Inspiring Conversations with Jennie Carreon of Carreon Group, Inc

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennie Carreon

Hi Jennie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I arrived to this country when I was 9 years old from Juarez Chihuahua to live with my grandparents in East Los Angeles. I grew up in a modest 2 bedroom home. My parents struggled with addiction most of my life and my grandparents stepped in with unconditional love to fill in voids that I was trying to navigate. They came to this country as farm workers and did everything in their power to provide a loving home for me to flourish in. My grand mother collected cans in wealthy neighborhoods to help my grandfather make ends meet, we always had food on our table and I saw the great sacrifices they did to raise a child that was not their own. I worked weekends in the swap meet and I made $25 per day and would give half to my grandmother. I learned early on the value of hard work and those values I have carried on all of my life. I remember finances always being tight around our home and I vowed to get good grades so that i could go to college and my grandparents would not have to worry about me. An early childhood memory was going to Community and Church toy give away events with my grandmother. She knew were the best one were and we always arrived early to make sure that I got the barbie or doll I wanted. She would then wrap these gifts up and I would open them on Chirstmas eve. I felt her love.

When I got a scholarship to attend college my grandparents were very worried about the price. UCSC cost $32,000 per year at the time and my grandfather’s annual salary was $36,000. I remember him asking what would happened if I didn’t do well and how would repay the University. I reassured him that I was not going to fail. Wile in college I worked full time at the Public Defender’s office as an investigator and it helped me pay for my education. My senior year in college I received a scholarship to attend the University of Pittsburg’s Semester at Sea program where you lived on a ship and travel around the word to 10 different Countries. It was one of the most eye opening and impactful experiences of my young adult life. I had never been on a plane in my life let alone travel around the world. My grandmother recalls it being the most stressful time of her life.

During this program I learned the impacts that US policies had in Countries around the world and got a public policy bug. I was awarded a fellowship to work for the Governor and Lt Governor of California while going to graduate school in California. I loved this work and a I enjoyed being able to advocate for community members that look like me and often don’t have access to the State Policy process. After my fellowship was over I worked with the UFW organizing farm workers in the San Juaquin Valley. My great grandmother, grand parents and parents all were farm workers and supporting the UFW’s mission for worker’s dignified rights has been one of the best full filling experiences of my life. It was personal, it was important and it was impactful. In the middle of this campaign UFW President Arturo Rodriguez decided to organize a 17 day march across California in support of contract mitigation support. Walking in the hot summer for 15 hours daily in support of human rights was life changing.

After the UFW campaign was complete I decided to move back home and got a job working for Councilmember Antonio Villaraigosa. I loved working for local government. It was impactful and the need was high. I felt everyday that I was helping someone and there is no greater feeling. CM Villaraigosa then decided to run for Mayor and I was hired to open and run his east side campaign office. This is was very exciting and grassroots campaign and we had so much community support. Everyone was so proud to be part of a movement in electing the first Latino Mayor in the city of Los Angeles. I joined the Mayor’s administration and loved being part of his amazing team. When he termed out I was recruited to work for AltaMed Health Care which is the largest Federally Qualified health center in the Country in their government relations team. 5 years later i was recruited to be the Deputy Superintendent of Education for the State of California. It was monumentally challenging to be in education during a global pandemic. During this tenure I was meeting with several lobbyist or advocates who were mostly white, older men from the east coast telling us how we should operate schools better. It was during this position that I gained the confidence to open up my own firm and advocate on behalf of my community. I now have offices in Los Angeles and in Guadalajara Mexico and represent non profit organizations, corporate 500 companies, affordable housing companies, education software companies, foundations and movie production companies as well. www.carreon-group.com has the list of my clients.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing has been smooth along the way. Being the first in your family to graduate high school, college and have a formal career has presented many struggles of uncharted territories. I never owned a suit for example and when I started working at the Governor’s office I went to the salvation army to purchase clothing that I never knew how to shop for.

As you know, we’re big fans of Carreon Group, Inc. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Carreon Group is a results driven public relations strategy firm. More details are on www.carreon-group.com

We are known to solve problems for companies and organizations.

I am most proud to be an all Latina Firm in a world where Government Relations Firms are usually, White, Male, and Old.

We are first and foremost advocates for mission driven causes and would want your readers to know that it is possible to do quality work while staying true to one’s values.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
An important lesson that I learned during Covid-19 was that no one was going to come and save or communities. We had to be our own best advocates and leaders.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carreon-group.com
• Instagram: carreon_group

Image Credits
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