Leadership in community with Vivian Huelgo and Gloria Contreras

At Esperanza United, we know no single organization or person is going to end domestic and sexual violence alone – it takes communities working together. That’s why Latina leadership and community-based solutions are two of our organizational values.

To advance this strengths-based approach, Esperanza United President and CEO Vivian Huelgo, J.D. interviews leaders whose work is creating change, advancing equity, and strengthening communities across the country. Through these conversations, we celebrate the people behind the work, reflect on lessons in leadership, and share our collective vision for a future free from violence.

In this edition, Vivian speaks with Gloria Contreras Edin, J.D. chair of the Esperanza United Board of Directors and owner and managing attorney at Contreras Edin Law, PA. A warm and compassionate attorney dedicated to her clients, Gloria has extensive experience advising clients from around the globe on complex immigration matters and representing them before various courts and agencies. She is also a passionate advocate, serving on several nonprofit boards and commissions, and teaches immigration law as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Gloria reflects on leading with curiosity and humility, the importance of making space for the next generation of Latina leaders, and a recent lesson in the strength found in stillness. She also shares her vision for a violence-free future rooted in accountability, and how her gratitude for Minnesota’s community and legal system shapes her sense of leadership as service. Pues vamos: 

Vivian: One of our organizational values is Latina Leadership. What does Latina leadership mean to you? 

Gloria: Latina leadership is rooted in listening to others on my team, with curiosity, humility, and compassion. It means meeting people where they are, understanding that everyone is learning and growing in their own time. For me, leadership is also about excellence: showing up prepared, doing exceptional work, and living in a way that inspires others. When we lead with grace and kindness instead of scarcity and fear, we create space for everyone to feel safe to grow and rise up.  

 Vivian: Who inspired your leadership journey, and how did they shape you? 

Gloria: I’ve been shaped by people whose names the world will never know. As a little girl, I remember a homeless man in Los Angeles searching through a garbage can with dignity and hope and it changed how I see resilience. Every client who entrusts me with their story teaches me courage. Artists like Bad Bunny, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Alicia Keys remind me that authenticity in expression is leadership. As Hamilton says, “Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now.”  

 Vivian: How do you mentor or support the next generation of Latina leaders? 

Gloria: I make time, always! When a young Latina or Latino reaches out, I listen before I speak. I don’t rush to give advice or solve their problems. I create space for them to be heard, because being truly seen is often more valuable than being told what to do. The next generation gives me tremendous hope, and investing in them is one of the most meaningful responsibilities I have. 

 Vivian: What is a lesson you learned recently that surprised you? 

Gloria: I’ve learned that stillness is not inactivity; it is a form of strength. In a profession that rewards constant motion, I’ve discovered that moments of quiet restore me physically, emotionally, and mentally. Some of my best decisions, deepest clarity, and greatest creativity come not from doing more, but from creating space to simply be. 

Vivian: One of our organizational values is living free from violence. What does a violence-free future look like to you? 

Gloria: A violence-free future begins when we stop asking survivors why they stayed and start asking those who cause harm why they abuse. We must shift responsibility away from victims and place accountability where it belongs, on the abuser. Real prevention means changing the conversation, addressing the root causes of violence, and building communities where safety, dignity, and respect are the expectation, not the exception.  

Vivian: Gratitude is so important. Tell us about something you are grateful for. 

Gloria: I am deeply grateful to call Minnesota home. This state has taught me the power of community, public service, and looking out for one another. I’m especially grateful for Minnesota’s legal community, the lawyers and judges who work every day to uphold the Constitution and protect the rule of law. That commitment gives me hope and reminds me that leadership is ultimately an act of service.