Hispanic Heritage Month: Continuing the Celebration of Heritage at HPE
Welcome to the second blog dedicated to celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. In our previous installment, we explored the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month, highlighting the diverse tapestry of cultures within our workplace. As a corporation that values the multifaceted identities of our employees, we continue this journey of appreciation beyond Hispanic Heritage Month by spotlighting the rich heritages that make up our collective story.
We aim to showcase our employees' beautiful and multifaceted stories, each contributing to the cultural mosaic that defines us. This is more than just a celebration, it's a testament to the importance of recognizing and honoring the various heritages that enrich our company's culture.
In this blog, we'll delve deeper into these stories sharing heartfelt testimonials from our employees representing many cultural backgrounds. Join us in this ongoing journey of discovery where we celebrate the various heritages that make us who we are and unite us in our commitment to inclusivity, respect, and understanding. Together we continue to explore the shared human experience through the lens of heritage, amplifying diverse voices and the vibrant community that is HPE.
Currently resides in Houston, US. From Guadalajara, Mexico.
Hispanic Heritage Month provides an opportunity for all of us Hispanic and Latin not only to unite as one community to celebrate our contributions to HPE and our society, but also to provide visibility to our cultures, experiences, and diversity.
I started my career in Guadalajara, Mexico, where I studied Industrial Engineering and an MBA with an HR major. HPE offered me the opportunity to work in an amazing environment, with very talented people, and eventually the chance to bring Mexican representation to the USA with our amazing HR leaders, where I have been able to advocate for the growth and talent development of our community.
My cultural heritage, as well as my values and beliefs, have often allowed me to speak up and support inclusion and diversity throughout my career. Throughout the years, I have experienced race/ethnical bias, as most of us, either at work or in life, but being empathetic and understanding that it may come from unconscious constructions, it has become a goal to help deconstruct these, by leading with example and showing the value we can add.
Currently resides in Texas, US. From Puerto Rico.
Hispanic Heritage Month is a moment to reflect on who we are and where we came from. It is our diverse backgrounds and cultures that allow us to connect within our communities and teams across the globe. I am very proud of my heritage and this month I would like to celebrate the opportunities I have been given by all the leaders and partners who trust in me.
I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Human Resources from the University of Puerto Rico. I'm married and have two beautiful daughters.
I started my HR career in Puerto Rico as a sales rep for a staffing company where I went on to be promoted to Account Manager and relocated to Canandaigua, NY. After five years I switched sectors into a company that was later part of a merger into HPE.
After the merger, I was promoted to staffing trainer for the Americas. During a special project, I became interested in the employment screening process and decided to start learning more on my own. This reminds me that my mom always told me that “knowledge is power” and of course, as always, she was right.
Fast forward, I have been leading the HPE Global Employment Screening team for the last two years. Last year my role was expanded, and I was appointed Talent Acquisition Lead for Mergers and Acquisitions.
I manage a diverse team across India, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. I believe the strength of the team arises from its cultural diversity. Not just from its Latino members, but from the variety of cultural backgrounds represented in my team. The breadth of ideas and perspectives strengthens our team and amplifies the impact that we have across our organization. I am very proud of my team and what they have accomplished.
When I first moved to the mainland, I was surprised by how many people asked me if it was hard for me to obtain a work permit. As a Puerto Rican, I'm a U.S. citizen. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and therefore we can move to the mainland just like any other U.S. citizens move across states. From that moment I realized that one of my goals would be to expose my peers to our roots, our culture, and the value that we bring to our communities. Through our very differences, we have the power to contribute to our community and our professional organizations in unexpected ways.
Currently resides in Oaks, US. Cuban & Costa Rican heritage.
I believe Hispanic Heritage Month is important as it gives us an opportunity to share our culture and our traditions. It allows us to share not only what makes us different but also how many things we have in common. So many times, we concentrate on our differences and not on our commonalities.
I was born and raised in Miami to a Cuban mother and a Costa Rican father. I started my career in HP Costa Rica seventeen years ago as a call center agent supporting the US and Canada. Soon after I moved to a people leader role and began to also support Latin America and the Caribbean. It was so interesting to be able to talk with people from different countries. Five years ago, I moved back to the States and took on a global supply chain role based out of Houston. It was amazing, Houston is a true melting pot of many different cultures. I always try and make the time to get to know people, even if it’s just a couple of minutes before we start a meeting.
The funny thing is that living in Houston now people automatically assume I am Mexican but once they hear me speak Spanish the very next question is, “What country are you from?” Then I throw them a curve ball and say the US. They then look even more confused, and so I explain I was born in Miami but lived the last twenty years in Costa Rica. Then they understand and begin to ask me a bunch of questions about Costa Rica and if it is as beautiful as people say and I proudly answer “Yes it is!” I believe that growing up with so many different cultures, US, Cuban, and Costa Rican has been an advantage, I try and use that knowledge to connect with people which in the end makes working with them better.
If you’d like to be a part of advancing the way people live and work in a diverse, rewarding environment explore HPE Careers today.
BELovattUK
Recruitment marketing and content specialist. Seeking stories from the people within HPE to amplify and share with the world. Huge believer that authenticity of brand and voice will attract the worlds top talent.