Meet the Women of the 2026 Voices & Dreams Academy
Updated: 15 hours ago
This Latino Heritage Month, Midwest Mujeres celebrates 15 women whose stories bring leadership, culture, creativity, and new beginnings to life.
What does the American Dream look like through the eyes of women from the Americas—and the communities they now call home?
For the women of the 2026 Voices & Dreams Academy, that question holds many answers: building a business, returning to education, creating stability for family, finding community, or giving yourself permission to begin again.
LINK TO OUR PRESS RELEASE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TpR_3GHdm6s1gp7zG84luPDN2i_ziBA11mrrGUyRI0U/edit?usp=sharing
Through Midwest Mujeres, these women are developing their stories and practicing the courage it takes to share them. They bring different backgrounds and experiences, along with a shared opportunity to be heard and connect with others.
Meet the women preparing to take the stage.
Liliana Espejel
Robotics Engineer & Storyteller | Bold Visionary
Liliana is a Mexican immigrant whose journey connects engineering, education, and creativity. After rebuilding her life in the United States, she discovered theater and new possibilities for expressing herself. Her story invites us to consider what can happen when we make room for another version of ourselves.
Christina Pardo
Restaurant Leader & Food Entrepreneur | Culinary Visionary
Christina brings her restaurant-management experience and passion for hospitality to a new entrepreneurial chapter: developing a personalized meal-preparation business. Through the Academy, she is strengthening her voice while exploring how her skills can create opportunities for herself and serve others.
Monica Weitzel
Community Engagement Professional | Community Catalyst
Monica is a bilingual professional with experience in hospitality, community engagement, and digital communication. She enjoys bringing people together through volunteering, partnerships, and shared experiences. Her journey highlights the connections that help people feel welcomed and become part of a community.
Jackie Holland
Bilingual HR Leader | Quiet Powerhouse
A first-generation Mexican American, Jackie brings more than a decade of human-resources experience to her work supporting employees and organizations. Her story explores family resilience, quiet leadership, and the strength of being present. She offers a perspective on leadership grounded in listening and care.
Jacquelyne Garcia
Entrepreneur & Business Owner | Unstoppable Builder
Jacquelyne is the founder of Mystic Cleaning, a real-estate investor, and a mother and grandmother. Her path has included young motherhood, rebuilding, and growing a company that now employs more than a dozen people. Today, she is creating stronger systems so that business success also leaves room for family, wellness, and new dreams.
Rosa Edwards
Founder, Rosa Cares | Compassionate Trailblazer
Rosa founded Rosa Cares LLC to provide compassionate in-home support for older adults and people with disabilities. Her work centers on dignity, respect, and personal connection. Through Academy relationships and coaching, she has strengthened her confidence, clarified her pricing, and developed her outreach as a business owner.
Shazia Kirmani
Mother & Spiritual Seeker
Shazia’s story draws on her Pakistani immigrant family background and her exploration of spirituality, identity, and purpose. She brings questions about belonging and human connection to the Academy. Her reflections invite us to think about the experiences that shape us and the meaning we find along the way.
Dia Vang
Emerging Storyteller
Dia participates virtually as she builds confidence in public speaking and sharing her experiences. Within the Academy’s supportive community, she is practicing how to put her story into words and let others hear her voice. Her journey reflects the courage it takes to let yourself be seen.
Missy Husband
Chef & Entrepreneur
Missy is a mother, chef, entrepreneur, and real-estate professional. Through Kulture Kitchen, she shares South African food and hospitality with the Madison community. Her work brings together cultural pride and connection, showing how a meal can welcome people into an experience—and into one another’s lives.
Milsa Nagaraj
Administrative Manager | Determined Changemaker
Originally from Mexico, Milsa has called Madison home for 22 years. She serves as Administrative Manager at Extended Hands Pantry and holds an associate degree in business management. Her journey connects work, motherhood, education, and accepting support with a commitment to serving her community.
Francis Flores
Administrative Professional | Resilient Dreamer
Francis came to Wisconsin from Peru through a Work and Travel program, expecting a short stay that became a much longer chapter of her life. Now an administrative professional, she is sharing a story shaped by friendship, kindness, and learning to accept help. Her journey reminds us that there is still time to grow—and that another person’s support can open a path we cannot yet see.
Diana Pacheco Sanchez
Tax-Business Owner & Community Advocate
Originally from Mexico City, Diana is a mother of two and the owner of Legacy Pro Tax Solutions. She also works with the National Youth Advocate Program, helping find adoptive families for immigrant children. Her story brings together faith, perseverance, entrepreneurship, and service.
Luz Padilla
Real Estate Professional | Fearless Dreamer
Luz is an immigrant mother beginning a new career in real estate, with a long-term dream of opening her own office. Her journey includes returning to learning, building relationships, and pursuing new opportunities. At its heart is a message many women need to hear: we still have time.
Olivia Buenrostro Soto
Financial Advisor & Educator | Generational Changemaker
Olivia is a financial advisor, educator, and co-founder of Lola’s New Beginnings LLC. Her career connects financial education with support for mothers and families. From helping people prepare for their financial futures to supporting new beginnings, she is committed to making knowledge and resources more accessible.
Scarlet Ramirez
Profesional de Seguros y Estudiante | Soñadora Perseverante
Nacida y criada en la República Dominicana, Scarlet vive en Wisconsin, estudia Administración de Empresas y trabaja en seguros. Le gusta aprender y ayudar a otras personas a comprender temas que pueden parecerles complicados. Su familia la inspira a seguir creciendo y construir un futuro con más oportunidades.
Come Hear Their Stories
These introductions offer a glimpse of the women behind the stories. On November 1, they will share more in their own words—the experiences, relationships, and turning points that have shaped their lives.
Join Midwest Mujeres for Voices & Dreams Live | Voces y Sueños en Vivo on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at the Goodman Community Center in Madison.
The community altar begins at 3:00 p.m., followed by the live storytelling program and food at 5:00 p.m.
Come honor our ancestors, meet these women, and witness what they are becoming. Bring a friend, celebrate their voices, and make space for the dreams still unfolding in our community.
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