Paola Nicole Marrero Rodríguez, also known as paopao, has contributed to a Latin-GRAMMY-winning piece of work — one of the highest accolades in all of music. And her alliance with the Latin Recording Academy extends to its sister academy; paopao is outwardly passionate about the world's leading society of music people, and what it means to her.

"I feel like the amount of Latin representation and participation at the Recording Academy isn't as high as we'd like it to be," paopao says in a heartfelt letter below, as Final Round Voting rolls on ahead of the 2024 GRAMMYs. "Being able to be a voice and a minority representative is something I don't take for granted."

Are you a member of the Recording Academy who's unsure about the ways Final Round Voting plays an important role in the voting process? If not, are you simply curious about how being a Voting Member can shift the music landscape in a more fair, transparent and equitable way?

If so, read on from a powerful missive from paopao about all of the above, her personal road to the Recording Academy and Latin Recording Academy, and more.

Read More: How To Vote In The 2024 GRAMMYs: A Complete Final Round Voting Guide For GRAMMY Voters

The following has been edited for clarity.

I first started my journey with the GRAMMY family during my freshman year in college as part of GRAMMY U — the Recording Academy's membership program dedicated to uplifting aspiring music creators and professionals.

Last year, I became a voting member of the Recording Academy shortly after also becoming a member of the Latin Recording Academy. Officially becoming a member has offered me additional opportunities, many of which I feel people aren't aware or taking advantage of.

I like to think of it as a web made up of everyone who is anyone in the music industry. Because there are so many creators in the Latin music community, including songwriters and engineers, who are unaware that they qualify to become a member, I want to be a voice to spread the word and make sure my peers know about this incredible opportunity.

As a Latin artist in the música urbana community, being a part of the Recording Academy has been so important because my peers and I have the opportunity to shape Latin music within the broad spectrum of the music industry, not just within our community.

I feel like the amount of Latin representation and participation at the Recording Academy isn't as high as we'd like it to be, and being able to be a voice and a minority representative is something I don't take for granted. Latin music is becoming part of our culture and music globally, and as members of the Academy, we're helping change how our music is heard and seen across the world.

Starting Thursday, Dec. 14, until Jan. 4, 2024, we'll look at this year's GRAMMY nominees and vote for who we believe are making a lasting impact on music. Our votes will determine who will win an award at the 66th GRAMMYs.

"GRAMMY" is a massive word in the music industry. It's a huge stamp of approval and carries a lot of weight because being a music creator isn't easy. On the creative path, there are a lot of things working against you. So, to win a GRAMMY and to be recognized by your peers for your music, is that reassurance that you were right to make that leap and that all your hard work is paying off. It tells you that people are actually listening, and that you have what it takes to impact music and make history.

If we want to see better representation within Latin music, we need to be vouching for the work and creators we think deserve it by using our votes. We can't complain about the outcomes on Nominations Day or GRAMMY Sunday if we're not willing to take action. As with anything, if we want something to change, we must be part of that change.

Being a voting member is also a privilege that not everyone has, so it's up to us to be educated members of this community and really listen and do our research and evaluate the quality of the music on the ballot, not just vote for our friends or what we think is most popular. I've discovered so many new artists and music just through participating in the voting process, so it's rewarding, too!.

The Recording Academy has given us a voice to express to the world what remarkable music is to us — the people who live and breathe music. So, use it. Tell other voting members to use it. Together we can push music and the culture forward.  

Learn more about the upcoming 2024 GRAMMY Awards season. Interact with the dynamic GRAMMY Awards Journey online resource to learn about the GRAMMY Awards process in full. View the official Rules and Guidelines for the 2024 GRAMMY Awards. Visit the GRAMMY Award Update Center for a list of real-time changes to the GRAMMY Awards process.

50 Percent Of The Recording Academy's 2023 New Member Class Are People Of Color