Nuestras Historias, Nuestro Poder

Eaton Workshop is a global hospitality company, built to uplift the human spirit as we collectively pursue a better world for people and planet.

Founded in 2014 by Hong Kong born Asian-American Katherine Lo, Eaton is not only a place for travelers to lay their heads — it’s a place to experience belonging, creativity, and community.

Born in Bogota, Colombia, Karen Santana began her career at age of 16 and rapidly developed her reputation as a DJ of Latin music. At that time, Santana played in clubs across her country with some of the best DJ’s in the industry. Eventually, she started working for the largest event planning company of Colombia, Snap Megafiestas.

In 2009, Karen decided to focus her genre into house and Latin music. For this reason, she became the opener of nationally known artists such as Diva Gash. That same year, Karen was invited to compete in a national contest called Mucha City to open for the world-renowed DJ and Producer, David Guetta.  Ultimately, she received second place.

Three years later, in 2012, Karen moved to Boston and quickly positioned herself to play in various Latin parties, such as Pachanga, Piragua, Viva la Brunch y la Propia. Nowadays, Santana is the resident DJ of Space Entertainment Boston and plays for  International Sundays and Day Breaker where she showcases her diverse musical portfolio. In 2016, Karen Santana started studying Electronic Music Production and was asked to join Skylite D.C. in Washington D.C. In 2017, she played for Venezuelans night at N.Y City and for first time she played in Puerto Rico in the renowned club, Brava. Additionally, Santana had the pleasure of playing for well-known sportsman and entrepreneur, David Ortiz or “Big Papi” at La Fabrica Central.

Karen Santana has worked along with very important DJ’s and producers such as Jose Cotes, ETTIENE, KIKA and DJ Afro (Jose Luis Pardo) a Grammy winner and founder of the band “Los Amigos Invisibles.” Likewise, she opened for the Spanish band “Jarabe de Palo.” Due to her talent, she has been able to play countless times in cities like Puerto Rico, New York City, Miami, Boston and Washington D.C..

Verny Varela is a world-renown Colombian born multi-instrumental salsa musician who hails from the salsa capital of the world, Cali. He holds a PhD in African Studies from Howard University, a Master of Arts from Howard University and a bachelor’s degree in music education from Universidad del Valle. As an artist, he has performed at the Lincoln Memorial, Kennedy Center, Washington Monument, Lincoln Theatre, Library of Congress, Smithsonian museums, and the embassies of Colombia, Italy, Panama, and France. 

Coming Soon!

We started this year off with an incredible party to kick off Latina Institute’s 30th anniversary celebrations with the theme of Nuestras Historias, Nuestro Poder.

Poderosas from the area were joined by special guests Sandra Guzmán, author of Daughters of Latin America: An International Anthology of Writing by Latine Women. We were also joined by DJ Karen Santana, an awardee of El Mundo Boston Latino 30 under 30. And our Executive Director, Lupe M. Rodríguez!

The event took place on January 18th at 6pm at the Eaton Workshop in Washington D.C..

You can read more at our blog here!

On May 2, 2024, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice hosted “Nuestras Historias, Nuestro Poder” at The Fig House in Highland Park, Los Angeles. This event, co-hosted with #WeAllGrow Latina, marked the 30th anniversary of the Latina Institute.

The night was graced by the presence of Alejandra Campoverdi, a bestselling author and reproductive health advocate. Alejandra shared profound insights from her memoir, FIRST GEN, which chronicles her journey as a first-generation Mexican-American navigating the complexities of identity, ambition, and societal expectations. Her story resonated deeply with the audience, highlighting the power of personal narratives in driving social change. We were also joined by DJ Linda Nuves, floral arrangements by Como la Flor, and our bookseller Tia Chucha’s.

Read more about the event and see photos here!

On September 12, 2024 , the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice hosted “Nuestras Historias, Nuestro Poder” at BRIC in Brooklyn. We were joined by Xochitl Gonzalez.