ABSTRACT
I did not know when I accepted my administrative position as an Ombudsman at a Research Type I institution that my personal experiences of gender and race discrimination would serve as valuable lessons to prepare me for this job. Today, I recognize that those incidents prepared me well for the daily fights for justice and equity. I also did not realize that having a hard-earned doctorate from a reputable institution still would not be enough for a Latina to be considered a true professional. Lastly, I did not know that when I would want to go across the hall or to another floor to visit another Latina administrator to share a story, talk about our children or husbands, family, that there would be no one there.
