Magaly Chocano introduces herself at the Club Leaders of the Future event in San Antonio.
Ruby Resendez Co-owner of Cilantro Creative
As president of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Chamber of Commerce, which has seen 50 percent growth in membership with young leadership in the last six months, Resendez is a big proponent for initiating change and diversity in the city. The chamber is currently working to bring national certification to current LGBTowned businesses in the area, which will encourage growth in the city she loves. “I think it is a team effort on everybody’s part. I think all of us pushing together and making our voice louder is exactly what will help us to what we need to do.” “Keep up the work you are doing. We do it all together.”
John Watts Nieto
Cassandra Lazenby
Arts administrator
TV Personality
Born and reared in San Antonio, Texas, John Watts Nieto became interested in theatre and choir at Palo Alto College, which inspired him to study radio, television and film at San Antonio College. He then transferred to Our Lady of the Lake University, where he was a photographer in the Office of Public Information and in May of 1995, earned his Bachelor of Arts in communications. Upon graduating, he moved to Dallas, Texas, to work as a production assistant for KFWD- Telemundo on a daily live PM Magazine show entitled, “Variadisimo.” Nieto was then promoted to assistant director of creative services. Nieto volunteered his time with the men’s prison fellowship through his former church, Covenant Church in Carrollton, Texas. He was an active volunteer through his church with the Department of Fine Arts, as an actor and production assistant. One of John’s greatest highlights as an arts administrator was when he was contracted to be the talent director for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Conference and Gala, featuring President Obama in Washington, D.C. In March of 2014, two of John’s “Avant Guard” Fiesta Hats were placed on display at the Smithsonian Affiliate, University of Texas, Institute of Texan Cultures for a Fiesta Hat Exhibit entitled, “Hats Off To Fiesta.”
As executive producer, TV host and personality at the CBS affiliate for about a decade and then at FOX, Lazenby left her job to pursue a passion for Latina empowerment. Born in El Paso, Texas, Lazenby came from a household with hardworking parents who encouraged her to continue her education, and with that she became the first of her family to graduate from college. After graduation, she realized that she had a platform through TV to give a voice to those who were not being heard in her community, and she used it to raise money for children in the area through organizations such as San Antonio Youth and St. Peter-St. Joseph’s Children’s Home. “I believe that if we are given a blessing, we should be able to give it back,” she said. After leaving TV, Lazenby has been working on writing a book that focuses on encouraging and mentoring young, Latina women to navigate the professional world, and she continues to focus on giving back to the community.
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