“There are women who are afraid to reach out to immigration or worker’s comp for they are undocumented; they’re afraid to reach out to the police,” explains Velia Razo. “We tell them it’s okay. We’re here to support.”
With her colleague Raquel Naranjo, Velia co-founded the Latina Professional Alliance (LPA) to promote opportunities for its members and the community at large. LPA is a network of bilingual professionals ready to help out in every field, from immigration, family, and criminal law to accounting, insurance, and financial advice.
“Being Latina, we don’t have the resources,” Velia says. “We want to empower women and encourage them to continue their passion. So many women give up. We teach them to have faith in the process.”