Leadership in Community with Vivian Huelgo and Jane Zhi

At Esperanza United, we know no single organization or person is going to end gender-based violence alone – it will take 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. is interviewing leaders across the fields of gender-based violence prevention and Latin@ empowerment and beyond. Read on to learn leadership lessons, celebrate the people doing the work, and share in our gratitude for our vibrant community. 

In this edition, Vivian speaks with Jane Zhi, Managing Attorney at the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence. With a career dedicated to expanding access to justice for survivors, Jane reflects on the mentors who shaped her leadership journey, the importance of leading with compassion, and how creating survivor-centered legal systems can help build a future where everyone can live free from fear. Pues, vamos:  

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

Jane: Leadership, to me, means being people-centered. An effective leader leads by offering grace, cultivating a culture of compassion rather than judgment, and being invested in every team member’s growth and well-being. 

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

Jane: You! When I think about my leadership journey, you are the first person who comes to mind. I remember how much you believed in me and how you constantly supported my professional growth. I also think of so many others who have shaped my career path, including many mentors who both cheered me on and challenged me to stretch. One of them was my professor, Dr. Marsha Saxton, who was a trailblazer in the disability rights movement. She was the first person to encourage me to go to law school, and I am where I am today because of her. 

Vivian: How do you stay innovative and motivated in your work?  

Jane: I come from a direct services background, and I will forever be grateful to have held and been entrusted with the stories of many survivors seeking justice through the legal system. My motivation and innovation are rooted in changing the experience of survivors working with lawyers and providing legal professionals with tools they need to be more client-centered and inclusive, and more confident in their lawyering skills. 

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

Jane: The difference between people pleasing and people serving. People pleasing is easier but does not benefit yourself or others in the long term. 

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

Jane: The world would have so much more creativity, so much more invention, if every person lived without fear. A violence-free future is one where unfulfilled dreams and ideas will exist. 

Vivian: Gratitude is so important: Tell me about something you are grateful for? 

Jane: I am so grateful for my family and for the profound privilege of raising my children and watching them grow. I am grateful for my coworkers and other partners and collaborators, and the opportunity we have to do meaningful and fulfilling work every day.