SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. —
In a culture where silence is the expectation for women, four Latina women from Scott came together to find their voices and empower others to do the same.
Esmeralda Aharon, Master Sergeant Josephine Santana, Leonor Branch, and LeAnna Bailon met by chance but have formed a powerful bond. Their goal is to transform silence into strength by showing women that their voices are powerful and can create change.
“There’s a phrase in Spanish – ‘calladita te vez mas bonita’ – you look prettier when you’re quiet,” said Esmeralda Aharon, who retired from the Air Force and is currently working for St. Louis University. “We are saying, ‘calladitas no more. We will not be silent anymore’. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to be jumping up and down and screaming, but we’re going to be using our voices to empower ourselves and to empower others.”
These women have taken bold steps and inspired other women to do the same. Aharon compiled stories from 32 Latina women into a book about reclaiming your power and voice.
“In the Hispanic community, being vulnerable is taboo. We don’t talk about our feelings, we don’t talk about our emotions. Esme encouraged us [to share] by saying, ‘hey, you have a story and your voice is powerful, imagine how many lives you can change,’” said Santana. “If we empower just one Latina to speak up or empower her to be better, then that’s amazing.”
The impact of their collective voice is evident, with their book becoming a number-one U.S. bestseller within hours of publication. Together, Aharon, Santana, Branch, and Bilon have fostered a community where vulnerability is not just accepted but celebrated.
When asked what they want to see from women in the future, Esme quickly replied that she wants to see them “be authentically themselves”.
She said, “There’s no one like you. You’re the only person that is like you, and we need your voice in the world.”
