Latina Civic Foundation’s Annual Excellence Breakfast!
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Invited Author
Latina leaders, elected officials and community advocates gathered Oct. 9 at the Rutgers Club for the inaugural Latina Excellence Breakfast, organized by the Latina Civic Foundation to recognize women who have broken barriers in public service and leadership across New Jersey.
Held during Hispanic Heritage Month, the event celebrated pioneering Latinas while emphasizing the importance of creating opportunities for future generations.
A featured discussion, Las Primeras: A Leadership Conversation, brought together U.S. Reps. Nellie Pou and Analilia Mejia to reflect on their paths to leadership, their commitment to public service and the role of Latina representation in decision-making spaces.
Honoring women who made history
The celebration recognized several women whose careers have marked important milestones in New Jersey’s political history.
Former New Jersey Attorney General Zulima Farber was honored with The Legado Award, recognizing her career in public service and advocacy. In 2006, Farber became New Jersey’s first Latina attorney general and was also the first Latina to serve as acting governor.
In recognition of her contributions, the Latina Civic Foundation announced the establishment of the Zulima Farber Civic Leadership Academy, a yearlong program designed to equip participants with the skills, knowledge and confidence to create change through service and entrepreneurship.
New Jersey Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz received the Primera Award. In November 2007, Ruiz became the first Puerto Rican elected to the New Jersey Senate, building a career focused on education, public health and economic opportunity.
Other women recognized as Las Primeras Honorees included Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, former Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz, Cumberland County Commissioner Yolanda Garcia Balicki and Silvia Catalán-Culnan, deputy mayor of Mount Laurel Township.
Breaking barriers and opening doors
During the leadership conversation, Pou, the first Latina elected to Congress from New Jersey, reflected on the responsibility of being a trailblazer.
“Our job as first. It’s really a matter of just making ourselves available of opening that door walking through that door and pulling everyone behind us,” Pou said.
Mejia discussed her experiences as a first-generation student and the importance of educators and mentors who encouraged her to pursue opportunities. She emphasized that being the first should not mean being the last. “The first, but not the last,” Mejia said.
Their conversation highlighted the importance of mentorship, community support and creating pathways for women who aspire to leadership positions.
Representation requires opportunity
U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez, who attended the breakfast, said celebrating Latina leadership must be accompanied by concrete opportunities.
“It’s one thing to encourage people to do something, but if there’s not an opportunity on the other side, then there’s then there’s a mismatch,” Menendez said during an interview.
He emphasized that opportunities must be created at the municipal, county, state and federal levels, including leadership roles in government and public service.
Menendez also discussed initiatives intended to support emerging leaders through internships, youth advisory programs and political participation.
Preparing the next generation
Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina, a leader of the Latina Civic Foundation, explained that the organization’s mission is to ensure Latina women are represented wherever important decisions are made.
The foundation develops educational leadership programs for college students and working professionals, helping participants recognize their abilities and prepare for leadership in the public and private sectors.
“We have to elevate the stories of those who were the first because they are the example for those who come after them,” Campos-Medina said.
The breakfast also served as a fundraising event supporting the foundation’s educational initiatives.
Campos-Medina discussed plans to expand opportunities for Latina entrepreneurs, women interested in public office and emerging professionals seeking mentorship and support.
Among the initiatives she highlighted was Latinas Building the Bench, which aims to strengthen networks among women pursuing leadership roles.
Celebrating culture and community
The event also featured a musical performance by Janetza Maria Miranda, a New Jersey singer of Puerto Rican heritage.
Miranda discussed a multilingual composition inspired by immigrant and migrant communities in New Jersey, incorporating English, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan and Arabic.
Her performance brought a cultural dimension to the celebration, highlighting the diversity and contributions of immigrant communities.
Beyond being the first
The Latina Excellence Breakfast celebrated historic achievements while recognizing that representation requires continued investment in future leaders.
Through awards, educational initiatives and conversations about mentorship, the Latina Civic Foundation emphasized that individual accomplishments can become pathways for others.
The gathering reinforced a message shared throughout the morning: being the first is an achievement, but ensuring that others follow is part of the legacy.
