Leadership in Community with Vivian Huelgo and Lourdes M. Rosado

14 October 2025

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, commemorating the end of Hispanic Heritage Month 2025, Vivian speaks with Lourdes M. Rosado, President and General Counsel of LatinoJustice PRLDEF. Pues, vamos: 

Vivian Huelgo: Hello Lourdes. I’m so glad to be speaking with you today. One of our organizational values at Esperanza United is Latina leadership. Tell me – what does Latina leadership mean to you? 

Lourdes M. Rosado: Latina leaders motivate and inspire their teams while also rolling up their sleeves to get the work done. We bring our vision, compassion, and can-do attitude to the work, so that we can create a more just and equitable society.   

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

Lourdes M. Rosado: Personally, I have an open-door policy to any student or young professional who seeks my advice. And my organization, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, offers a continuum of leadership development programs starting as early as high school for individuals who are interested in pursuing a legal career. 

Vivian Huelgo: That’s so smart. And how do you support your team in staying motivated and mission-driven?  

Lourdes M. Rosado: These are indeed challenging times to be a civil rights lawyer!  Fortunately, I have a really dedicated team at LatinoJustice.  We remind each other that it is a privilege to be able to use our skills and knowledge to fight back against an anti-democratic agenda and pursue racial justice. 

Vivian Huelgo: It is a privilege! Can you also share a lesson you learned recently that surprised you?   

Lourdes M. Rosado: Frankly, I am still learning the lesson that you can’t please everyone.  Instead, you have to rely on your experience, knowledge, and gut to make the tough decisions. 

Vivian Huelgo: Gratitude is also so important: Tell me about something you are grateful for? (it can be anything!) 

Lourdes M. Rosado: I am so grateful to my husband, son and golden retriever, who bring me joy every day. 

More about Lourdes M. Rosado 

Lourdes M. Rosado is President and General Counsel of LatinoJustice PRLDEF. A skilled litigator and appellate attorney, she has successfully led and directed targeted advocacy efforts on a wide variety of civil rights issues, including challenging the rescission of DACA and the enactment of the Muslim travel ban; fighting dangerous conditions of confinement for youth in correctional and child welfare facilities; going after employers who expose employees to sexual harassment and hostile work places; defeating efforts to prevent immigrant children from enrolling in public schools; and holding school districts accountable for disciplinary practices that discriminate against students based on their race, ethnicity, or disability status.  

Prior to joining LatinoJustice, Lourdes was Program Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, where she oversaw the litigation, policy advocacy, and field organizing departments, and chapters. Previously she served as Chief of the Civil Rights Bureau in the NYS Office of the Attorney General, and as Associate Director of Juvenile Law Center.  

Lourdes has received many honors, including being named the 2009 Citizen of the Year by the Philadelphia Inquirer  for her role in successfully advocating that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacate the juvenile delinquency adjudications of thousands of youth who were victims of the infamous Kids for Cash scandal. 

Lourdes is a graduate of Swarthmore College, holds a M.A. in Latin American Studies from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, a J.D. from New York University School of Law, and a LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center.