2019 Latina of Influence Domenica Escatel | Founder Chicana Inc.
Hispanic Lifestyle is pleased to recognize Domenica Escatel founder Chicana Inc. as a 2019 Latina of Influence. Ms. Escatel along with our entire list of 2019 Latinas of Influence are invited to participate in Latina Conference 2019 taking place April 10 and 11, 2019 in Ontario, California.
Domenica’s is a daughter of immigrant parents. Domenica is a first generation collage graduate. She has an Associates of Arts degree from Modesto Junior College, a Bachelors of Art degree from San Jose State University and an Master’s degree in leadership from Brandman University. She has been in the education field for 15 years working with children that are low income, homeless, at risk specifically with head start. She lead the children’s festival of Stanislaus County for three years, it was the only festival dedicated to children in the area. She was on the Stanislaus association for the education of young children’s board for 3 years. She was then invited to be on board for Mujeres Latinas in 2017 and in 2018 the Central Valley Hispanic chamber of commerce.
In 2016, Domenica was named one of the Modesto bees 20 under 40 upcoming leaders. Domenica’s photography project Mujer Poderosa that highlights women and girls in the community gained the attention of the community and in 2018, Domenica was named Stanislaus county’s outstanding women of 2018 by the Stanislaus commission on woman and girls. Domenica has also been a guest speaker at numerous community events and local Hispanic conferences. Domenica was selected for the Hispana’s organized for political equality’s ( hope) leadership cohort class of 2017. The HOPE Leadership Institute (HLI) is the first and only statewide leadership program specifically designed for professional Latinas in California. The goal of the Institute is to train Latinas in vital leadership and advocacy skills, enabling them to create fundamental change within their local neighborhoods and across California. Soon after Domenica was selected and only Latina for the class of 2018 Modesto Leadership cohort.
The Leadership Modesto program has an astounding 30+ year track record for inspiring, growing and uniting high quality leadership in our community. The primary objective achieved through the Leadership Modesto program is to identify and foster new and potential Modesto leaders through a dynamic, hands on, ten-month intensive that instills the requisite knowledge and understanding of the many facets of community life and leadership. In 2017, Domenica was elected to serve on the Empire Municipal Advisory council in her home town. She is the first and only Latina on the council since its formation over 30 years ago. Since then, The Empire Mac has been an instrumental part in helping the only elementary school in the town get a free mobile farmers market for the community and school. (The school is made up of 90% Latinos). Also, the Empire MAC members were instrumental in advocating for a new library that will break ground this year. The community library has been in a small portable and it will now include a sheriff substation.
Domenica is also a small business owner and founder of Chicana INC. Dedicated to Empowering, Equipping and Educating Latina women. Her signature event Chingona 101, Jeffa Happy hour has been very successful in the community.
