I walk into a Latin professional networking event in New York City — LACREA, the Latino American Commercial Real Estate Association's Spring Mixer at Studio Office Solutions — and almost immediately I'm hit with that feeling. You know the one. The "okay, I don't know anyone here, where do I look, should I check my phone" feeling that I think every human being on the planet has experienced at least once.
And I'm a recruiter. This is literally my job.
The difference this time? I'm Cuban and Puerto Rican, and I was in a room where that meant something. I heard familiar last names. Familiar stories. A gentleman I met shared a background so similar to people in my own family that we weren't talking business within five minutes — we were just talking. About where we came from. What we were building.
Let's just say the conversations switched languages mid-sentence more than once and nobody skipped a beat.
But You Don't Need a Shared Heritage to Feel It
Here's what I kept coming back to as the night went on.
Yes, most of us shared a cultural identity. But strip that away and there was something even more universal holding that room together — something that applies to every networking event, every industry mixer, every conference happy hour you've ever talked yourself out of attending.
Not a single person in that room knew everyone else.
Every person there — regardless of title, background, or how effortlessly social they looked — was doing the same thing. Putting themselves out there. Walking up to strangers. Hoping it wouldn't be weird.
That's vulnerability. And honestly? Vulnerability is the great equalizer. You don't need to share my culture, my industry, or my irrational loyalty to the Philadelphia Eagles to connect with me. You just need to show up and mean it.
So Here's My Actual Advice
Stop waiting until you know someone going. Stop saving the event for when you feel more ready, more senior, more whatever. Stop treating a room full of people you don't know like a threat — because it's not.
It's an opportunity.
I walked into LACREA a little nervous and walked out with new relationships, new perspectives, and a genuine reminder that the conversations that matter most in your career rarely start with a job posting. They start exactly like this — in a room, with a stranger, over a drink, with zero agenda.
Whether you're a job seeker, a hiring manager, or a C-suite leader — get in the room. Be yourself. Lead with curiosity.
You never know what one honest conversation can become.
Entré sin conocer a nadie. Salí con todo.
Photos courtesy of LACREA.
Havanna Velazquez is a Recruiting Partner at 24 Hour Search, leading executive searches across commercial real estate, professional services, and growth-oriented companies. She runs a full desk from sourcing through offer, with a focus on reaching the senior leaders who are not actively looking — the candidates most searches never find.
Connect with Havanna on LinkedIn or reach her at havanna@24hoursearch.com.