How Our Hispanic Employees Celebrate Their Roots

Location: Houston

What is your heritage?

I was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. Like many of the Latin-American people, I have strong family heritage from Spain, Portugal and Italy, but also from the Indigenous Latin American communities.  I came to this country as an exchange student and graduated high school in Overland Park, Kansas. After returning to my home country, I knew it would not be long before I returned to the US, motivated by the fascination to pursue a strong career path. After 26 years, I now call the US my home.

How do you celebrate your heritage?

I made sure that Spanish was spoken at home and that my children embraced our Hispanic heritage by familiarizing them with traditions, music and food. Family plays a huge factor and often we celebrate by getting together, adopting new holidays and adding local Hispanic flavor.

Professionally, I believe in promoting and retaining talented people regardless of their cultural background. I volunteer with Hispanic organizations and have an important network of Hispanic connections as a strong force to lift others.

Carlos Pazos, Senior Manager, Digital Marketing

Location: Atlanta

What is your heritage?

Latin-American, born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico.

How do you celebrate your heritage?

Every day by talking about and sharing my culture with my professional and personal circles as well as learning and celebrating the culture of other people. My wife is American so naturally at home we constantly share and mix cultures.

Marysol Palos, Global Enterprise Risk Management and Data Analytics Transformation Leader

Location: Charlotte

What is your heritage?

Mexican

How does your heritage help at work?

While I was born and raised in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, I grew up spending every vacation at my mom’s hometown, a small town called Axtla de Terrazas, SLP, with a population of 37,645. Tropical weather, full of traditions, values, loyal and hardworking people, I grew up with the example to help my community, learn from others, importance of loyalty and keep a positive mind. I apply those lessons every day with my team, my peers and myself, always trying to learn from them, recognizing everyone’s effort, achievements and support each other to keep evolving. 

How do you celebrate your heritage?

Sharing with my colleagues and friends my family traditions, food, and music. I always bring candies from my region to share with friends, so they can have some small taste from Mexico.

Mariana Vargas, Data and Analytics Director 

Location: Phoenix

What is your heritage?

I am from Mexico City.

How do you celebrate your heritage?

The best way to celebrate my heritage is by sharing my traditions with my team, especially the ones that we follow in my family, including:

• Dia de Muertos, tradition says Dia de Muertos is when our deceased relatives and friends come to the physical world, guide by the bright orange flower.
• Independence day, the night of September 15 Mexicans gather in plazas or zocalos and the president recreates the famous “Grito de Independencia”, ringing the bells and waving our flag while the attendees in the plaza or from our homes shout at the same time “Viva Mexico”.

Diana C. Rodriguez, Sr Engineering Manager

Location: Puerto Rico

What is your heritage?

I am Puerto Rican. We are mostly a mix of Spanish, African and Taino descendants. My heritage includes values and traditions that emphasize to work hard, always do your best, have empathy and spend quality time with the family.

How does your heritage help at work?

My parents and grandparents’ behaviors toward work influenced me to become the leader that I am today. I learned from them the importance of working hard with a strong work ethic, to maintain passion for my work, achieve goals, keep learning every day, have a vision and try new approaches. I encourage others to work hard until they achieve their goals and become their best.

How do you celebrate your heritage?

Getting together with my family to share our culture, traditions and life experiences while cooking traditional dishes. During Christmas Eve we have a special dinner that is a tradition that has been passed down through generations.

Julio Ferreira, Commercial Excellence Director

Location: Charlotte

What is your heritage?

Being a Brazilian, we are coming from the Indigenous, Portuguese and Africans. The Portuguese has vast influence in the culture, as an example you can see my last name which means a person that works with iron, or something that comes from the iron ore mining, which by the way Brazil is one of the larger exporters in the world.

How does your heritage help at work?

Our heritage is composed on a vast mix of race, making Brazilians such as I very flexible and really resulted oriented. This helps me to engage with multiple functions, languages and adapt the process when is necessary.

How do you celebrate your heritage?

Back in Brazil, we use the days to educate our kids to visit exhibits or museums displaying the history of our country.

José Ramón González-Magaz, General Counsel

Location: Mason, Ohio

What is your heritage?

Born and raised in Puerto Rico

How do you celebrate your heritage?

I enjoy my Heritage. At home and at work, I’m proud that my identify as a Puerto Rican guides my views, conduct and priorities. I have a different background and perspective from most of my colleagues, which allows for better problem solving and creativity, as we learn from each other.