By Katia Lopez-Hodoyan 
Yolanda Selene Walther-Meade is somewhat of a Renaissance woman. Over the years she’s been involved in bit of everything, from fundraising to political translations and from movie festivals all the way to healthcare consciousness. Her interests are broad, but they all have something in common: triggering change and raising awareness.
“I always seem to find something new,” says Walther-Meade, during a one on one interview with La Prensa San Diego. “Even as an adolescent, civic engagement and positive action were always in the background. I was always very involved.”
This active upbringing stayed with her and over time it blossomed even more. Even though she’s made a name for herself as a PR and marketing guru, Walther-Meade always finds time to do more.
Yolanda is a Board Member for the San Diego Foundation, a powerhouse of local charitable giving. She’s also part of the Executive Leadership Team for San Diego’s American Heart Association. What’s more, she’s been chosen to co-chair a San Ysidro Health Care Gala next year, along with her teenage daughter.
“This honor is particularly special to me,” says the mother of two. “It means I’m passing on my civic engagement to my daughter. My parents passed it onto me, so to see this tradition carry on is very moving.”
Walther-Meade grew up on both sides of the Tijuana-San Diego border. This experience is one that resonates with thousands of Mexican-Americans, but her story is definitely unique. Her fluency in English and Spanish is so advanced she decided to become an “interpreter extraordinaire.” Under her former role as the “Voice of the Border,” she interpreted for four Mexican Presidential Administrations, Pulitzer Prize winners and Nobel Laureates like Octavio Paz and Carlos Fuentes. When asked about how she got involved in such a complex field, her response was surprisingly simple.
“I found myself at a binational conference and an interpreter wasn’t available,” recalls Walther-Meade. “I told the speaker, ‘I can do it.’ Looking back, I had the skill set and the knowledge. Once I received my credentials, it became evident that it’s not just a matter of knowing both languages. You also have to know a specific subject matter: from politics to scientific studies. You never stop learning.”
The fact that Walther-Meade has been involved in so many fields has eased her transition into different areas of philanthropy and community outreach. Her list of achievements is long, as is the list of organizations she’s been involved in. It includes, the San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Natural History Museum, the San Diego Latino Film Festival, and the Club de Niños y Niñas de Tijuana.
“Making time for everything isn’t easy, so I do have to get up at 4 a.m. to get things running.” says Walther-Meade. “All these causes I’ve been involved with are an extension of who I am as a person. It hasn’t been that challenging, because they are causes that come naturally in my day to day life with my family.”
While doing her part to empower her two teenage children, Walther-Meade has also embraced the opportunity to support other Latino students. She has spoken to teens attending The Preuss School UCSD, a charter high school for low income students who hope to be the first in their families to graduate from college. The school has actually been recognized by Newsweek magazine as a top transformative school for three years in a row. Walther-Meade says that is a way to highlight that being a minority shouldn’t be an impediment, but rather a strength.
“Some of those students are bilingual,” says Walther-Meade. “They need to understand that having an additional culture and language can be part of their skill set. In the long run, this can mean more clients and more flexibility in whatever field they decide to focus on. Whether it’s the arts, the environment, marketing or production.”
Merging Walther-Meade’s profession, hobbies and philanthropy seems to have happened quite naturally for her. Now, a good part of her time and energy is dedicated to promoting philanthropy, especially in San Diego’s Hispanic Community.
“In Mexico, philanthropy is a few years behind,” explains Walther-Meade. “One of my passions is promoting a culture where people are directly engaged, whether it’s at school, clinics or a local community center. There are so many opportunities out there, if one look beyond oneself.”
Even though San Diego is mostly known for its incredible beaches and near perfect weather, Walther-Meade says the city has a lot more to offer than a picture perfect sunset. From the city’s culinary scene and architecture, America’s Finest City, she says, cannot be reduced to a tourist destination.
“Museums, politics and city life are not just for the East Coast,” explains Walther-Meade. “There’s a lot of that going on here as well. We cannot underestimate our city.”
When asked what her favorite project or career choice has been, Walther-Meade pauses for a few seconds before responding.
“It always changes somewhat, but even with all the ups and downs my favorite part has always been getting people involved and promoting local engagement,” she says. “ Maybe you can offer time, money or expertise. I’m just very passionate about having people understand that we all have a part to play, no matter how large or small.”