This thesis examines the significance of gaining an understanding of leadership that is both culturally appropriate and contextually relevant to its participants. In particular, this study takes up leadership as a process, experienced differently given one’s positionality. It also honors the work of Latin American (LA) women in Canada and interviews members of a LA women’s organization, pseudo-named Nosotras in an effort to begin to unravel the complexities of leadership and leadership training programs for young women. Interviewees contribute to the research through their knowledge on three main questions: (1) What does leadership mean? (2) What are its challenges? (3) How have you come to know leadership? My findings show that having a common vision of leadership is only the tip of the iceberg. A Latina Feminista lens that queers el liderazgo creates spaces to understand nuances, silences, and power dynamics embedded in current leadership processes and models. Key words: Latina Feminista, liderazgo, positionality theory, silence, challenges, and resistance.

This thesis examines the significance of gaining an understanding of leadership that is both culturally appropriate and contextually relevant to its participants. In particular, this study takes up leadership as a process, experienced differently given one’s positionality. It also honors the work of Latin American (LA) women in Canada and interviews members of a LA women’s organization, pseudo-named Nosotras in an effort to begin to unravel the complexities of leadership and leadership training programs for young women. Interviewees contribute to the research through their knowledge on three main questions: (1) What does leadership mean? (2) What are its challenges? (3) How have you come to know leadership? My findings show that having a common vision of leadership is only the tip of the iceberg. A Latina Feminista lens that queers el liderazgo creates spaces to understand nuances, silences, and power dynamics embedded in current leadership processes and models. Key words: Latina Feminista, liderazgo, positionality theory, silence, challenges, and resistance.