Written by HRCap, Inc.
October 15, 2022
Origins of National Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM) started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the duration of the observation to a 30-day period from September 15 to October 15. The national observation starts on September 15, because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries. Additionally, Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence days on September 16 and 18.
Over the past month, HRCap has highlighted Hispanic figures of diverse backgrounds to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic people. We hope that these Hispanic figures will encourage and inspire all to be leaders in their respective fields and businesses.
Celebrating Hispanic Leaders
1. Cesar Chavez
Cesar Chavez was an American labor leader and civil rights activist that cofounded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers (UFW) labor union. Through strikes, boycotts, and hunger strikes, Chavez led the union’s efforts to fight for favorable contracts for farm workers. For his contributions, President Bill Clinton awarded him a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom.
2. Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the High Court. She is also known as "the judge who saved baseball" for ending a Major League Baseball strike and ruling in the players' favor.
3. Marcelo Claure
Marcelo Claure, a Bolivian technology entrepreneur, was the CEO of Brightstar, Sprint, and SoftBank Group International. He has been widely acclaimed as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and CEO Council Member of the Wall Street Journal.
4. Tony Jimenez
Tony Jimenez has served in the Army for 24 years and founded MicroTech, one of the 30 Most Valuable Companies to Watch in 2019 by CIO Bulletin.
5. Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez is a Hispanic actress, singer, producer, and fashion designer, who won over 227 awards. One of her most notable awards is the 2019 Fashion Icon of the Year award.
Celebrating Hispanic Awareness at HRCap
We would also like to recognize our wonderful Hispanic leaders at HRCap, who have been shaping the Global Search Practice Team. Both Recruiting Managers have made great contributions to the team and company, by strengthening the quality of our recruiting, prospecting new clientele, and diversifying our internal corporate culture.
We asked them what being Hispanic means to them and what they enjoy about being a recruiter.
"Being Hispanic for me means being happy. We are friendly and very hardworking people. We fight for our families and we try every day to get better and be better for the future. We develop ourselves and we help others. This is why I am proud of being Hispanic.
I enjoy being a recruiter because I like interacting with people, meeting new professionals, learning new things every day, helping people find their dream jobs, and supporting organizations to reach their goals."
"Being Hispanic is more than culture; it's my identity, it’s who I am. Family, history, and tradition. Core values and hard work. That’s why I am proud of being Hispanic.
The best part of recruiting is serving. Our service has two sides to the coin. We serve our clients and we serve our candidates. Wearing both of those hats before makes me empathetic to better liaise and mediate for both sides of the party. I will admit though, it is more fulfilling to help a candidate get their dream job!"
We are humbled to have both leaders representing, and look forward to promoting greater cultural diversity and inclusion in our workplace!
Source: HRCap, Library of Congress
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