This is Latina Leadership Coach Christina’s story of finding a community who shares her audacious mission.

Christina Jovanna Olivarez (she/her) is an award-winning Visibility and Leadership Coach, TEDx speaker, and founder of Hustle + Socialize—a powerhouse conference in San Antonio, Texas, designed to elevate Latinas + WOC into unapologetic leadership.

For over a decade, she has helped women go from the “best-kept secret” to highly visible leaders, blending personal branding with the confidence to take up space on their own terms.

Limited opportunities to share her voice and mission

Christina was always laser focused on what she wanted from life. Broadcast journalism degree? Check. Internships lined up? Check. 

The vision of someday sitting under those studio lights at Good Morning America? Double check.

But when she started applying for jobs, she kept hearing: “You need to change something about yourself. You need more training.”

Instead of letting that get to her, she pivoted to a career in PR and later started her own coaching business in 2013, making social media her stage. 

“Being on socials is kinda like having your own TV show [laughs]”

…And she was all fired up by her mission:

“I wanna help Latinas embrace that we’re meant to take up space and be unapologetically visible”.

The representation gap on big stages

Every time Christina launched something new in her business, people didn’t just want the service—they wanted her to talk about her mission and point of view. 

The invitations to speak [in San Antonio, Texas, and the online business space] poured in without her even chasing them.

Her TEDx Talk? She didn’t apply. Someone literally told her, “You need to do this”.

But her public speaking dreams hit a ceiling after a while.

Christina noticed this pattern everywhere—the prominent conferences in New York, LA, even in her own Texas backyard:

“Latinas and WOC are not represented at all in these big national conferences and I wanna change that”

So Christina built her own stage: Hustle + Socialize—and she wondered whether there were others doing the same.

Why the Latinx Speaker Directory felt like a “hell yes!”

As a speaker, Christina wanted to be on bigger stages and in rooms where her message—your visibility is revolutionary—could reach more people. 

And as the mastermind behind Hustle + Socialize, she was also looking for brilliant Latina and WOC voices who could help her audience dream bigger and re-imagine what was possible for them. 

“I felt really drawn to the work Steph is doing—it was bigger than just a static directory and I immediately wanted to be a part of it. 

We need more of that in our world.”

The Latinx Speaker Directory + Live Event: What set it apart

Most speaker directories are static websites that feel like digital phone books—names, headshots, and bios gathering dust. This one? A whole different story.

Instead of a static list, it became a living, breathing community: live events, breakout rooms, and spaces to build and nurture relationships.

“Steph was intentional about every detail—who she invited in, how she created touchpoints, and how she amplified us on social media” 

“That’s what set it apart—Steph sets the example for how a directory should be.”

Sharing her mission and story with people who get it

Christina is building a legacy of connection, courage, and possibility through her coaching business and event. 

Sharing her story was her way of sparking resonance, showing people that they’re not alone, and inviting them to be a part of her movement. 

But here’s what makes this moment different from every other networking event she’d attended: she wasn’t translating her experience for people who might never understand it.

She wasn’t code-switching or softening her message to make it palatable. 

She was speaking her truth to folks who had lived versions of her story—the rejection, the pivot, the hustle, the vision of what’s possible when you refuse to stay invisible.

“The live event allowed me to share my story. 

And it allowed me to also get the word out about the work I’m doing here in San Antonio.

And it was great to meet other women who have similar stories, similar backgrounds, similar experiences.”

A launch-pad for meaningful relationships

For Christina, speaking has never been about standing on a stage and talking at people—it’s about connection. 

Her presence on stage comes alive not just because of what she says, but because of how deeply she values building relationships with the people in the room.

That’s why the directory’s live event felt like such a natural fit. It wasn’t transactional—it was relational. 

“I’m a big people person—just hearing everyone’s story and learning about what they’d speak on, what they find meaningful—it was incredible!”

And the best part? These conversations didn’t feel like small talk—they were seeds that blossomed into friendships, generous resource sharing, and aligned collab opportunities that lifted everyone up. 

The Impact: a win-win collaboration

During a breakout session at the Latinx Speaker Directory Live Event, Christina met Heidy De La Cruz, who shares powerful stories about immigrant experiences in the US on her podcast. 

Christina left that session inspired and stayed connected with Heidy on socials. 

Months later, when she was curating speakers for Hustle + Socialize 2025, she reached out to Heidy and asked her to apply to speak.

…and she said YES. Christina lights up when she thinks about this moment:

“That’s the ripple effect. A breakout room convo turned into a beautiful connection for me and Heidy’s first out-of-state speaking gig. 

That’s why Steph’s community matters.”

The vision to play bigger—and not doing it alone

Christina knew the weight of isolation all too well—sitting in the audience at events and rarely seeing a person of color on stage.

 Or standing on a stage herself, looking out at a sea of faces that couldn’t see themselves in her journey.

That kind of representation gap doesn’t just sting—it quietly narrows your sense of what’s possible.

Which is why being part of the Latinx Speaker Directory and Live Event felt like such a relief. For once, she wasn’t carrying the burden of breaking barriers alone. She was part of a collective, a movement, with a shared purpose. 

“There are so many incredible speakers out there that are not getting the recognition that they deserve.

My favourite thing about the directory is that it shifts how other Latinas see themselves in the world of speaking.

Steph’s event opened my eyes to how much we need to talk about our experiences. And we also need to continue to amplify each other. And I love that I’m not doing this alone.”

Why Christina thinks you should be in the room with us

Too often, pitching for public speaking feels like sending an application into the void without anyone to vouch for you or relationships to lean on.

And for underrepresented experts, the silence on the other end can feel even heavier. Being a part of The Speaker Movement Directory changes that. 

“When you’re a speaker and you’re looking for opportunities, it’s great to have a space where you can connect and form relationships. Because speaking really is about trust.

Once people hear your story and get to know you, they’ll share it with others. 

You never know what opportunities might come from just being part of it. I’d say—do it. It’s amazing. The speakers in this directory are phenomenal, and you get to be part of that community too.”

Connect With Christina

Website | Podcast | Instagram

The Speaker Movement Directory

Become a member inside the Speaker Movement Directory—get your own speaker profile, searchable signature talk listings, and access the curriculum + live quarterly workshops designed to grow your public speaking career!

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