s leadership about power or responsibility?
In this episode of the HisPanic Podcast, Herman sits down with Dr. Peter Rios, a Puerto Rican scholar, Marine Corps veteran, and university professor whose life story challenges the traditional idea of what leadership really means.
Peter’s journey was not a straight path to success. He failed community college three times, struggled with addiction, and faced repeated rejection before eventually becoming a professor and consultant working with institutions like Harvard. His story is a powerful example of resilience and the kind of leadership that grows through struggle, not privilege.
Together, Herman and Peter discuss what they call “The Leadership Lie.” The belief that leadership is about power, titles, or authority. Instead, they explore leadership as responsibility, education, and the willingness to stand up for others.
The conversation also explores Latino identity, faith, and the pressures many people face when their culture, religion, and personal identity collide. Herman shares his perspective as a gay Latino raised in Texas and how those experiences shaped the way he sees leadership, community, and social responsibility.
Peter reflects on how growing up in a Puerto Rican family and his work in theology and higher education shaped his mission to empower Latino communities and challenge systems that often overlook marginalized voices.
They also discuss larger social questions including caste dynamics in America, representation in leadership, and the importance of respectful dialogue even when conversations become uncomfortable.
Peter shares personal lessons about resilience, including the story of being cut from basketball teams year after year before finally earning a spot on the Marine Corps basketball team. That experience shaped his belief that perseverance and character often matter more than talent.
The discussion also touches on the role of emerging technology such as artificial intelligence in education, policy work, and leadership, and how these tools can be used responsibly to expand opportunity rather than deepen inequality.
At its core, this episode asks a simple but important question. If leadership is not about power, then what is it really about?
For Herman and Peter, the answer comes down to responsibility, resilience, and using your voice to create opportunities for others.
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