Hispanic | Latino associates share culture, stories and traditions with others at Beacon

Paul Beltran and Olga Carrillo

For Hispanic | Latino Heritage Month, we asked members of Juntos Adelante (Forward Together) about their participation in the Beacon Associate Resource Group, a Beacon Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiative.

Olga Carrillo
Supervisor, Central Pre-Registration

Why prompted you to join Juntos Adelante?

“I joined Juntos Adelante because I wanted to network with fellow Beacon associates and what better way than to join an Associate Resource Group. I specifically chose Juntos Adelante because of the opportunity it allowed me to network with fellow associates that can relate to what it’s like being Hispanic/Latino in a predominately non-Hispanic workplace.”

What does celebrating Hispanic | Latino heritage month mean to you?

“As the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, celebrating Hispanic | Latino culture is very important to me. Not only as a way to keep my family’s traditions alive, but as a way to teach others about all the great things our culture has to offer. It’s important that Beacon highlights it so other Hispanic | Latino associates know they’re not alone. And that we’re here to support them.”

Paul Beltran
Project specialist, Elkhart General Hospital

Have you ever been part of something like Juntos Adelante before?

“Beacon is the first organization that I have been part of that offered an Associate Resource Group, which drew my interest right away. In my outreach and community work, I have been an advocate for furthering education and opportunities for fellow Hispanic | Latino individuals. This group is a resource that can do just that and the involvement from the Beacon Executive Leadership and commitment to the group is admired. The genuine care and interest in supporting the associates has been a major reason why I’m part of Juntos Adelante. It is truly a great resource on a professional and personal level.”

What does celebrating Hispanic | Latino heritage month mean to me?

“Being of the community, it gives me great pride to be able to share my culture and traditions with others. There is such diversity in the Hispanic | Latino community that it is very interesting and rich exploring various backgrounds. The food is my favorite part of the month, enjoying and trying out food from various countries and cultures, fills me with joy and satisfaction. I am very grateful that Beacon is celebrating this month for our community, as we often feel not seen or heard, yet I feel welcomed and celebrated here.”