Clara Matonhodze:
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Roots, Routes, and Voices That Shape America, a Cincinnati Compass podcast. I’m your host and creator of the series Clara Martinote.

Bryan Wright:
And I’m Brian Wright, executive director of Cincinnati Compass and your cohost. Before we dive in, the views and stories shared on this podcast are those of our guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cincinnati Compass. We believe every voice has a place especially when it shapes the future of our cities.

Clara Matonhodze:
Today’s guest is someone whose story reminds us that leadership comes in many forms, and sometimes it starts in places you’d never expect. Karla Boldery was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico. As a young girl, she once dreamed of becoming a nun. Yay, Karla. Drone to a life of quiet service and deep faith, but life had other plans.

Bryan Wright:
Instead of taking religious vows, Karla took a leap across borders and into boardrooms. Her journey led her to The United States where she would eventually become a respected business advisor, media leader, and community builder. She’s the founder of the Latino Entrepreneur Academy in Cincinnati, a program that has trained and empowered over 180 Hispanic entrepreneurs. She’s the twenty twenty three Ohio s b BC state star and the former general market manager at La Mega Media, Ohio’s largest Hispanic media platform.

Clara Matonhodze:
But more than her titles, Kala is a woman who understands what it means to not see yourself in the system and then build your own table. Her story is about redefining service, not a silence or sacrifice, but visibility, ownership, and transformation.

Bryan Wright:
In this conversation, we’re asking more than how did you succeed. We are asking, what did you have to unlearn to find your voice? What did the American dream cost you? How did you stay rooted in who you are while navigating systems that often demand you become someone else? Carlo’s story is not just about business. It’s about resilience, identity, and what it means to serve with power.

Clara Matonhodze:
So let’s get into it. From the streets of Mexico City to the corridors of economic development in Ohio, this is a journey of Karla Baldery. Her roots, her route, her voice right here on Roots, Routes and Voices. Let’s get into it. So let’s begin, Karla. Let’s start where your story begins. Mexico City. What kind of home did you grow up in? What shaped your worldview as a young girl?

Karla Boldery:
Hi, Karla. Thank you very much for having me. And picturing myself, a long time ago in the streets of Mexico City, you can picture a 12 year old trying to make herself away from school, actually elementary school, into the busy streets of Mexico City to get to my apartment home, which I did not know any of my neighbors. I and there was no intention to know any of my neighbors, but, at best, life is so busy in Mexico City, that we were just trying to make it. So picturing myself and thinking, can my 12 year old do that today? Probably not. It’s just quite a difference to living in the Midwest.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. Yeah. What’s the population of Mexico City?

Karla Boldery:
Population of Mexicans Mhmm. Mexico City, the metro area, has over 20,000,000 people.

Clara Matonhodze:
Oh my gosh. Yes. And you were in those streets by yourself. Now where your Correct. 12 year old makes it. Correct. Correct. I

Karla Boldery:
They can and I wonder how I did it.

Clara Matonhodze:
I know. They can barely make it out of our subdivisions.

Karla Boldery:
Yes. Oh my god. So and to to tell you a little bit about that, family of two. Mhmm. My mother was an ophthalmologist, and my father was an accountant by trade. So, very busy people in a busy city, so I really got to see not much of them all the time. I grew up in a non-school, Catholic school, and was really busy with activities and very focused on becoming a professional.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. What was a typical girl I’m not a typical day like for you growing up?

Karla Boldery:
A typical day, probably getting up, getting ready, going to school, finding my way back to home where I had to get ready because I was getting picked up to go to ballet classes or swimming lessons or something like that. And then, by the time that it was time to come back, homework and go back to sleep and repeat it, once and again and again and again.

Bryan Wright:
So you were talking about preparing for a professional life. Did you have an idea of what you wanted to do at that time? And, like, what was a professional career you, or was it just kind of wide open?

Karla Boldery:
I can tell you, Brian, that when I look back, I probably had no clue, but I did know that I wanted to run my own business. I had my nanny that took care of me at the time, and I would make her play with me, the store. Actually, a grocery store. I used to pull all the vegetables from the refrigerator and had her being the merchant and me handle the money and do all kinds of transactions. Then I kind of got a little more elevated and opened a bookstore with my mom’s library. And I love being a cashier and, again, trying to figure out how I could sell all this, imaginary well, the books were there, but my imaginary clients how to sell. So I definitely knew I wanted to start a business early on. Yeah.

Karla Boldery:
So at what point because

Clara Matonhodze:
I know you and I had talked about our growing up. Like, you’re growing up in Mexico City. I mean, I was growing up in Arari, Zimbabwe. And at some point, we had the same ambition to be nuns. You know? Crazy. Right?

Karla Boldery:
Oh, no.

Clara Matonhodze:
You didn’t know that right now.

Bryan Wright:
I’m learning. I know both of you, and I’m learning this for the first time. This is fantastic. I wanna hear

Clara Matonhodze:
more. Yeah. Yeah. It was, I think it was Karla and I were on another panel together and she happened to mention that and I was like, oh my gosh. That’s interesting because when you look at Karla’s life and my life, there are so many parallels, and yet we’re growing up on two different continents. Like, for instance, the ambition to be a nun, you know, her journalism, her business focus, it’s a lot which we will discover. But anyway, I wanna go back to you, Karla, and talk about what had called you on that path, and how did life pull you in another direction?

Karla Boldery:
Absolutely. So just, in the same general sense, I can tell you, I grew up in a very religious Catholic family, and that’s why I always went to Catholic schools. And it was always schools where nuns lived in a convent. So, from early on to me was something that I definitely looked up to. My ma’am and my family were so connected that I always saw myself trying to become a nun until I didn’t write around sixth grade, when I realized that maybe it was not such a great idea. But sure enough, and I do remember, fourth, fifth grade, it was so ingrained to me all these all these teachings from my family and just the closeness, what I now can translate in when you start building your village. That was my village then, and I wanted to be part of it. And I saw myself ingrained in that.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. Yeah. Did convents in Mexico like, did they have to remove nuns from their families and Yes. Yeah. Yes. Like, no contact at all for long periods of time, or could they have visited? Because I remember when I first came here, it’s a very different lifestyle that Nancy has compared to, say, Nancy in Zimbabwe where there’s a total removal from family life and everything that you know for years and years and years is correct. Physical contact really.

Karla Boldery:
It’s very similar, and that’s the piece. So there were the nuns that I grew up with at school that were allowed to have this contact with everyday people. And that was just a part of it, but the nuns that I looked up to used to go at least once a month to their convent. They actually had to get special permits to come and talk to us. So they were completely

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. I

Karla Boldery:
see. Separated from everybody else, which at some point and now I look back and I think it’s like, that must be nice, that you are secluded from everything else, and you’re so committed to get something done. Yes? So what

Clara Matonhodze:
What did America mean to you at that point, if at all? Like, what were your earliest thoughts or dreams about it?

Karla Boldery:
To be honest to you, I never saw myself living in The US. Actually, never did. My family has always told me I was supposed to be a professional. I was supposed to be successful. I was never supposed to leave home, or, I mean, my country. Nobody in my family has ever, maybe they have moved ZIP codes, but and maybe they have moved towns, but nobody has ever moved to another country. And similarly, I was very young when I came here. I was 20 years old, and still I was not even thinking that this would be home, like, now it is and it’s become for me.

Bryan Wright:
So between the time, you talked about being 12 year old Karla running through Mexico City, going to school and having, you know, nuns around you and such, what, at what, at what point did you decide you were coming to The United States or did you go to school? Did you go to university after high school? And so was it in Mexico? Was it in the US? Like

Karla Boldery:
So yes. Oh, oh my god. You guys are making me go back. And I don’t know. It’s painful, but I like it, but I don’t.

Clara Matonhodze:
So oh my god. But, Karla, I wanted to correct you on one thing, though, before you start. Okay. You know, when you’re like, you were supposed to be, you’re not supposed to come to USC. You’re supposed to be

Karla Boldery:
successful. I’m like, you are successful. Right. Right.

Bryan Wright:
In so many ways.

Karla Boldery:
Yeah. Well, but, you know, the place was never imagined that it would be here. But to be honest, there was never a plan for the place. Right?

Clara Matonhodze:
Right.

Karla Boldery:
I just knew I was supposed to do good. Yeah. And here I am. Hope hopefully, I’m still doing well. But, Brian, to answer your question, this was, this was not a plan. I always say I actually have dedicated the latest part of my life to help people plan their businesses to become more successful. And the fun part of the and and I I don’t want it to take in the wrong way. Most of the stuff that I have done has been without a plan.

Karla Boldery:
It’s really been ready for the opportunity when the opportunity comes. And in this case, the opportunity came by when I actually did start university. I started studying architectural design. I love to draw. I love to draw, and I wanted to be either an architect or design interiors. But to my plan, I also wasn’t expecting that I was gonna be married and have a kid at 19. Okay. So I will tell you the battle to become an excellent architectural student while having a one year old, it’s a nightmare.

Karla Boldery:
Oh, yeah. So it was definitely even though I wanted to so badly, there was no way. Yeah. Here I was, you know, doing drawings and presenting them to my teachers, and they’ve given me sixes because my work was not a par. And comparing myself with these pretty art students that were doing creations, I’m like, well, maybe I need to just pivot and do something else. So, that was the time that I decided to go into business, because I’ve always liked business. So I thought that I could apply myself with my circumstances at the time better. So I did that.

Karla Boldery:
And to celebrate the change, I went to Cancun, where I met this beautiful gringo guy . It’s always the guy. Right? There’s always the guy.

Clara Matonhodze:
There’s always the guy.

Karla Boldery:
And I wish I couldn’t say that. But yeah. So I met the guy. And, back then, if you are listening and you know what ICQ was back then, was the start of international messaging calling. That’s what we used. However, $400 on telephone bills a month did not cut it for me or my mom who was paying them. Oh, really? So definitely, that’s the point where I decided to actually get on the plane and come over here.

Bryan Wright:
Oh, wow. Uproot and come over here. Mhmm. And it sounds like without a plan.

Clara Matonhodze:
Correct. No. She had the plan to get with the gringo.

Karla Boldery:
Correct. That was half the plan, I guess.

Bryan Wright:
Was architecture still or design still is part of the consideration when you did come here that you would enter the field of architecture? I mean, I I mean, I have so many other questions about being in Mexico City where the architecture is just phenomenal, and I could see where that was inspiring to want to pursue a profession that way. But did that still play a part in your vision when you came here that you would get into that field?

Karla Boldery:
Well, that’s a great question. And the reality is that no. At the point where I decided to leave out the architectural design, not because of my passion or because I wanted to, it was completely shattered. And it was closed, and it was like, okay. Next chapter of my life, what are we gonna do next? And this beautiful gringo that I’m coming to see has children. So, in fact, my new pivot vision was that I was gonna become the next Hispanic Martha Stewart and just dedicate myself to my children to make my house beautiful and to do all kinds of pretty things.

Bryan Wright:
So is the creative aspect.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yes. You know what? Karla’s reminding me very much of another guest that we had, Daniela.

Bryan Wright:
Yes.

Clara Matonhodze:
With a similar story of, like, the long, the long, the long phone calls, $400 phone phone call bills before you could have your, you know, all inclusive cell phone service, you know, back in the day. That’s an interesting color.

Bryan Wright:
So what time was this? So are we in the late nineties? When? The early two thousands?

Karla Boldery:
Late nineties. Okay. Uh-huh.

Clara Matonhodze:
Late nineties.

Karla Boldery:
Late nineties. It’s actually yeah. ’98 was actually when I came over, with the purpose of, you know, starting a life here. That was ’98.

Bryan Wright:
I was thinking when you mentioned ICQ, I was thinking about some of the older, long term relationships. I’m, like, trying to place that. That’s, like,

Karla Boldery:
That’s another story. You,

Clara Matonhodze:
Brian. What is ICQ?

Bryan Wright:
It’s like international calling.

Karla Boldery:
Yeah. It was a messenger.

Bryan Wright:
Cars too.

Clara Matonhodze:
Oh, okay. Okay. So it was a It

Karla Boldery:
used to still be connected through the dial. You will hear it. Ting. Okay.

Bryan Wright:
Ting. Were

Clara Matonhodze:
you used it when you were in Paris, Brian?

Bryan Wright:
Phone cards.

Clara Matonhodze:
Phone cards. Okay.

Karla Boldery:
Yes. I see. Yeah. Yeah. Mhmm. But yeah. Late nineties.

Clara Matonhodze:
Alright.

Bryan Wright:
Mhmm. So what was your arrival like? Was there and getting settled in, did you feel invisible, hyper invisible? Did you feel welcome? Like, what were we just completely excited about? Is this a new adventure with a new partner? Yeah. What was your arrival like?

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. So especially, like, your self image, because I know how that feels to have, like, one dream in another country

Bryan Wright:
Mhmm.

Clara Matonhodze:
And have to move on or pivot to something else in a new country. So, yeah, how did that all work, Karla, between, feeling invisible or hyper visible and your self image at the time?

Karla Boldery:
So this is a story that I have not shared publicly that I think sets the tone for me coming to The States as, you know, looking to establish myself here. I flew, my first stop was Chicago. Through customs, they asked me what I was coming here to do, and I was just so excited because I was gonna get married. Right? I was just so excited. They gave me this look, and they put me in this four by four room for the next four hours. They called my guero, who lived back then and still lives in Kentucky. So here I am in Chicago. He’s in Kentucky, and they’re trying to do all this validation of what I am supposed to be doing here.

Karla Boldery:
Luckily, they did let me in, so here I am. But to your point, that day was horrible. Right? I just didn’t know.

Clara Matonhodze:
So that way you will come to a van.

Karla Boldery:
Correct. I didn’t know. I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong. There was a semi plan, and we were gonna do it. Uh-huh. But nonetheless, I got to Kentucky, and definitely, it’s like, this is it. This is my house, and that’s why my house or my vision of, you know, dedicating it became my village. Right? I’m gonna put all my effort into this.

Karla Boldery:
And, and I did so, for a little bit until it didn’t work.

Bryan Wright:
It it does seem quite

Clara Matonhodze:
a little bit.

Bryan Wright:
It does seem and there’s a story there too. But I think that no you talked about the plan and not having one, but it seems that while that might be true, there’s there’s just been, like, not having a plan and preparing. It seems like you’re always preparing. And no matter what and knowing you, no matter what project or situation that comes before you, you lean into it heavily and give it your all no matter what. And I think that’s really awesome to see, and I think we wanna talk about that. But let’s take a pause now, and then when we come back, let’s dive into that.

Clara Matonhodze:
You are listening to Roots, Routes, and Voices, a Cincinnati campus podcast.

Bryan Wright:
This podcast was funded in part by a grant from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Hale Junior Foundation.

Clara Matonhodze:
Thank you for your support in helping us to share stories that make up our beautiful region, but often go unheard.

Bryan Wright:
Hey, everybody. Welcome back. Before the break, we were talking about planning or lack thereof and how you had mentioned that you don’t necessarily teach about making plans for businesses, but not necessarily planning yourself. And knowing you, you often lean into situations, whether it’s within relationships or with businesses and projects, you go all in and give it your best. And so could you talk more about that and, you know, kind of the experience and where we are in the time of just arriving here?

Karla Boldery:
Absolutely, Brian. And, this podcast and going back into really taking a look and how I saw things differently when I just got here or even when I was a kid, and having to revive that and and explain it to you, many thoughts come to my mind. Right? As to say, maybe, the plan wasn’t like that, but I was prepared to take on whatever it took. Specifically, when I look back in my first ten years here in The States, it was all about survival. It was all about, you know, learning and understanding, what I needed to do. And to today, I think one of the core principles for me and everything that I do is self self preservation. Right? I make sure that I’m good, that the people around me are good, and then I’m able to project that and scale it to other things that I do.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. So, Karla, that is such a great point about survival. Because I think for many immigrants, when you first come to The United States, unless you’ve got some really good sponsorship, like maybe through an academic institution or a company that has already prepared and paved the way for you, a lot of people, you know, like, you come you come to The US, you have so many plans of things that you’re going to do, and then you quickly realize, oh, I gotta figure out how to survive first. Correct. Right? It starts being more about survival before you can even think about connecting whatever grant plan you came up with, you know. And then it takes. That comes much later, but, yeah, I think the immediate thing is, about survival.

Bryan Wright:
I understand talking about survival gets into some pain and challenging moments. So rather than diving in there, thinking about at what point did it move from do you feel it moved from a period of survival to one of having control, having a sense of identity, then move and starting to make choices that you felt were your own?

Karla Boldery:
Well, that’s a strong one, Brian. I could. Yes. I feel that I wanted to tell you a week ago. Yeah. No. But I do think and and in retrospect, when things did change for me, and you were you were you were part of that era for me, it was LULAC, when I started doing community involvement, when I started, feeling that sense of purpose of community, beyond myself, and my family. So definitely and that’s probably what, 02/2011 we’re talking about.

Karla Boldery:
Very early stage, but, definitely, I would say it’s a constant struggle, and I keep trying to push my way there. But, definitely, it was not until then. That’s why I’m such an advocate for community involvement, specifically if you’re an immigrant, because it just fills you with so much life and purpose, and it definitely has changed my life. So I definitely was one of the things that made the difference for me.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. So I want to, Karla, I often think about this in relation to my own life. So in your case, like, you have built, you have really built some powerful platforms, you know, between the Latina Entrepreneur Academy, your work with the Small Business Development Corporation, media media leadership, you know, and all the stuff that you have done in the community. Given your response, like, were those created out of inspiration, or was it a response to what doesn’t exist? You know? Because in my own journey, I’m I I often think about that, like, all things being fair with everything, would I be doing what I was doing now, or is what I’m doing now, was that a response to whatever didn’t exist at my entry to The US? And I wonder what you think about that in your situation?

Karla Boldery:
That’s a great question. And it actually just to hear you say it makes me feel even more grounded, because I would say I was inspired by those things, from other people, but definitely saw that need, to have us represented. I never saw in the circles that I was, anybody Hispanic, that was actually leading, other than the group that was kind of taking me into their wing. So definitely definitely was both. I’m really inspired by many things that happened greatly and how you can influence the systems to do better. Mhmm. But definitely, the need is great. And I will share with you, it was actually one of my first celebrations for LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens, in which we gave out up to $70,000 in scholarships.

Karla Boldery:
And one of the scholars came up to me, and I am still connected to her today. And she said, you know what? I am so inspired by you. You have no idea how good I feel, from this program and what you’re doing and just to see you up there. Come in the room. And I was just like, what? I was never seeing myself in that position where somebody would look up and get inspired. Yeah. And this is somebody that has opened several businesses, finished her degree Mhmm. And at the time, was also maybe just trying to survive.

Karla Boldery:
Right?

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. And you were just doing what probably just came naturally to you. Like, you noticed there’s a need. You stepped in without really realizing how many other people, you know, that stepping in inspires.

Karla Boldery:
Correct. Yeah.

Bryan Wright:
I mean, you’re talking about yourself as in a leadership role and seeing you, you are a you have many different parts of your identity. One of them is a woman leader. Mhmm. And people see that and you inspire others. Did you try, you know, some of our earlier questions and conversations, like, growing up, did you see women like you in leadership roles? Because now I see you in a leadership role with other women in leadership roles building this bench of representation of Latino women. And so did you see that growing up or it was it an absence that kind of

Karla Boldery:
Not at all. And I always tell myself that I was just in a different country, that we don’t do things like that, but maybe that’s what I’m just telling myself. Right? I never did. So our time and my time in Mexico was very much even, I do think my mom was out there, you know, being a doctor, at the time that she was. I would say maybe she was the one without even knowing it that I always looked up to. Yeah. But but other than that, I really did not have that, and, definitely, like I said, even if you think about the inspiration, I think I’m more inspired from the people that have felt inspired by me, that have actually shared that, for whatever reason, something I said, something I did, somebody I opened somebody’s door, that opened a greater opportunity. Those are the things that move me so much in inspiration that I’m like, okay.

Karla Boldery:
I guess I can stop now.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. I think too, like, probably women in leadership within, if my suspicions are right, Mexico. It’s quiet leadership. Right? So even if they are leading, they’re not very vocal or out about it. You know, the men tend to be in the forefront, and women pull the strings. So it’s the leadership of, like, who’s the kingmaker? You know, the women tend to be the kingmakers and men

Karla Boldery:
I don’t know if it is like that, and I never felt that. But I will tell you, it’s just there’s so many people. Nobody cares. Like, really, nobody cares. Everybody is so busy just trying to survive. If you’ve been in New York or Tokyo or even Mexico City on the subway, you know what I mean. Mhmm. Everybody’s on their own channel.

Karla Boldery:
Oh my gosh. And there’s just so many people.

Clara Matonhodze:
So am I exhibiting, like, small town, like, who’s who? Who’s who’s who’s who’s who’s who?

Bryan Wright:
You’re in a random room. You gotta know one person. Right?

Karla Boldery:
You know, but those things apply here. Like right? When you’re talking about those systems, I never knew, because I was never even exposed to anything like that that those systems do exist and do make a difference. It made a difference for me. Yeah. I see many people that struggle to feel that connection. Right? Mhmm. To make Cincinnati their hometown. I love Cincinnati.

Karla Boldery:
I love their people. I love the connections, and I’ve been here for, what, twenty seven years now. Mhmm. I’ve been here longer than I was in Mexico.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. Yeah.

Karla Boldery:
So I think community really makes a difference.

Bryan Wright:
It does.

Clara Matonhodze:
So how did that happen, so I know I know we talked a little. We talked about some of the challenges, but okay. In becoming who you are today, do you think you had some specific professional challenges in your journey, or did you just kind of slide into the roles that you had? Where did you have specific challenges that you’re like, I had this challenge because I am a Latina, because I’m a Spanish speaker, because I’m someone of faith and culture? Like, what do you think about that?

Karla Boldery:
I always try to see things so simple, so I’m trying to pick through my history in a few seconds. And I will tell you the biggest one, right, that I didn’t even know at the time because I didn’t know the dynamics and how they played. But my name is Carlos Cecilia de Los Angeles Cardenas Alvarez. I took it off. Right? When I had the opportunity was the first time when I became Karla Baldry because I did marry. I haven’t gone back. I’ve been divorced for a long time. I’m not going back because that is a door opener, because people not being able to pronounce my last name or because of people reading my last name will definitely be a change.

Karla Boldery:
So, you know, if I nitpick through the history, I’m sure that I can find something. Yeah. Something somewhere. Mhmm. But that’s that.

Clara Matonhodze:
Mhmm. Well, but that’s that’s great that, you know, it’s it’s it’s not always that, as immigrants, we have to be held back. We just figure a way of being successful in the communities we’re in, and I think you have done that successfully. You know? And that’s part of the reason why we are doing, this podcast is to be able to show, that all immigrants, we can assume we we can assimilate, we can integrate, right, and still be successful without focusing on, say, the sob stories that we often hear that are out there. But, anyway, speaking of that, many immigrants face pressure, right, to integrate in order to succeed. You’ve probably faced this. I know for sure that I have faced this. And so how have you balanced a cultural authenticity to still be your Spanish self within the demands of leadership in America? How do you balance those two?

Karla Boldery:
That’s also a great question. And then it actually, magically, as I was growing professionally, and I can tell you this is 02/2019, my path is, putting myself in a very, very great professional place that I’m getting away from my community. I’m no longer speaking Spanish to anybody. I’m not doing crazy food days. I’m not dancing as I used to be. So, what’s going on? I feel it. I feel it. So at the same time, I have this great opportunity to join La Mega, which was 02/2019, recently acquired by Hispanics, and completely back to, my roots you’re saying.

Karla Boldery:
My roots. From my previous job, which took me five minutes to go from one end to the other from the office room to a new office team, it took me literally two hours to go from the door to my cubicle, and it was, like, two rooms. So, definitely definitely, getting back to the culture, getting back to speaking Spanish, getting back to doing things with the community, again, with intention, was a a reminder and a refresher that, it it it’s a part of me that I don’t wanna let go, and that completes me as a person. And that I only do not see that I want to keep that balance. You know, as you mentioned, I am perfectly integrated. I know the system, but I love being Mexican. I love being Hispanic. And not only that, I’m so proud to show it.

Karla Boldery:
Before, I wasn’t. It’s like, oh, don’t speak Spanish. I’m like, what? Excuse me. Mhmm. So, I’ve moved from being perfectly comfortable with that to actually advocating for it. Mhmm. It breaks my heart, when I see Hispanic families telling kids not to speak Spanish.

Clara Matonhodze:
Uh-huh.

Karla Boldery:
It really breaks my heart. Yeah.

Clara Matonhodze:
So But don’t you don’t you feel like that is earned, though? You know? So I’m thinking about who we’re discussing in another area, the whole idea of showing up as you are. Right? And and going, show up as your works, but it’s over. When you show up as you are, say, in the early stages of your career, that can actually count against you. But if you’ve made it, say, to like, so when you first show up, say, in corporate America, you want to assimilate. You want to look like everybody else. You don’t want to distinguish yourself. You know? You want to assimilate, make people comfortable, and then as you rise through the ranks, you can start showing up as who you are because you have earned it. So do you feel the same thing with you as in again, if we go back to where we’re talking about, you’ll quickly learn about survival.

Clara Matonhodze:
Do you think if you had come full force with all your culture and language, you would have been as successful? Or because you were able to integrate and assimilate to some, to a certain level, people started accepting that you’re Hispanic, and now you can actually show up as who you are.

Karla Boldery:
I’m very uncomfortable with that statement. However, all of it. I’m uncomfortable with knowing that it could be true. For me, I don’t know because I don’t know. I don’t know if I had come with the full force, and I would say, you know, from being Hispanic to now my age. Right? Twenty years later, things look different.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah.

Karla Boldery:
And I’ve seen very assertive people, that are young that I’m like, damn, if I had been like that.

Clara Matonhodze:
Oh, yeah. I think yeah. Yeah. I think the times have also changed. Yes. The culture now, I feel like it’s

Karla Boldery:
Yeah. So I don’t know. But, honestly, I could change. Name.

Clara Matonhodze:
Like, you’re saying, Ellen, like, you had to change. Like, that that’s a typical example of

Karla Boldery:
Correct.

Clara Matonhodze:
You know? You said

Karla Boldery:
I had to.

Clara Matonhodze:
Door yeah. You had to. And then doors started opening, or you feel like doors opened when you use color bouldery

Karla Boldery:
Correct.

Clara Matonhodze:
Assess your

Karla Boldery:
And very you know, similar to that, my degree from Mexico City Mhmm. Nobody will look at it as if it was some strange voodoo certificate. Right. Yeah. As soon as I finish my master’s degree, then all of a sudden, I’m qualified. Mhmm. So that’s why I’m saying, with your statement, I’m very uncomfortable because I probably, within my heart, I know it’s true, that yes, you actually have to earn it, and then you can, give it all. But, I really wish that it didn’t have to be like that.

Clara Matonhodze:
Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Karla Boldery:
Because I will tell anybody that I mentor or that I talk to, I’m always pushing. Right? Just be yourself.

Clara Matonhodze:
Just be yourself.

Karla Boldery:
Be yourself. And everybody’s looking at me like, I don’t know, especially in corporate.

Clara Matonhodze:
What are your thoughts on this?

Bryan Wright:
I mean, I think there’s several things. Like, what I’m thinking about is how you never wanna judge people for how they have to navigate, particularly oppressive systems that are out to exclude. And so I think about this a lot about, you know, even within my own family who has roots in Mexico made the conscious choice to not speak Spanish publicly, and that was a safety issue. Mhmm. Culturally, the norms were kept. Mhmm.

Clara Matonhodze:
And I

Bryan Wright:
I know that’s a real tension within the community about who speaks Spanish and who doesn’t, and how are you and to them, like, how Hispanic or how Latino are you really. Right? So I don’t see that, but what I’d what I’m also thinking about is how you have made it in your self discovery, in the pride that you take in your culture and who you are, you also do it very publicly, and others see that. Mhmm. And it gives them confidence to also say their whole name, to also be who they are and to walk in strength in who they are. So others see you in leadership. Just even without you talking to them, but they see you and what you’re doing. They see others doing the same thing. So I’m thinking about those two things, like, where it is messy and how individuals choose to navigate systems, whether it’s for safety reasons

Clara Matonhodze:
Mhmm.

Bryan Wright:
For opportunities to advance in a career. You see this across the board in corporate sectors, in film and such. And that it is certainly not my place to judge that for someone’s own protection. But what I can celebrate is the willingness to show up and be visible. And yeah. That representation matters. And from LULAC to representation on boards to Mhmm. Trying to build a Spanish language radio station that is not isolated and ghettoized over here, but is mainstream media.

Bryan Wright:
And I think that is really powerful in what you do. So that’s kinda where my head’s at. So I can’t judge on one’s decision, but I can celebrate whether Yeah.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. I wasn’t asking from a judging viewpoint. I don’t judge either, but Sure. Sure.

Karla Boldery:
I feel better, Ryan. Thank you.

Clara Matonhodze:
No. I wasn’t judging at all, but I just feel sometimes, there’s an exception. If you’re extreme I feel like if you’re extremely talented, you know, you’re extremely talented, you’re top tier, you know, talent. You can show up as who you are. The rest of us were kinda average. It’s like you get a get on with the program. You get a Trojan horse into whatever you need to be, and then, you know, if you’re successful enough, you kinda earn the power to be, you know, who who who you are. I don’t know.

Clara Matonhodze:
It’s just

Bryan Wright:
yeah. Right. And I am. And I and I think, you know, just, Carl, in the way that you’ve you’re not only I I just appreciate how you’re talking about how you’ve come into your own self discovery and your own identity, and you’ve made that community. It’s not a I. It’s a we. Right. I mean, you started the Latino Entrepreneur Academy to lift up other entrepreneurs Mhmm.

Bryan Wright:
So that they can also build generational wealth

Karla Boldery:
Mhmm.

Bryan Wright:
In this new place in The United States to that country to the north because many of the folks are from Mexico. Right? So yeah. Just thinking about that. And, you know, when you talk about this journey, right, of identity, you know, what do you kind of wish more Americans understood about Hispanic immigrants or Hispanic communities? Because I think there’s a misperception that, you know, when we think about, for better or for worse, the face of the immigrant tends to be Hispanic or Latino. But we all know that not all Hispanics are immigrants and not all immigrants are Hispanic.

Karla Boldery:
So yeah.

Bryan Wright:
But what do you think of what you wish that more Americans understood about Hispanic immigrants and the journey to become part of this country?

Karla Boldery:
Brian, I think that more than understanding, I would love for people to be more engaged. I can tell you even with me being from another country, for me, learning about the African American community of The US was a big discovery. And it didn’t happen just, you know, by magic. It actually took me and my intention to learn about the community, to work with them, to do community at the events, to really understand that we are all very similar. We are all, I think in general, good people trying to do good things. It’s just the little percentage of the bad news of the bad people that always kind of goes viral. So, that’s what I would love, for people that have never been in contact with anything related to the Hispanic community to open up and to learn.

Bryan Wright:
Yeah. No. That’s good.

Clara Matonhodze:
Very well said.

Bryan Wright:
So we are getting close to time, but I have one final question. And we might have a little bit of opportunity for a lightning round real quick. But with all that we’ve talked about today, when you speak now in consideration of all your platforms, do you have many platforms? Who do you speak for, and who is your voice rooted in?

Karla Boldery:
That’s a hard one. I think I speak for myself, and I hope that by doing so and what I have learned in my journey is helpful to somebody, regardless of where they’re coming from or what they ‘re trying to do. I am still trying to figure it out myself, so I hope it helps.

Bryan Wright:
I love that.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. Do we have time for a lightning round?

Bryan Wright:
I think it’s a lightning round.

Clara Matonhodze:
Oh, do

Bryan Wright:
Do you think that’s great? I’m thankful I’m so thankful for

Karla Boldery:
you being here. It’s scary.

Clara Matonhodze:
No. The light it’s not scary at all. One phrase in Spanish that feels like home.

Karla Boldery:
And then. And what does that mean? Oh, god. I can’t translate it right away, but it’s, the lazy or the person that doesn’t do things right, will have to go through the journey twice.

Clara Matonhodze:
Oh, okay.

Karla Boldery:
I always tell it to my kids. They ‘re actually ingrained.

Clara Matonhodze:
Do it for the first time. Yes. Yeah. Instead of doing it over again. Makes perfect sense. Yeah. A mentor who changed your life. Lourdes Rivera.

Clara Matonhodze:
Okay. Do you wanna say a little bit about who that is?

Karla Boldery:
Yes. Lourdes Rivera is my Cincinnati mom. She’s actually the person that pulled me into LULAC Cincinnati. I saw something in me, and ever since has definitely, changed my life and my view of things. So I think that I said Lourdes.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. Awesome. Thank you, Lourdes.

Bryan Wright:
He should get her flowers. She has been Yeah. She’s been a champion for many, many years in the community. So yeah.

Clara Matonhodze:
She gets her flowers. Yeah. Yeah. A song that gets you ready for a big pitch or presentation. Anything with a beat.

Karla Boldery:
As long as it has a beat, I’m like, right there. Yes. But I love music.

Clara Matonhodze:
Yeah. Okay. One Latina leader the world should know more about.

Karla Boldery:
So, Claudia Romo Edelman, if you are not familiar with her, has started this amazing project called the Hispanic Star. And she is The Hispanic Star. Yes. Check her out. She is on a national level, journeying to try to change the perception of the Hispanic community, and she has done an amazing job so far. I actually have been following her on LinkedIn, and one day I called her. I said, I want you on one of my speaking engagements, and we talked, like, for ten minutes. We couldn’t make it back then, but it’s somebody that I totally look up to, because she’s doing on a national scale something that I’ve been trying to do here, which is elevated by narrative, anything that is related with the Hispanic community.

Clara Matonhodze:
Okay. And lastly, something that we didn’t talk about, you wish we would have talked about.

Karla Boldery:
I don’t know. You guys, you guys strip me down. Oh my gosh. Kinda love that. So I would say, a little bit about me. So, I have three children, three boys. We’ve talked about those. My boys are 29, 20, five, and 15.

Karla Boldery:
When I came here, I was 29 years old. So, you can imagine. And, I have two grandchildren. So I’m a grandmother.

Clara Matonhodze:
Two grandchildren. Oh my gosh.

Karla Boldery:
Yes. And, I love food and travel. That’s it. That’s me.

Clara Matonhodze:
You do not look old enough to be a grandmother.

Karla Boldery:
Just don’t say it. Just know it.

Clara Matonhodze:
You’re a total girl. Yeah. Yeah. Yep.

Bryan Wright:
Well, Karla, thank you so much for joining us. It’s been great to talk with you, and just how you move in power, how you inspire others is refreshing even in hard times and hard situations. You come with joy and laughter and a willingness to figure it out, and that is just so inspirational. And I thank you for being here. So

Clara Matonhodze:
Thank you so much, Karla. It’s been a pleasure having you.

Karla Boldery:
I love it. Thank you guys for having me. It’s been great.

Bryan Wright:
To everyone at home, we appreciate you for joining us today. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to Roots, Routes, and Voices That Shape America wherever you stream your podcast. Visit www.CincinnatiCompass.0rg to sign up for our newsletter and stay connected about upcoming community events.

Clara Matonhodze:
Our producers are Asim Mishu and Jane Muindi. Sound engineering and mixing provided by Hardcast Media, Onset engineers, Peter and Audrey, and eleven twenty seven media. A very special thank you to the Forest Park branch of Cincinnati Hamilton County Public Library for hosting. And to the Carol Anne and Ralph V. Hale Junior Foundation for sponsoring our podcast. I’m your host, Clara Matonoze. Thanks for listening.