Invaluable Social Capital

by Talia Rodriguez

My little cousin Wanda Lee, a proud Puerto Rican and Buffalo native, has had a plastic stethoscope since she was four years old. She never put it down, closely monitoring our Titi’s health as she managed diabetes and other conditions. Over time, her childhood play and moments checking Titi’s blood sugar grew into an academic interest and lifelong passion for medicine.

Wanda is a graduate of Health Sciences Charter School. She earned an A.S. from Bryant & Stratton College and is currently enrolled at Trocaire College, pursuing her LPN.

She — along with the Latina students learning beside her and those yet to come — is especially needed in our regional nursing workforce. Their lived experiences, language skills, and emotional intelligence bring depth and understanding to patient care. According to the New York State Diversity and Inclusion in Nursing Toolkit published in 2024, representation remains “hard work.”

In 2015, 5.7% of LPNs in New York State identified as Latino — 1.8% lower than the national rate. By 2022, that gap had widened, with only 3.9% of LPNs identifying as Latino, 7.6% below the national rate.

Nurses are our most valued health first responders. With more Latinas than other groups leaving the workforce during COVID-19 to care for families — and with many nurses nearing retirement — the gap stands to widen.

She works hard, like so many nursing students we see passing by with focused expressions, large cups of coffee, bags full of nursing books, and exam schedules as demanding as the exams themselves, to close the gap. As a mother to a beautiful baby girl, a co-founder of a health-focused start-up with her partner, and a devoted friend, she is determined to bring her passion for health to the hospital floor and excel in her calling. And she’s needed — as are more like her.

With nursing there is both urgent need and opportunity — but we must remember that every nurse is, at their core, a healer, helping move patients, loved ones, and communities closer to whole health. Many nurses have intersecting interests and many found startups, so make sure you follow Wanda’s tandem journey at A and W Healthy Habits on facebook!

Now, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses) is $62,340 per year, with roughly 54,400 openings projected annually over the next decade. The demand for licensed practical and vocational nurses is projected to grow faster than supply between 2022 and 2037, resulting in a projected shortage of 302,440 LPN FTEs (full time employees) by 2037. So, for that reason remember, LPNs and other health professionals are invaluable social capital — every big cup of coffee, every well-worn bag of books carries a destiny worth encouraging and honoring.

November is National Diabetes Month, and from her early days checking Titi’s blood sugar, Wanda — along with other future nurses — will help move us forward and shape the future of medicine. Read her interview to learn more about her passion to serve. Her story reminds us that those impacted by health challenges are uniquely positioned to become the health professionals who help define what health means in an ever-changing world.

How do you balance everything?

I balance everything by focusing on the end goal. I strive to meet my goals and accomplish everything I start. As a first-time mom and small business owner, my focus is to better our lives and ensure my daughter never experiences some of the struggles I faced.

What impact do you want your nursing practice to have?

I want my nursing practice to impact the community and patients by delivering holistic care and treatments that help each patient transform their lives and achieve longevity.

Talia Rodriguez is a bi-racial, bi-cultural, and bi-lingual Latina from Buffalo. Ms. Rodriguez’s mission is to write about Latina’s, who have shaped the face of our city and our region. It is Ms. Rodriguez’s believes that our own people should inspire us and in telling our collective stories, we push our community forward. Ms. Rodriguez is a community advocate and organizer. She is a 5th generation West Sider, a graduate of SUNY Buffalo Law School, and an avid baseball fan. She lives on the West Side with her young son A.J… Ms. Rodriguez sits on the board of several organizations including the Belle Center, where she attended daycare. Ms. Rodriguez loves art, music, food, and her neighbors. You can send your comments or questions to talia.rodriguez.716@gmail.com.