Our July Cafecito brought together 35 local government professionals for an intimate, thoughtful conversation between Lauren Sugayan, Unidos NorCal’s President‑Elect, and featured guest Rosa Ramos, Management Analyst with the Livermore–Pleasanton Fire Department and longtime public safety leader.

This session was rooted in connection, storytelling, and honest reflection on resilience and career growth — with both Lauren and Rosa lifting up themes that resonated deeply across the room.

1. The Power of a Connection Story

Lauren opened the Cafecito by inviting Rosa to share how the two first connected — a story that began with Rosa following her instinct, reaching out after seeing Lauren’s profile, and trusting curiosity.

That single moment of courage created a meaningful relationship and ultimately led to this Cafecito conversation.

This set the tone:
Connections often begin with small, brave steps.

2. Rosa’s Career Journey — Nonlinear, Strategic, Human

Rosa walked through her professional path: dispatch operations, communications, fire service administration, statewide emergency leadership, and now strategic management work.

Her journey wasn’t linear — and that was exactly the point.

3. “Sometimes You Have to Go Left to Go Right”

Rosa shared her personal mantra, one born from lived experience:
Sometimes progress requires detours.

She described moments when she had to pivot, reroute, or shift directions entirely — and how those left turns ultimately led her to the right opportunities.

4. Feeling Stuck, Self‑Esteem Dips, and How to Move Through It

Lauren prompted Rosa to speak about those tough moments when momentum stalls and confidence dips — something many members have privately expressed to Lauren in her President‑Elect role.

Rosa was honest:
Those periods happen to everyone.
They’re uncomfortable, humbling, and often necessary.

Together, Lauren and Rosa emphasized:
You don’t stay stuck. You feel it — and then you move.

5. You’re Not Meant to Walk the Journey Alone

Lauren invited Rosa to talk about the role of community and mentorship in her life — and Rosa emphasized that professional growth is not a solo act.

She shared how reaching out to people, asking for help, and building authentic relationships changed everything for her.

Check Rosa out on Linkedin where this theme echoes in her posts about sisterhood, mentorship, and women lifting one another up.

6. Struggle & Family Roots: Rosa’s Foundation

Rosa reflected on her parents’ immigrant journey — arriving with no English, minimal resources, and maximal perseverance. Their resilience shaped her grit, perspective, and belief in possibility.

During one of the most powerful moments of the Cafecito, Rosa reflected on the difference between professional struggle and the deep, generational struggle that shaped her family’s story.

“What I go through in my career? That’s not hard. What my mom went through to provide for us as an immigrant to this country? That’s hard.”

7. Victimhood vs. Moving Forward

Everyone goes through difficult points in their career, or perhaps, has a difficult experience or work relationship. Together, Lauren and Rosa explored what it means to acknowledge pain without becoming defined by it.

Rosa’s message:
It’s okay to be in your feelings — briefly.
Then you get up, and you get onto your chariot.

This message was one of the most powerful moments of the session.

8. The Giannis Moment vs. the World Cup Moment

Lauren and Rosa had fun with framing the conversation around resilience through sports:

  • Lauren referenced a famous post-game interview with NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo following the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff elimination in 2023 — redefining failure not as an endpoint, but as a step toward success.
  • Rosa brought in a story about Lamine Yamal, a soccer player on FC Barcelona who just won the FIFA Word Cup, reflecting on struggle, grit, and the winds of change that carry people into breakthrough moments.

Using sports or pop‑culture moments is a powerful way to zoom out and see the bigger picture — they help translate complex feelings into something relatable, real, and easier to understand

9. The Importance of Expanding Your Network

One of the strongest takeaways — and something both Lauren and Rosa emphasized — was the importance of intentionally expanding your network.

Rosa encouraged attendees to seek people who:

  • Give new perspective
  • Offer encouragement
  • Challenge assumptions
  • Spark growth
  • Help you see the bigger picture

Her own career grew because she reached out — and because people reached back.

Final Reflection

This Cafecito was not a presentation. It was a conversation — one shaped by trust between Lauren and Rosa, grounded in honesty, and full of wisdom that resonated with professionals at every stage of their careers.

The key lessons?

  • Careers are rarely linear.
  • Detours hold direction.
  • Struggle builds strength.
  • Community is oxygen.
  • Perspective changes everything.
  • You must move — even when the next step is unclear.

Most importantly:
You don’t go left alone, and you don’t go right alone.
The chariot moves when community pushes together.

We are proud to feature Rosa in our Cafecitos Series!