We live in a time where “community” can feel like a buzzword. We crave connection, yet many of us are lonelier than ever. We want belonging, yet struggle to find spaces where we feel fully seen. In this gap, leaders like Yvette Lopez, founder of Latinos in Grapevine, show us what it looks like to turn irritants into innovation and to create communities that thrive.

Her story isn’t just about launching an initiative; it’s about what happens when we listen deeply to the needs of our neighbors and step forward with courage. Whether you’re a parent, a business leader, or simply someone who wants to live with more purpose, her example has lessons for us all.

Irritants as Invitations

Yvette’s work with Latinos in Grapevine began not with a five-year plan, but with a crisis. During a community emergency, she noticed a glaring gap: vital information wasn’t being translated into Spanish. Families were left uninformed and vulnerable. Instead of accepting the irritation as “just the way it is,” she acted. She started translating and distributing information, one message at a time

That single irritant sparked a movement. What began as a stopgap grew into a trusted network, connecting hundreds of families and empowering a community that had been overlooked.

It’s a reminder for all of us: the things that frustrate us most might be the very areas we are called to lead.

Belonging Is Built, Not Assumed

At its heart, Yvette’s work is about creating belonging. Belonging isn’t automatic—it’s built through intentional practices that make people feel welcome, valued, and safe.

In Grapevine, this meant bridging cultural gaps. On one side were Spanish-speaking families unsure if local organizations had a place for them. On the other side were institutions unsure how to connect. Yvette became a bridge. By advising organizations like House of Shine on how to be more welcoming, while also inviting Latino families to participate, she helped create a match where everyone could flourish

Strengths as Superpowers

One of the themes Yvette highlights is the power of strengths-based leadership. Through tools like CliftonStrengths, she has learned to identify and lean into her top talents: Relator, Achiever, Connectedness, Strategic, and Responsibility.

Instead of obsessing over weaknesses, strengths-based leadership asks: What if we invested our energy in amplifying what we naturally do well?

For Yvette, that has meant using her Achiever drive to get things done, her Relator talent to connect deeply, and her Strategic thinking to see possibilities others miss. These strengths aren’t just personal—they ripple out to shape entire communities.

Imagine if more of us operated from our strengths. Parents modeling it for kids. Leaders modeling it for employees. Communities celebrating the unique contributions of every member. The result would be what Yvette calls “unlocking the vault” of untapped gifts in our neighborhoods

Resilience and Identity

Yvette’s leadership is also rooted in her identity. Having grown up between Brooklyn, the Dominican Republic, and Florida, she understands what it feels like to navigate multiple cultures. That experience gave her a unique empathy for people straddling different worlds. It also gave her resilience—the ability to adapt, persist, and create new pathways when old ones were blockedHOS_Yvette_REC_092025.mp3.

Her story illustrates how our backgrounds, even the challenging parts, prepare us to lead. The moments of exclusion, transition, or challenge often become the soil from which our deepest callings grow.

Leadership for Today

So what does all this mean for us? Here are a few lessons we can take from Yvette’s story into our own lives:

Build bridges. Leadership today requires connection across differences. Like Yvette, we can stand in the middle and invite both sides to meet.

Notice irritants. What frustrates you? Instead of dismissing it, ask whether it’s pointing you toward an opportunity to serve.

Invest in belonging. Look around your workplace, church, or neighborhood. Who is missing? Who feels like an outsider? Belonging doesn’t just happen—it’s created through small, intentional acts of welcome.

Lead with strengths. Identify your top strengths and consider how they might be used for the good of others. Often, what feels ordinary to you is extraordinary to someone else.

Honor your identity. Your unique mix of culture, experiences, and challenges is not a liability—it’s your leadership advantage.

Practical Ways to Begin

You don’t need to launch a nonprofit to practice these principles. Here are some everyday ways to live them out:

When faced with a frustration, pause before complaining. Ask: Is this an irritant I’m meant to innovate around?

Translate information for a neighbor who struggles with English.

Volunteer to mentor someone younger in your field.

Celebrate cultural festivals in your community—not as a spectator, but as a participant willing to learn.

Use tools like CliftonStrengths to understand your gifts, then intentionally apply them in family, work, or community settings.

Final Thought

Yvette Lopez’s story reminds us that leadership isn’t about titles or positions. It’s about seeing a need, stepping forward, and using your unique strengths to make a difference.

In a culture that often celebrates individual achievement, her example calls us back to something deeper: the power of belonging, the beauty of resilience, and the joy of building communities where everyone shines.

The question is not whether the world needs leaders like Yvette—it’s whether we are willing to become them in our own corners of the world.

So ask yourself today: Where is belonging missing? What irritant is stirring in me? And how can I use my strengths to help my community shine?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by House of Shine (@houseofshine)