The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed As You Are — Alicia Menendez
  151. The Man Who Could Move Clouds — Ingrid Rojas Contreras
  152. The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self Care — Anna Borges
  153. The Power Manual: How to Master Complex Power Dynamics — Cyndi Suarez
  154. The Power of Latino Leadership: Culture, inclusion, and contribution — Juana Bordas
  155. The Prince of Los Cocuyos — Richard Blanco
  156. The Secret Principles of Genius — I.C. Robledo
  157. The Soul of a Woman — Isabel Allende
  158. The Story of Latinos and Education in American History — Dr. Abdín Noboa-Ríos
  159. The Undocumented Americans — Karla Conejo Villavicencio
  160. The Universal Tone: Bringing My Story to Light — Carlos Santana
  161. The Unlikely Candidate: Breaking Barriers to Elected Office and Beyond — Diana Maldonado
  162. The Virtuous Circle: Restore Your Confidence, Bounce Back, and Emerge Stronger — Gaby Natale
  163. This Little World: A How-To Guide for Social Innovators — Shelly Kurtz
  164. Thriving in the Fight: A Survival Manual for Latinas — Denise Padin Collazo
  165. Through the Dark — Yolanda Nava
  166. Tias and Primas, On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us — Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodriguez
  167. Today’s Inspired Latina Volume X: Life Stories Of Success In The Face of Adversity — Jacqueline S. Ruiz (Author), Ana Larrea-Albert
  168. Unapologetically You: Your Guide to Rise Without Compromise — Gina Cano
  169. Uncolonized Latinas: Transforming Our Mindsets and Rising Together — Valerie Aloe
  170. Undocumented: A Dominican boy’s odyssey from a homeless shelter to the Ivy League — Dan-el Padilla Peralta
  171. Undocumented: A Dominican Boy’s Odyssey from a Homeless Shelter to the Ivy League — Dan-el Padilla Peralta
  172. Unshaken: Women Rising, Leading, and Living Unapologetically — Blanca De La Rosa
  173. Wealth Warrior: 8 Steps to Conquer the Stock Market — Linda Garcia
  174. When I Was Alone with God From: Brokenness to Healing — Damaris Falcon-Santiago
  175. When I Was Puerto Rican — Esmeralda Santiago
  176. Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora — Saraciea J. Fennell (Editor)
  177. You Don’t Have to Like Me: Essays on Growing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding Feminism — Alida Nugent
  178. Your Power Within: Inner Guidance — Blanca De La Rosa
  179. Your Time to Rise: Unlearn Limiting Beliefs, Unlock Your Power, and Unleash Your Truest Self — Arivee Vargas
  180. Youth to Power: Your Voice and How to Use it — Jamie Margolin
  181. Youth, Identity, Power: The Chicano Movement — Carlos Munoz Jr.

View all of our leadership book lists here.

Secret to reducing awkwardness at parties

ulie’s stock of sticker name tags and trusty Sharpie pen.

Summer means outdoor gatherings, sometimes with many people who don’t know each other. Whether you’re hosting or attending such a party, I have a tool to reduce awkwardness among guests: name tags. 

Listen to Julie read this newsletter on YouTube

I first learned this from organizing formal networking events where name tags are essential to helping people keep track of everyone they meet. I also use them in my workshops for my clients. I bring tags so I can address participants by their name.

While some people like printed out name tags with pins or magnetic backings, I prefer the simple blank sticker so people can hand write their own name (and whatever other details they want to share). Sticker tags adhere to any surface. They’re also inexpensive and easy. As a  result, I always have blank sticker name tags and Sharpie pens on hand.

After seeing the benefits of name tags for work events, I started providing them for my personal social gatherings and my guests really appreciate them.  

While some think name tags feel “too formal,”  I consider them to be an accessibility aid to support those who have less than perfect memory or hearing. For those with difficult to pronounce names, they can even write the phonetic version of their name.

I even bring my own name tag to social gatherings with unfamiliar groups. The most common response when other guests see my name tag is, “Hey, where are the name tags?” Then I tell them I brought my own. If my partner accompanies me as my guest, I bring one for him, too. To help others place him, he usually writes underneath his name, “I’m with Julie”. 

During some events, I’ve had distant acquaintances come up to me and call me by my name.  I’m sure they wouldn’t have been confident in remembering who I am if not for my name tag. One person I met at a mutual friend’s birthday party found me on LinkedIn afterwards and messaged me to say, “I’ve been telling people about your name tag.” 

This past summer, I’ve been invited to birthday parties where I don’t know many of the other guests. I started offering to the host to bring blank sticker name tags for the other guests. The hosts love it because it makes it easier for guests to introduce themselves to each other, lightening the host’s load.  

Social gatherings with strangers can be awkward. Name tags are my trick. What tips do you have to make socializing easier? 

Please consider sharing this email with anyone you know who wants to make socializing easier for themselves or for their guests. 

Best, 

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You don’t have to go far to explore

Image caption: The main street in downtown Tacoma, Pacific Ave, was nearly empty on a Saturday afternoon. The Washington State Historical Museum is on the left.

The word “vacation” often evokes images of exotic, or at least faraway, places. Last month, my partner and I decided to travel to a nearby regional city for our annual summer vacation. 

Listen to Julie read this newsletter on YouTube

Even though Tacoma is only 35 miles south of where I live in Seattle, it feels quite different. I love its low-key, chill vibe. It has a quarter of Seattle’s population, half its density, and 70 percent of its median household income.

To experience local living, we rented an AirBnB in a residential neighborhood instead of staying downtown. We visited the city’s history and art museums, parks, and waterfront for the first time. Just as I would when I travel to places a lot farther away, I paid special attention to what looks different from home. 

  • There were a lot fewer people walking on the streets. 
  • I didn’t see any homeless encampments, open drug use, or black markets anywhere – not even downtown or near freeway entrances.
  • The cars people drove are generally much older, gasoline models, rather than electric powered vehicles.
  • There were more families with young children. 
  • There were fewer people of Asian heritage

Here are my two big takeaways: 1) I don’t have to travel far to experience cultural differences, and 2) what I notice says a lot about what I consider to be normal: busy streets; homelessness and open drug use; newer, electric vehicles (Seattle has the third most Tesla owners in the US); more dogs than young children; and a 20% Asian population. 

Practicing curiosity can make any destination feel more exotic. As summer winds down, you may consider “vacationing” nearby. If you do, please share what you notice and what it reveals about what you consider normal. I’d love to hear from you. 

Also, please consider sharing this email with anyone you know who is about to travel near or far. 

Best,

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