The inaugural AL DÍA 40 Under Forty event will be a showcase of the most diverse and impactful young professionals in various fields of work across the Philadelphia region.

At the virtual event, taking place August 20, 2020, Yocasta Lora, 39, will be one of the 40 honorees. She is the Associate State Director of Advocacy & Community Outreach for AARP - Pennsylvania. 

As part of the lead-up to the event, AL DÍA asked each of the 40 honorees the same three questions and collected their responses. 

Here are Yocasta Lora’s responses:

I have faced a lot of challenges as a woman in the field of advocacy. Working with community members, developers, designers, lawyers, engineers, or simply small business owners can be challenging at times.  There are competing priorities that must be taken into consideration. Navigating those challenges as a woman of color with an accent has made it particularly difficult at times. I not only have to focus on the work at hand but often have to expend added capital in building credibility and sometimes trust with individuals who, at times, may not be fully comfortable engaging across genders or cultures.

In my role, I have the opportunity to represent my community and people who look like me in places where diversity is not always fully present or the norm.  My organization has afforded me the opportunity to be authentic and to use my voice and backgrounds to better inform my work.  Working at AARP has helped me become more aware of issues affecting our more seasoned community members.  I have a better appreciation for the role communities and neighborhoods play in their lives, the biases an aging population faces,  the older population's vital contribution to the economy, how we define aging, and the cultural impact of that definition. I am proud to use my voice to represent the community and create opportunities for the older population.

Diversity and Inclusion brings a lot of value to an organization.  Inclusivity and equity are not easy to do but are still critically necessary. We have to have intentional collaboration at the federal, state, and local policy levels to make thoughtful and purposeful changes.  We need to rethink and rewrite policies to truly have systemic impacts. Finally, lasting change will require a commitment that is evident in investments and funding allocations that will allow for individuals—no matter their identity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, or skin color—to have equitable resource access and opportunities.

To register for the upcoming AL DÍA 40 Under Forty event, click here. 

For more information about the event, reach out to alliyahm@aldianews.com.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact martina@aldianews.com.