Inside LEN’s First Speakeasy: Conversations Beyond the Titles

On the evening of Tuesday, May 19th, a select group of Latino executives gathered at the home of LEN member Jay Miranda in Arlington, Virginia for something LEN had never done before: an intimate, members-only Speakeasy. It included libations, good company, and the kind of setting where real, unhurried conversations happen.

To kick things off, members introduced themselves and shared something fun or interesting about who they are beyond their titles. What emerged surprised everyone. From competitive athletes and dancers to hidden talents and unexpected hobbies, it was a reminder that the people around the table contain multitudes.

The night's highlight was a presentation by Sebastian Varela, a mountaineer who has summited Mount Everest twice. What he shared was equal parts transcendental and practical. He did not just recount his climbs through pictures and videos. He turned the experience into a mirror, asking the room a question that landed hard: Why are you here? Why did you join LEN?

The question opened the room. Members responded with honesty about purpose, belonging, and what it means to advance Latino leadership in the DMV. Stories surfaced about backgrounds, career twists, and the winding journeys that brought each person to this country and to this room. Latinos charting new territory. Achieving what others said was impossible. The kind of answers you do not usually hear at a networking event.

That was the point.

Real human relationships are at the heart of everything LEN does, and the Speakeasy format made space for exactly that. Connections deepened and new collaborations were sparked.

It was a night unlike any other. And it will not be the last.