Originally published in the San Diego Union Tribute, October 26, 2022.

After 31 years of public service, Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas is retiring. Recently, the Chula Vista Democratic Club hosted a retirement party for the mayor. A who’s who of leaders in the county attended, including Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher and Vice Chair Nora Vargas. They spoke with respect and appreciation for Salas’ leadership. Vice Chair Vargas, the first Latina elected to the County Board of Supervisors, talked about Salas being the first Latina mayor in the region who inspired other Latinas to campaign and win. When it was the mayor’s turn to speak, she mentioned the key role that the nonprofit organization MANA de San Diego played in her leadership trajectory. Not only did she make lifelong friendships through MANA, but those women propelled her to become a leader and eventually an elected official. Salas is a case study on how to increase the number of Latinas and women of color in elected positions.

Salas’ story is inspirational to many. Finding herself a single mother at the age of 37, overcoming fear and self–doubt, she made the life–changing decision to enroll at Southwestern College, then transferring to San Diego State University and graduating with honors. During her years studying social work atSDSU, she became involved with MANA de San Diego. Once Salas joined the organization, she jumped right into it. “I felt an immediate passion for what they were trying to do,” Salas said. “I identified a lot with the problems that Latinas were encountering.” Established in 1986, MANA de San Diego’s mission is to empower Latinas through education, leadership development, community service and advocacy.

In 1993, the MANA de San Diego Board President announced her departure from San Diego and asked Salas, who was the vice president at the time, to step into the president’s role. Salas was terrified at the thought of leading this nascent organization. She thought, “no one is going to listen to me.” But other leaders at MANA recognized Salas’ potential and encouraged her to become board president. Salas states that many Latinas are reluctant leaders that say, “let the other person shine, I’ll work in the background.” This highlights the importance of encouraging women to believe in themselves, their power and their potential.

Encouraged and supported by MANA de San Diego members, Salas became board president in 1993 and blossomed as a leader of the organization. Through MANA de San Diego, Salas attended a workshop on the importance of serving on boards and commissions. With the encouragement and support of MANA members, Salas applied to serve on the Civil Service Commission. In 1993, Salas was appointed to the Chula Vista Planning Commission. In 1996, she was elected to the Chula Vista City Council. Then, in 2000, Salas was elected to a second term in the City Council with 66 percent of the votes. In 2006, she was elected to the California Assembly. There were also lost races along the way, but Salas persisted to become the first Latina mayor not just in the city, but in the region.

An American University study found that a key predictor of whether a woman will run for office is whether they have been encouraged or recruited to run. Men are twice as likely as women to have definite goals to run for office. MANA de San Diego has a long history of encouraging and recruiting Latinas to reach high in their leadership trajectory. The Latina Success Leadership Program, a partnership between MANA de San Diego and the Center for Creative Leadership, was established in 2015 not only to increase the number of Latinas in the C Suite, but also in public office. Even before the program existed, MANA de San Diego created leadership opportunities for Latinas. Vice Chair Nora Vargas states that the first board she ever served on was the MANA de San Diego board.

Salas also learned the importance of succession planning at MANA de San Diego. She shares that early MANA member leaders gladly handed the reigns to the newer generation.

That’s important to keep any organization alive and thriving with new people coming up and given the opportunity to lead. It’s refreshing to have someone like Salas understand the importance of mentoring the next generation of leaders. On October 22 at the Latina Success Conference this year in SDSU, MANA de San Diego recognized Mayor Mary Salas with a lifetime achievement award for her countless achievements, but also for inspiring women of color and Latinas to run for office.