Saying those words out loud is pretty surreal, but last week, my wife Kathy and I became grandparents for the first time. Amelia Claire Smeraski was born on October 15th to our daughter Jaimie and her husband A.J. I can already tell that Amelia is a beauty, like her mom and grandma, with a calm and curious disposition. Auntie Marisa and uncle Aaron are mildly obsessed with their new family member and say they can’t stop staring at her pictures. Amelia was born at the tail end of a once-in-a-century pandemic. I think a lot about babies born in the last two years, and how different their lives have been as compared to other babies born in recent years. A lot has been written about the negatives, but maybe something good will come of it as well. I guess only time will tell. All I can say at this point is that everything people say about how it feels to be a grandparent for the first time is absolutely true. It is a life-changing experience and we are going to enjoy every minute of it.
In this episode, I share my perspective on the tragic killing of Renée Nicole Good and why moments like this demand clarity, restraint, and leadership rather than instant conclusions. We’re living in a time when emotion travels faster than facts, and division often fills the space where understanding should live. My goal here isn’t to inflame, but to add context, acknowledge pain, and encourage thoughtful reflection while the facts are still coming into focus. I hope you’ll watch with an open mind and consider what responsible leadership looks like in moments that test all of us.
In this episode, I talk about why progress rarely comes from perfect ideas or moral certainty—and why waiting for purity often keeps us stuck. Idealism can feel virtuous, but history shows that real change happens when people are willing to act, accept imperfection, and move forward anyway. For our community, that means choosing momentum over stagnation, results over symbolism, and responsibility over comfort. If we’re serious about building power, dignity, and lasting progress, this is a conversation we need to have—honestly and without illusions.
In this episode, I talk about something we’re almost never encouraged to say out loud: wealth is power—literally. Not likes, not outrage, not visibility. I break down why real influence comes from ownership and leverage, not consumption; why income feeds families but equity builds dynasties; and why a wealthy Latino with a clear purpose shouldn’t be seen as a problem, but as proof of what’s possible. If you’ve ever felt uneasy talking about money or ambition, I’d love for you to watch this one and think about what “owning more” could look like for you and our community.