Hispanic Heritage Month takes place annually from September 15th – October 15th. This is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the heritage, history, traditions, and cultural diversity within the Hispanic and Latinx communities. This year’s theme, Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together, highlights the “spirit of innovation, resilience, and unity that define the Hispanic experience.”
Virtual Empower Hour
In September, we began the celebration with an Empower Hour hosted by our Diversity Council, VIIBE (Voices Inspiring Inclusion, Belonging, & Equity). This virtual event featured panelists from each of our divisions, including our Arroyo Consulting family. Each team member shared personal stories to inspire conversations on how we can support and honor the Hispanic and Latinx communities. The panelists had roots in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Representation matters, and we're proud of these #bold team members who volunteered to share their stories.
Our key takeaways include the phrase, "Sí se puede!" which represents the belief that anything is possible! David Israel Valdez Rodriguez, Consultant with Arroyo, shared “¡Vamos con todo!,” a Dominican empowerment phrase meaning, “Let’s go! Yes, you can!”
Office Fiesta
The celebration continued at our Dallas Property Management hub, where team members hosted a lunch to share their favorite foods representing their cultural identities and heritages.
Tylr Coffelt, Training Specialist, shared, “Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with my co-workers was a heartwarming experience as we came together to have a cookout! More than just a meal — it was a celebración of our roots.”
Our Cultures and Identities
We also invited our team members to share their heritage and how it has influenced their identities. Please read below to learn more about how their Hispanic and Latinx heritage has shaped their cultural identities.
Mexican culture shaped me to be a good person. Growing up Catholic, my parents taught us the value of working hard with integrity. I'm proud to be bilingual! I thank my mom for having the courage to keep my older brother and me in English-speaking classes to ensure we were bilingual and could speak the language in the U.S., where my parents migrated.
Be PROUD of being different! This culture I represent is rich - from the food to the music, to the values of what it means to be Familia!
Saray Cecilia Guadarrama Garcia de Carmond, Training Facilitator - BGSF
I grew up eating Spanish and Mexican food and my great-grandmother taught me how to cook. I am proud of my heritage because I was surrounded by my family growing up in New Mexico where Latino culture is baked into New Mexican culture.
Tylr Coffelt, Training Specialist - BGSF
The shared values, identity, culture, and traditions make all Hispanic and Latinx communities feel like family.
Julio Cesar Robles Uribe, Architect- Arroyo
I’m proud to be Latino, and proud to be a citizen of the world. My family is from Argentina and being Latin has helped me open my mind to different aspects of the Hispanic culture.
Sebastian Ernesto Yuuji Morita, Engineering Consultant - Arroyo
What We Value
We are grateful for the opportunity to connect, share stories, and embrace our different cultures in the workplace. We find strength in our diversity and by practicing inclusivity, our teams and the communities we serve become stronger and more empowered!
We hope you take the time to recognize the rich contributions, histories, and cultures of the Hispanic and Latinx communities who have helped shape our nation’s landscape and paved the way for a better tomorrow! Click HERE to read our blog from 2023. Sí se puede!
Comments