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, Yarisa Walsh, 39, will be one of the 40 honorees. She is the Assistant Vice President at TD Bank. 

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 Yarisa Walsh’s responses:

A challenge I’ve faced, and sometimes still struggle with in my professional journey, is the gender race/ethnicity bias in Corporate America.  Despite these significant challenges, I remained true to my culture and unapologetic about being an immigrant and an Afro-Latina in America. Rather than focusing my attention on the negatives, I leverage my connections to ensure that the voices of diverse groups are heard and represented in the American workforce and beyond.

When I think of my proudest achievement, it's hard not to think where I come from and the adversities experienced to get where I am professionally today. The desire to thrive was and continues to be a strong motivation for me. Therefore, each accomplishment big or small has played a vital role in my career development, and I am proud of each one of them.

I’m a global citizen. I have lived and served as a volunteer in many countries; To accomplish this, one must decline any types of bias and adopt an inclusive mindset.   I believe that to make inclusivity transpire beyond D&I efforts, organizations will need to create robust leadership accountability metrics to validate inclusion. The metrics will serve as evidence of their commitment in developing and promoting a diverse group of individuals whose diverse talents will help the organization grow.

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.