The Power of Kindness

To mark National Hispanic Heritage Month, Lauren Sánchez and Nina Garcia come together for a conversation about identity, education, and civility.

LAUREN SÁNCHEZ is taking Spanish lessons, and her kids are learning how to speak the language, too. This is a continued effort from Sánchez to further embrace her Mexican American heritage as she works to increase visibility for Latinas. "It's important that we use our voices, and demand a seat at the table," she says.

The helicopter pilot, mother, author, philanthropist, and former journalist is also using her voice to bring awareness about separated families at the U.S.-Mexico border and has spent time at crossings with the nonprofit This Is About Humanity. She is also an advocate for new educational programs, like the network of tuition-free preschools she is helping to build in under-resourced communities through the Bezos Academy.

Earlier this year, Sánchez, along with fiancé Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and executive chairman, awarded actress and activist Eva Longoria with a Courage and Civility Award. Longoria plans to use the award-a sum of $50 million to give to philanthropic organizations of her choosing-to further uplift the Latin community. "I want to surround myself with people who are really making a difference in this world," Sánchez says of the award.

To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sánchez speaks with her friend and ELLE editor-in-chief Nina Garcia about their Latin heritage, how she and Bezos bring their cultures to their home, and her new book The Fly Who Flew to Space, which was published in September.-SAMUEL MAUDE