The best leaders are oftentimes those who wonder if they're fit enough to lead.
I remember the first time I gave a speech in high school and how nervous I was to speak in front of an audience. I had been convinced to run as vice president of my local National Technical Honor Society chapter and somehow, ended up as president. At the end of the year, I had to give a speech and I was a nervous wreck. I got through it — and got a standing ovation. I couldn't believe it.
But that was the first instance of many where I ended up in a position of leadership I didn't feel qualified for. Over the years, I learned that good leadership isn't about knowing the most or having the most experience, or even being the loudest. It was about genuinely wanting to make a positive impact and taking action instead of assuming someone else would.
Growing up, I didn't see a lot of leaders that looked like me or had my background. A Mexican immigrant family, we came to this country with barely anything and built an entire new life for ourselves. As I grew up, I learned how important it was to represent so many others who came up the way I did. In the community, I saw in others the faces of my parents and my siblings. I knew that I wasn't going to hope someone else represented them, that it was up to me to do it.
Leadership for me wasn't an ambition or a goal, it was a duty.
It was a way I could speak up for the people who weren't able to speak up for themselves. And I know this calling doesn't belong to me alone. There are so many of us that feel the need to step up. The world needs to hear our ideas and what we have to say. They need the voices of our people represented at the table where the decisions are made.
This is why I'm building La Fuente. A community of Latinos who are called to lead. At any level, in any industry — this is an opportunity for us to unite and support one another in being the best leaders we can be. Whether you're someone who has ambitions to be a leader or you have experience you want to pass on to the next generation, we want you to be a part of what we’re building.
Aaron Robles
Founder | La Fuente
La Fuente is a community built for Latino leaders — those who are just beginning to find their voice and those who have spent years building one. We are new and still growing, but our purpose is clear: to create a space where Latino professionals across Indiana can connect, develop, and step fully into their potential.
We believe that leadership doesn't develop in isolation. It grows through community, through learning, and through showing up for one another. That's what La Fuente is designed to do — bring together those who are ready to lead with those who are ready to guide, so that no one has to figure it out alone.
When Latino leaders thrive, our communities are stronger, our organizations are better, and our economy grows. This isn't just good for the Latino community — it's good for Indiana.
Our foundation is built on three pillars:
Community
No one leads in isolation — and we never have. For us, the people around you aren't just a network, they're family. The strongest leaders are shaped by those who believe in them before they believe in themselves — mentors who've walked the road, peers who push you forward, and a community that shows up when it matters. We believe that when we rise together, we rise further. Who you're surrounded by can make all the difference.
Education
We believe leadership has to be earned — built on real skills, real knowledge, and the kind of preparation that leaves no room for doubt. Not just from the outside world, but from within yourself. When you know you've done the work, you walk into any room with the confidence to own it. That certainty is something no one can take from you.
Engagement
We don't believe in sitting on the sidelines — we believe in showing up, stepping forward, and doing the work that moves communities forward. Everything we build here is in service of one thing: real change, made by real people who were willing to act. The difference between what is and what could be is the people who decide to close that gap.
Someone is waiting for a leader like you.
There is a seat at the table that belongs to you — and people who need you in it. Fill out the form below and let us know who you are. No commitment, just the first step toward where you're meant to be: