73. Juan Amador, Executive Director of SACNAS, on Culture, Assimilation, Mentoring, and Awards

What does it mean to truly celebrate culture within the scientific community and why does it matter today? What role does mentoring play in shaping the careers of emerging scientists and leaders in STEM?In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Juan Amador, Executive Director or the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). Juan discusses:SACNAS's goal to increase the representation of Chicanos, Hispanics, and Native Americans in STEM.SACNAS's motto of "celebration, not assimilation." Juan explains this as celebrating science, community, and culture and bringing one's true self to science, including cultural expressions, and building stronger communities.The importance of mentoring in Juan’s career.How SACNAS has a variety of mentoring programs, including official mentoring, long-term mentoring and episodic mentoring during the SACNAS annual conference.What it means to him to be the first recipient of the Association Latinos Estrella Award, awarded last October 2023.References:SACNAS websiteAssociation Latinos websiteAssociation Latinos Inspira Award