Blog
Fuerza Latina: Selina M. Pagan
As part of our Fuerza Latina series, Latinas Represent is proud to showcase the powerful stories of Latinas who are making a difference in public service. These stories highlight the impactful work being done at all levels of public service by Latina leaders across the country. We believe storytelling is essential to inspiring action and fostering change. Each month, we’ll share a new story to amplify the voices of those shaping the future of our communities. It’s time to tell our stories and make our presence known.
Selina M. Pagan
Executive Director, Young Latino Network/Avanzamos Unidos
Selina Pagán is a Latine economic development strategist, nonprofit executive, and systems-level leader based in Cleveland, Ohio. She serves as Executive Director of the Young Latino Network and Avanzamos Unidos, where she leads efforts to build Latine civic, political, and economic power across the region.
Selina also serves on the boards of the Charles Brush Foundation, Three Arches Foundation, and The Centers, and is a member of the Newburgh Heights Board of Zoning Appeals, contributing to regional decision-making and community development strategies.
Known as a strategic doer, Selina works across sectors to build infrastructure, partnerships, and programs that drive long-term systems change.
What inspired you to pursue a career in public service, and what has been the most rewarding part of your journey so far?
I attended Saint Martin de Porres High School, where the values of work, study, serve, lead, and pray were deeply embedded in our experience. The “serve” component stayed with me the most. I also had a social studies teacher who opened my eyes to the world of civic engagement and helped me understand the power of community and participation.
From there, my path into public service grew organically. I began working within Cleveland’s Latino nonprofit ecosystem, and what started as an opportunity turned into a calling. Now, more than 12 years later, I’m still serving, through this role and many others, and that has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey: growing alongside the community I’m committed to.
Where does your fuerza (strength) come from? As a Latina, are there specific cultural values, family influences, or personal experiences that have shaped your leadership approach?
My fuerza comes from my family. I’m a third-generation entrepreneur, and the hustle and work ethic my parents have instilled in me continue to drive me every day. At the same time, my family is incredibly humble, which keeps me grounded.
They hold me accountable, and that accountability has shaped me into a better leader and a more responsible steward of my community work. That balance – drive and humility – is at the core of how I lead.
What advice would you give to another Latina who is considering a career in public service?
Stay rooted in humility, while also learning to recognize when imposter syndrome is creeping in.
Public service is not about individual recognition; it’s about the collective. Build your journey with community at the center. Lead with an abundance mindset, stay grounded, and remain open to learning, unlearning, and growing.
At the same time, don’t let self-doubt shrink you. There is a difference between humility and minimizing your worth. You belong in these spaces, and your voice carries value.
Remember, you are not the first, and you will not be the last. We inherit these conditions, and our role is to transform them for the next generation. That responsibility is both powerful and, at times, heavy.
Do the ongoing work of learning yourself – your strengths, your weaknesses, and your patterns. That level of self-awareness is one of the most powerful tools you can carry, even when it can feel uncomfortable.
When you can hold humility, confidence, and responsibility at the same time, this work will bear fruit in ways you may not always be able to see right away.
What is one lesson you’ve learned from a challenging situation or setback that has made you a better leader today?
I’ve learned that accountability is uncomfortable – but necessary. The same goes for conflict.
As leaders, we have to build the muscle to face conflict instead of avoiding it. When handled with care and intention, conflict can lead to stronger relationships, clearer communication, and better outcomes.
Growth doesn’t happen in comfort. It happens when we lean into those hard moments.
What is your vision for the future of Latina leadership in public service?
My vision for Latina leadership is one where we let go of leadership models rooted in white-dominant norms and instead ground ourselves in our own cultural values, ancestral practices, and rhythms.
I want to see Latinas leading in ways that feel authentic to who we are – leading with integrity, community, care, and cultural wisdom. When we embrace those ways of leading, we not only transform institutions – we will redefine leadership itself.
Rapid Fire Questions
What’s your go-to song–one that hypes you up?
Stand Up by Cynthia Erivo
Favorite Book
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
What’s one Spanish dicho (saying) you live by?
Deja que todo fluya.