Episode #23: Juana Matias

<p>Juana Matias is a first-generation American who moved with her family to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic when she was five years old. &nbsp;She went on to become the first Latina ever elected to the serve in the Massuchusetts State House, and in 2018 ran for Congress in a crowded field of candidates vying to fill the seat that opened up when long-term Congresswoman Nicki Tsongas announced that she was not running for re-election. &nbsp;Juana ultimately lost that race, but she greatly outperformed expectations by coming in third out of thirteen candidates. &nbsp;Along the way, she demonstrated that a woman of color from a working-class background could be a viable Congressional candidate here in Massachusetts. &nbsp;</p> <p>She is a trailblazer and amazing servant leader, and in this episode she discusses her path to politics, how she stayed resilience while daily challenging assumptions about what is possible for a woman of color in politics, and how she stays so powerfully grounded in her purpose. &nbsp;</p>