Hispanic Heritage Month Interview: Rodrigo Avelar

AT GTREASURY, WE EMBRACE THE RICHNESS THAT DIVERSITY BRINGS TO OUR TEAM AND OUR WORLD. THIS MONTH IS A TIME TO HONOR THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND ARTISTRY THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR SOCIETY IN PROFOUND WAYS. IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEARN, SHARE, AND CELEBRATE THE VOICES THAT HAVE WOVEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR GLOBAL TAPESTRY. TO KICK OFF THIS MONTH, WE ARE HONORED TO SHARE OUR INTERVIEW WITH RODRIGO AVELAR. READ BELOW TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT RODRIGO’S UNIQUE HERITAGE, INSIGHTS, AND LIFE EXPERIENCES.

Employee Name: Rodrigo Avelar

Location: Buffalo Grove, IL Office

Job Title: Solutions Consultant

Q: Can you share a personal experience or story that reflects the significance of your Hispanic heritage in your life or career journey?

A: As a first-generation immigrant and living here in the states, I wasn’t sure where I belonged. All I knew was America, but I had never been to Mexico. Growing up, my parents would tell me stories of their upbringing and life before immigrating – it was foreign on all accounts. Eventually, when I did travel to Mexico, I realized that there were more similarities than what was portrayed. As I grew older, I appreciated the courage it took my parents to leave everything behind and travel to a foreign country with their kids. Nothing was ever guaranteed, but there was a sliver of hope to overcome whatever challenge they faced; This mentality of uncertainty while maintaining cultural roots is significant to me in all my endeavors – the goal is to leave the world in a better place than you found it and improving the foundation that was laid out for you – don’t forget where you came from.

Q: In what ways do you believe your cultural perspective brings unique strengths and insights to the projects or initiatives you’re involved in?

A: I strongly believe being bilingual and multicultural brings its unique strengths and insights to projects. Personally, I approach projects/initiatives at an analytical and technical level. I like to gather as much information as I can and form a “web” of sorts. From there I take time to process the information I think would be beneficial and cut out the rest that I think does not add value, leaving me with a sequential and technical approach. I believe this approach stems from having to translate for my family at a young age. I would be given ‘x’ amount of information, and I would then have to translate that information. At a young age, I learned that if I had to do that for everything, I would be translating all day and not have time for my hobbies. Eventually I just listened to the “scope of work” and then translated the requirements to my parents and learned to be efficient at communicating – any questions I had, I learned to just speak up and ask.

Q: Have you faced any challenges or biases related to your heritage, and how have you navigated or overcome them?

A: Such experiences weren’t uncommon, but I think every background face biasness to a degree – we all have “bad apples” somewhere. I believe my challenges have taught me resilience and patience. When I was about twelve, my father had purchased his first ever “brand new” car. This was a feat for us considering how hard my father worked to provide. He did what most individuals do and took the family out for a test drive. It must’ve been about twenty minutes in the downtown area of our suburban neighborhood when we heard police sirens. My father pulled over and presented all the necessary paperwork. As the officer reviewed everything, my dad asked why he was pulled over. The officer politely and nonchalantly replied ‘Oh we don’t see people like you have nice cars in the area, so we’re just checking in to see that everything’s right.’ After being let go, I recall my father’s disbelief. The achievement being watered down for no other reason than his appearance and biasness. After the encounter I recall my dad trying to not let the experience ruin the day and jokingly ask us how the ideal Hispanic should look like. Lessons such as these come at a cost but teach patience in tedious situations along with resilience – don’t let something define you, always move forward.

Q: Could you share any significant traditions, foods, or customs from your culture that hold special meaning for you?

A: I enjoy just about all festivities in my culture because each festival brings a different dish to celebrate with its own significance. I love the Rosca De Los Reyes tradition – it marks the day when the three wise men following the star of Bethlehem arrived with the gifts for baby Jesus. Although I’m not as religious, I appreciate the significance of the story. I think the adventure and journey of it all resonates with me. The tradition is celebrated with sharing a bread referred to as “La Rosca”. The fun thing about this bread, is that there is a small figurine of baby Jesus (quite the guest appearance). Whomever gets the slice containing the figurine is responsible for making tamales and hosting a party on the Dia de la Candelaria – which is the presentation of Jesus. The suspense of it all really is tough to beat. Aside from that, I’d say the runner up would be Las Posadas which is celebrated from December 16th to the 24th. I’ll let you google that one, but there’s tamales involved in that one as well.

Q: How do you think organizations can better support and celebrate Hispanic employees beyond Hispanic Heritage Month, fostering an inclusive environment year-round?

A: That’s a tough one. I don’t have the answer to this one, but I’ll say this: The U.S. is composed of roughly 19 percent Hispanics – the second largest (I believe) ethnic group, and yet, only eight percent of this population is in a professional labor force. In a country that has such a high population with such little representation, I applaud an organization that has supported and celebrated Hispanic employees beyond Hispanic heritage month by fostering an inclusive environment year-round. I think any organization that offers the opportunity to foster an inclusive environment just strengthens everyone affected – A team is only as strong as its weakest player.

Q: Are there any books, films, or artistic works that you believe provide a deeper understanding of Hispanic heritage and would recommend to others interested in learning more?

A: This might sound silly, but I loved watching The Three Caballeros when I was younger. A journey in which Donald Duck is taken on a trip to learn about different Latin American traditions accompanied by a great soundtrack was enough for me.

As for artistic works: I highly recommend visiting Museo Soumaya, Chapultepec Castle, and the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Mexico City if you’re ever given the opportunity.

Q: As we commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, what message would you like to share with colleagues and peers about the importance of cultural diversity and inclusivity?

A: I believe cultural diversity and inclusivity can be received with mixed reactions, but I think it’s an opportunity to showcase what colleagues have gone through and make them unique. It can also be an opportunity to have difficult or taboo conversations. Having said that, many Hispanic raised households do not have the same financial knowledge let alone education that many of their peers do. Personally speaking, I was the first in my immediate family to graduate college; Before receiving DACA, I worked side jobs to save up for school. There was no access to public funding so the commitment to a higher education had to be certain. While attending college, and working full time, I also had to set funds aside for citizenship – something my parents always strived for me to obtain. Stories such as this are common amongst my background, so I feel fortunate to be able to use this opportunity and discuss the topic.

As I’ve gotten older, I have noticed parents make the effort to learn for themselves and teach their kids to be inclusive and culturally diverse. I think that’s awesome; I applaud those of you reading for doing so. I believe that as time goes by, cultural diversity and inclusion is just another part of life. With an open mind and a positive outlook, I think a lot of things that life has to offer will come naturally – as diverse as we are, we’re really walking the same path at the end of the day – just be cool to each other.