Leading with Less, Rooted in Identity

Rooted in the Chichimeca people of Central and Southern Mexico, Dr. Rick Rodriguez is a first-generation Mexicano Americano originally from Laredo, Texas. Rick has lived through and acknowledges the challenges that individuals and communities of color face across our systems. Barriers to success have further fueled his mission to ensure that the work is laser-focused on removing such barriers and mindsets for others. Rick brings experience from the corporate , K-12, and social sectors where his leadership has incorporated collaborative approaches to strategies, structures, and frameworks that center on the needs of individuals, teams, and systems while engaging necessary internal and external stakeholders in the process for progress. Rick is a strong believer in the reality that “Si se puede!” and is determined to lead efforts that bring about what is best for all. Rick holds a B.A. in Sociology from Texas A&M University – San Antonio, an M.S. in Human Resource Development, and an Ed.D in Professional Leadership K-12 from the University of Houston. Now based in La Tierra del Encanto (New Mexico), the mountains are calling, and Rick is steadfast in reclaiming what should and will be.

Message: We all navigate systems and spaces that have caused us to stray from our innate identity (language, culture, voice, etc.) – how can we take a pause, reflect, reclaim, and empower self and others to lead authentically. We all seek the basic needs of being – to be seen, heard, loved, affirmed, developed – to be in community. It takes balance, intention, and commitment – no one else is going to do it for us…

More at https://www.therootedlife.org/

 

The Interview Transcript

Hugh Ballou:
Welcome, I’m Hugh Ballou. This is the Nonprofit Exchange. My guest today is Rick Rodriguez, co-founder of The Rooted Life, a bilingual coaching and consulting practice that blends identity-affirming culture work with data-driven strategy to help individuals, teams, and systems thrive. A first-generation Mexicano-Americano originally from Laredo, Texas, Rick brings experience across K-12, corporate, and social sectors. His work centers revolving barriers, removing barriers, sorry, removing barriers for communities of color, cultivating inclusive, values-aligned cultures, and activating practical 90-day plans that translate learning into sustained change. So, hey Rick, welcome to the Nonprofit Exchange. Tell us a little more about who you are and what was your personal experience or your passion for launching The Rooted Life?

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Sure. Thank you, Hugh. Mucho gusto, saludos. Muchas gracias, Hu, for having me on. Dr. Rick Rodriguez, first-generation Mexicano-American, as you mentioned. My parents are both from Mexico, both Mexico City and Guanajuato. And I always share this, but although my parents lacked the education, the language, or even the access to navigate the systems in the States, what they didn’t lack was a dream. They didn’t lack grit and persistence to ensure that myself and my siblings had the opportunity to write a different narrative for ourselves, for our family, and also for our community. And through that, have also navigated so many of the systems that, from my perspective, as a first-generation, gay, Latino, male, you name all the identity markers. English was not my first language, so you add the layer of language access. And now being within this work of service, I always remind myself of that upbringing because even though I’ve accolades, I have achieved education opportunities, I’ve navigated systems and found myself in positions of influence, I still often remember that I’m still that child that grew up in poverty. that grew up navigating language, navigating systems. And through my experience growing up, I will share this. My mother always taught me that I shouldn’t expect anybody to help me get to where I wanted to get. But once I got there, to ensure that I was serving everybody else around me and really providing a level up, a hand, whether that’s through, you know, one-on-one interaction or through, you know, time, treasure, talent, that I now have access to for my community to thrive as well. I bring to this work experience from not only lived experience navigating systems, but growing up, I always learned that in order to be successful in this country, in order to have the quote-unquote American dream, one, I had to get an education, not only K-12, but ensuring that I went into my undergrad and the post-grad beyond that. And two, I always reminded myself or learned that I was always, or sometimes, most times, gonna find myself alone or feeling alone because within our communities, it’s not as easy to get access to education even to begin with. So brought into this work, this lens of in order to be successful, successful, get an education and work in business. And that’s what I studied. And that’s how I started. You know, I led a nine year career on the corporate side of things from age 18 to my late 20s and thought that that was my end all be all. But I always came back to the sense of why am I chasing a dollar? Why am I chasing the title? And what am I actually doing for my community? What am I actually doing to empower those around me so that they also have access? So I had a, you know, quote, unquote, Jesus moment, come to Jesus moment about 10 years ago, honestly, in which I realized that there was more than what I can achieve and I can accomplish at a broader scale and in service of. So I took a leap of faith and left my work in corporate and landed in the space of education and nonprofit, which is now where I dedicate my mission and my values and my love and passion within this work. and have had the opportunity to navigate systems even on the education side of things. And my assumption was always, well, if I work in education, they have it figured out and they know how to educate, they know how to navigate. And once I found myself in it, I was like, holy crap, like they don’t have it figured out. And that is why we’re not seeing change for our communities. But thankfully, you know, I brought in a lot of the skillset that I had learned on the corporate end What does it mean to have strategy, what does it mean to have goals, what does it mean to track towards a mission aligned accomplishment and have had the opportunity to navigate systems in K-12 when I was in Houston, in which I was able to provide that lens of expertise and also elevate my identity and that of my community to always position and elevate the voices that are oftentimes underrepresented and disenfranchised. Love it.

Hugh Ballou:
Love it. Your wisdom greatly exceeds your linear years. Important stuff. So you talk about being rooted in identity. What does that mean for leaders and teams?

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
It’s something that’s oftentimes not elevated enough within systems and teams, unfortunately. I am a firm believer that a lot of these systems are very grounded within, you know, white dominant ways of operating that often discount the value that our unique and diverse identities actually have within the broader scale of things. So what it means for me personally, I always come back to white represent And for that, it’s my identity is rooted in the life story of my mother, the life story of my father, the life story of my grandparents, and the journey that they have to take to ensure that we even had access to the United States, quote unquote, right? And that we had a different story to give and to narrate. And also, you know, aside from that, it’s rooted in language, right? I grew up knowing Spanish first and Spanish was our first language in our home and I still am a translator for my parents to the day when they’re trying to navigate systems and for that I still see that unfortunately, within our school systems or within the nonprofit space in which families are still trying to navigate even that. The most basic things of understanding what a paper says or what a document represents. So identity for me is rooted in not only the life and lived experiences of my family, but the language and culture that I represent, the beauty that it is, and within it being unapologetic. I’m not going to show up and say, I need to code switch for whatever reason in order to navigate the power dynamics that may exist in the space that I find myself in, but I’m going to show up as my authentic self. And I’m going to show up because I’ve also, you know, I’ve had to navigate these systems and I have had my accomplishments. And, you know, I don’t, I didn’t earn this doctor of this title of doctor automatically. Like I worked hard for all of these things that I’ve accomplished to where now I feel a sense of empowerment. Right. And within it, I feel a sense of humility also. And it’s a balance of both.

Hugh Ballou:
Well, that’s a wise statement, Ian. So walk us through the rooted way. As I understand, there’s identify, cultivate, activate, and there’s different stages. Will you walk us through that?

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Sure. I mean, a lot of the design or model that we incorporate within the work that we do at Rooted Light is really grounded within the self, first and foremost. A lot of the individuals and leaders that I work with, including myself, because I’m always looking at a mirror, and I’m always learning as well for myself and those around me. Um, I don’t have it figured out. Uh, some days I’m, I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up, quote unquote, right? Like I’m still growing and learning. And that’s a part of, of, of what we all need to lean into ultimately. So. When I talk about self and that’s kind of like the, again, the core aspect in our approach is really unlearning and learning. A lot of the things that we’ve had to navigate within these systems that we’re operating, that we operate within. But within it, unpacking, unpacking our lived experiences, navigating the stories or the trauma that we’ve had to live through. And within it, there’s a lot of healing. Healing that needs to happen for the self, healing that needs to happen for our community, and healing that happens to the broader society that we’re also within. So that at the core is ensuring that we One, know where we come from, not only within the aspect of what nation we represent or what culture or community we represent, but where we come from, from the aspect of what core values, what was the grounded learning that we first experienced growing up? Why don’t we come back to this aspect of asking why and being curious, as a lot of us were, right? You know, age zero through three or four, we’re always asking why and how and when and within the systems that we find ourselves in, we’re kind of assimilated to stop asking and just learn and do. So within our work, we bring it back to that sense of curiosity, that sense of why and how and when and who those basic Aspects of what really trigger learning? So that that is within the self and within it if we’re able to find that Slowly, I see it as a ripple effect. Oh my within ourselves Then we slowly start to infiltrate into those around us slowly so that others feel comfortable with tapping into who they are and and bringing it back to the sense of curiosity, it allows us to learn and accept that we are all different. And within our diversity and differentiation, there is also strength. You know, I am, I’m a Latino, but if I come across somebody who represents, you know, the Black community or even our folks who are within the Caucasian community or Asian community, a lot of the core values that we grew up with are fairly similar. We want the most basic things. We want love, we want joy, we want acceptance, we want community, the most basic things. And that is a strength within how we can change or shift the narrative and really cause societal shifts. for the greater good.

Hugh Ballou:
Well, shifts are important. That’s yet another wise point. So if you just tuned in, you’re watching The Non-Private Exchange. I’m interviewing Dr. Rick Rodriguez today with some brilliant stuff that we ought to know, but we don’t. Because we’re too busy doing things and these might be some blind spots. I know I teach this stuff I have the same blind spots everybody else does so it’s good to hear it from a fresh source If you want to see this episode on our site and you want to read the transcript find it at the the non-profit exchange.org the non-profit exchange.org So rick’s fascinating. Do you have a story? where a non-profit moved from burnout, having silos to doing something. Do you have a story? You don’t have to use names. You want to share a story.

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Yeah, you know, in the last year, honestly, and I always talk about stories that are fresh, right? Stories that are fresh and in which things are still changing, things are still innovating and adapting. for the mission or the purpose. But in the last year, I was able to support a senior leadership team for a large charter school system in Colorado, and they had been navigating transition and leadership. in which there was a new CEO that came on board and now she had to navigate dynamics, power dynamics with individuals who didn’t necessarily share the same cultural experience or lived identity or lived experiences within that. And we brought it back to the basics. Our approach was very much within, let us tap into vulnerability, which is hard for leaders. It’s hard to be vulnerable in leadership spaces because it’s easy for us to then feel like we’re going to be judged or underestimated or seen as less than or weak. So what we were able to do within that team is really unpack a lot of their own lived experiences. I remember the first facilitated session I had with them, and I asked them to introduce themselves. And oftentimes when we do that, the person says, for example, hi, my name is Dr. Rick Rodriguez. My title is I work for. And I challenged these spaces because, yes, cool, I get it, but who are you? And I challenged them to introduce themselves through the lens of who are their parents? Who are their grandparents? Name them. Where did you grow up? What was that experience? To really dive deeper and to tap into our youth. Like we’re still child and children within ourselves, even at whatever age that we find ourselves in. I’m still that little kid that was growing up and speaking Spanish and sitting in front of the TV eating junk food. Like I’m still that child. even though now I have more experience and I have a title and I work for whatever organization. So my experience with them tapped into a lot of that. And it was really the aspect of vulnerability creates strength. For individuals to really see themselves as humans first versus a title or an organization is more powerful than we anticipate. So within that team and that leadership team, for them to be vulnerable with each other and get to know each other through a different lens allowed them to come back to the one first and foremost organizational vision and organizational values. That’s brilliant.

Hugh Ballou:
And you know, it can’t happen if the leader’s not willing to be vulnerable.

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Exactly.

Hugh Ballou:
It took me 26 of my 40 years to realize that on a podium as a conductor with a choir and orchestra, I was not able to make really great music until I was ready to be vulnerable. I was willing to be vulnerable. And the culture of the music ensemble is a reflection of leader, which translates to any culture. We set the bar. These are really, really great tips. So what’s one misconceptions that leaders have about leadership that keeps them stuck, and how do you help them reframe it? Now, in my world, there’s a lot of misconceptions with all leaders, but there’s an extra set for nonprofit leaders, too. I don’t know if you see that.

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Um, from, from the nonprofit lens, I would say that one of the misconceptions I come across is that the, the goal is the end all be all. It is not. It is not because there are so many different dynamics and there are so many different circumstances. And I mean, even how like egos that we have to navigate. to align us in meeting a certain goal. And through that experience and through that journey of reaching it, there’s opportunity to pivot. There’s opportunity to scratch the whole thing and build something better. There’s opportunity to really come back and challenge the systems that we grew up to know. And it’s easy for us because there’s comfort in it to not do that. And that is when we end up being status quo. That’s when we end up being misaligned and losing sight of the actual work that needs to happen. And I will say the other misconception is that for leaders in the nonprofit space, and I challenge myself within this, is that I know the solution. And that is also incorrect because if we’re not listening to the one stakeholder that is at the center, which is the people that are receivers of our services or of our efforts, if we lose sight of their voice and we don’t elevate it enough, we don’t give them the space and capacity and empowerment, then what are we doing? Then it just becomes, you know, a lot of the work that I do is within K-12 and nonprofit educational organizations in which we’re serving students. And I find myself in these spaces and I ask, where’s student voice? Where’s parent voice? Where’s community voice? How are we tapping into the spaces in which we find them outside of the schoolhouse? And if we’re able to do that and meet them where they are, that is how we actually learn and move towards something that is truly benefiting the greater good. That’s a huge,

Hugh Ballou:
place of pivot. In my work, people get too busy, they know it all, they don’t want to ask others. Sometimes people are afraid, you spoke about ego, especially the old white male, fragile ego. We might have to do something so we don’t want to know about it. So I’m going to come back and do a rapid fire of some questions with short answers. Before I do that, let’s talk about your website. And I’m going to show it so people that are watching the video can see it. The people that are listening to the podcast cannot see it. So describe things for the people that are listening. So just so people know how to find it. It’s the rooted life.org. T-H-E-R-O-O-T-E-D-L-I-F-E. No periods, no dashes, straight through. So what will people find, Rick, when they go there?

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
So within this, you’ll see that it welcomes you, first and foremost, for who you are as a visitor to the website, but also who it represents. I’m always mindful of this first landing page in which We honor the people and our ancestors that have guided us and empowered us and positioned us to be where we are now as leaders. So within the site, you’re able to get a deeper sense of who we represent, both myself and my co-founder, Jesse. But within it, learn a little bit more about our approach. So within the About page or the Approach page and our Services page, you get a sense of how we do things different. I think anybody can come across a coach or a consultant that is going to check the boxes and figure out your strategy and figure out your mission or your values and your goals, we do things a little bit different. We like to lean into and live within the discomfort as strength within our approach. And this is reflective of, again, our lived experiences, but also ultimately how we do things different within the space of nonprofit and ultimately within the space of leadership. But you also have the opportunity to check out a few blogs that we’ve developed. Blogs about leadership, blogs about identity culture. How do you navigate this within Teams? What does it look like in action? Some best practices. And then separately, again, ultimately, if you want to contact us, we are here to meet your needs, but ultimately to build community with you first and foremost. I’m, again, a very curious person. Every time I come across somebody, I want to know their whole life story. And within our approach, that is part of our angle, too. Because if we lose sight of that, and if we don’t touch on that, we get lost within the systems that we operate within. So again, culture, community, and our collective work forward, that is primarily what you’ll see within our website. But ultimately, the true value add is connecting with us, whether it’s for an intro call or just to connect as community, first and foremost. Thanks to you for sharing that.

Hugh Ballou:
Sure. And the link will be on the interview page on your podcast platform. You can get this anywhere. You get podcast. But on our website, the nonprofitexchange.org, you’ll get to see it, listen to it, and the transcript. So here’s some three closing questions, if you give me some short answers.

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Go ahead.

Hugh Ballou:
What’s one practice leaders can start tomorrow to build belonging?

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Um, self-reflection. Do you want me to share more? A little more. Self-reflection for, from the lens of being curious about yourself. You know, you, you’ve probably navigated and positioned yourself in a space of influence and power. Um, you have a voice, you have decision-making skill, you have all of the accolades. But who are you truly as a person? So that sense of self-reflection of coming back to identity and how we grew up and who we represent is one of the most influential and powerful skills that we can leverage as leaders across any space and across any sector.

Hugh Ballou:
Well, well-spoken. A question every board should ask at the end of meetings.

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Did we meet the needs of the community that we’re serving?

Hugh Ballou:
Love it. Love it. We need to voice it, don’t we? We need to say it.

None:
100%.

Hugh Ballou:
So how do you keep inspired? Books, poems, songs? What keeps you inspired?

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
For myself, it’s time with self. I like to be selfish in that respect, because in this work of service and nonprofit, we serve everybody else around us, and we often lose sight of who we are. what keeps me inspired is coming back to the space that I need to create for me as a person first, for me as a human. That looks like books, that looks like reading, that looks like sometimes doomscrolling or binge watching TV. It spans the spectrum. Where I find most power though is being in nature. And when I’m on a solo hike in the mountains, that’s where I’m able to feel this small, so tiny in the vast world and universe that we live within, that brings things to perspective for me and remind me that even if I inch closer to doing good work, I’m doing good work at the end of the day.

Hugh Ballou:
I love it. Rick, thank you for the work you’re doing to center identity, catalyze culture, and activate real change in life. Friends, if today’s conversation sparked ideas, share this episode and start a dialogue with your team. You can learn more about Rick and The Rooted Life’s retreats, coaching circles, and bilingual facilitation at The Rooted Life. So focus on identity, design your community, move ideas into action, and start right now. Rick, it’s been such a great pleasure today, and even though I teach this stuff, I learned so much today. Thank you for being so articulate to sharing your wisdom today.

Dr. Rick Rodriguez:
Thank you, Hugh. I appreciate it. Thank you.