LATINO
2022
Partner
LEADERS Worth Watching
TM
INTERNATIONAL
AWARD
Monique Garcia
This New Work World Gives Me Hope
Education: BA, McGill University, Faculty of Arts (Montreal, Quebec, Canada); LLB, University of Montreal, Faculty of Law (Montreal, Quebec, Canada); JD, Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law (Davie, Florida) Company Name: Jones Walker LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Bill Hines Company Headquarters Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Number of Employees: 350+ Your Location: Miami, Florida Words you live by: “Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” – Lao Tzu Who is your personal hero? My mother, Graciela, resilient, elegant, kind and charming What book are you reading? The Best of Me by David Sedaris; The Best Defense by Alan Dershowitz. What was your first job: Consumer data collection analyst Favorite charity: Dade Legal Aid Interests: Cycling, running, kayaking, gardening, and home organization Family: My loving husband, Jan Gora, a Polish-Canadian, and our sweet daughter Olivia, American-born and Polish-Peruvian
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2022 First Quarter
The world of work is changing in new and exciting ways. It’s morphing into a path that can’t be undone, and that makes me hopeful for this generation and the next. The pandemic helped us to realize our ability to work from home if employers can provide technologies, such as video conferencing, among other advances. Our law firm was able to do that, and we were able to attend court hearings and meet our clients virtually with ease. These technological vehicles allow people with younger children to work from home and have a better work-life balance. By enabling employees to work from home, companies can reach beyond the regular talent pool and strengthen the fabric of their talent by including working mothers and fathers. In so doing, each company should aim to weave its people into a mosaic and not succumb to a melting pot, thereby drowning critical voices.
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We may come from different places and have distinct experiences, but we’re all the same in striving to achieve the best for our clients.
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By way of example, when I was a new mother, a short five years ago, it was challenging to return to work because these technological advances were not prevalent. One was expected to be physically present in the office. And while I was able to manage being a breastfeeding mother and conducting a jury trial with my partner, and my firm supported me in various immeasurable ways, the world of work now has shown us there are new ways of conducting business. Today’s leaders can support the next generation of Latino business leaders by overcoming systemic bias. Just like any other individual, not all Latinos or Latinas are the same. For myself, I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada, speaking English and French fluently in school and at work, and speaking Spanish at home. Hence, I have a French sense of humor with an English sensibility, and Spanish taste buds! Each Latino and Latina has layers to his or her story that should be heard. And in the end, we may come from different places and have distinct experiences, but we’re all the same in striving to achieve the best for our clients.
www.diversityjournal.com
