![]() Ultimately, JWLS made me feel seen and valued as a Latina and as a member of the LGBTQIA community. It was refreshing to see that this team didn’t shy away from spotlighting the strength that comes when we embrace our differences. Without doubt, my favorite part was how open and willing the community of service members who came to this event were to receive information and learn from a diverse group of moderators and panelists. Serving as emcee was definitely a career highlight for so many reasons. Inclusion is a verb, and unless we put deliberate action behind the tag of DEIA, like the Air Force JWLS team did, we may miss out on leveraging the widest pool of talent needed to stay ahead of our competitors. ![]() And I think this was an intentional and deliberate effort to employ inclusion. A diverse workforce is not automatically an inclusive one. We talk about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, but we fail to remember that although diversity is such a crucial part of our mission, inclusion is not a natural consequence of a diverse team. Honestly, I had never seen a panel like it at a military symposium, or at any military event. The panel that most stood out to me was the “With Honor and Integrity” panel. I think recognizing the necessity to remain balanced and to start thinking about what’s next were some of the biggest lessons for me. It is so easy for us to assume this uniform is part of who we are, and we often base our social networks, identity, and everyday actions around our profession. I don’t have any plans to leave the service soon, but I learned from those who transitioned out that it is never too early to start learning and preparing for when that time comes. I went into the day excited to hear panels focused on topics about currently serving in the military, but surprisingly I actually took the most away from panels focused on transitioning out of the military. The JWLS agenda was structured for all attendees, from those entering the service to those transitioning out of service. As an enlisted Airman, a Latina, and member of the LGBTQIA community, I knew this was the opportunity to not only represent those communities, but all the Department of the Air Force Barrier Analysis Working Groups (DAFBAWGs) with which I’ve had the privilege to work. The intentionality of how the day was shaped was apparent. Tahina Montoya, JWLS Air Force lead, planned a day filled with presenters and panels that were not only demographically diverse, but also represented a diverse pool of experiences and perspectives. However, once I saw the agenda, presenters, and speakers that had been organized, I knew that I really wanted to be on this team. I questioned, “Who am I to do something as big as this?” I’ve never been considered in the past for such a high-visibility project. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I was the right person for the job. ![]() "I first heard about the Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium in 2019 when working on the first iteration of the Women’s Air and Space Power Symposium, but never thought that I would have the opportunity to serve as master of ceremonies for the event. ![]()
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