“My unrelenting goal is to help people who look like me, and speak my language, and to help give them every opportunity to access resources and education that elevate their quality of life.” – George Fernandez
At eight years old, George Fernandez emigrated from the Dominican Republic to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with his single mother, a survivor of domestic violence who spoke no English. George had to quickly adapt to American language and culture to help his family navigate and survive this life-changing and future-shaping transition. At the age when most kids can live a carefree life, George was the male leader in his family, learning how to break through the societal barriers that made daily living a constant struggle. He had to translate and communicate for his family to advocate for their basic needs, all while facing the culminating challenges of a broken “system” where his family never qualified for social assistance programs.
Fortunately for George, his family, and those who continue to be impacted by his good work, this was only the beginning of his story. Today, George M. Fernandez is a highly accomplished and respected visionary and leader in the multicultural community. He is the President & CEO of Color & Culture which is an integrated family of brands and changemakers that provide culturally relevant, human-centered strategies to solve ever-evolving challenges. As the brainpower and visionary within Color & Culture, George is focused on helping organizations transform lives and communities by embracing all cultural identities.
My personal and professional passion is to ensure marginalized populations never experience what my family did and always have adequate access to social assistance programs, education, and resources which are the backbone of the services we offer today.
George Fernandez
The culmination of initiatives under George’s leadership have reached millions of individuals within multicultural markets. His work has helped hundreds of organizations maximize their reach and protect their core operations. Clients include billion-dollar, private-sector businesses, government agencies, community health partners, and nonprofits. George’s innovative approach to the modern healthcare concept remains the nucleus of inspiration for all Latino Connection’s efforts and outreach. To effectively reach critically underserved populations, we must meet people where they are, break down all barriers that stand in the way, and maintain an authentic and trustworthy approach. These concepts, which are radically different from the current healthcare landscape, are changing the world of healthcare for our diverse communities, one event and one initiative at a time.
To this day, George has never forgotten his roots and the community that shaped his drive, dedication, and passion to become the servant leader he is today. In addition to representing the Latino community, George proudly represents LGBTQ communities, where he not only recognizes the unique challenges the members of these communities face, but proactively seeks ways to elevate their voices so they are heard, included, and given a seat at the table.
As a rising leader and visionary within the Latino community, George has been recognized with many unique opportunities and prestigious honors including the Jefferson Award, the Harrisburg Chamber’s Business Diversity & Inclusion Champion, and multiple honors from the Central Penn Business Journal including Forty Under 40, Healthcare Hero, and Game Changers Award for the most-loved CEO.