Below is an article originally written by Marifer Rodriguez. Go to Pitney Bowes's company page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.
Marifer Rodriguez, Senior Manager, External Communications, shares her story of coming to the U.S. from South America as a teenager. She also shares some of the many ways our company is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month this year.
Hispanic Heritage Month spans mid-September through mid-October. I feel fortunate that I can celebrate the festivities in both my personal and professional life. Today, Hispanic and Latino employees represent more than 20% of the Pitney Bowes workforce – and that number continues to grow. Throughout its history, Pitney Bowes has valued diversity and has been committed to leveraging our differences to reach common goals.
My personal story begins in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where I was born and raised. When I was 16, my mother moved me and my younger brother to the United States in search of the famous “American dream.” According to my mother, we moved so that we, her children, could have a better future. My story is not unique. There are millions of stories like mine among the Hispanic population.
I have lived in the U.S. for more than half of my life, and I consider it my home. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college, I work for a great company doing a job I love, I have a wonderful son and husband, and seven years ago we bought our first American home.
My husband is from Mexico, but also went to school in the U.S., so our home is a mixture of American, Ecuadorian and Mexican traditions intertwined in the most beautiful way possible. So one day you may find us playing Loteria, which is the Mexican version of the popular board game Bingo, another night you may find us watching The Avengers (our son’s latest obsession), reading children’s books in English or Spanish depending on my son’s mood that day, or eating patacones, a popular Ecuadorian dish for breakfast. This is not only my family’s reality, but the reality of millions of families out there. It is a beautiful thing that my family celebrates every day.
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Hispanic Heritage Month at Pitney BowesAt Pitney Bowes, Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to take some time to learn about some of the different aspects of Hispanic/Latino/Latinx culture and celebrate our employees’ stories and contributions. This includes:
- Highlighting employees’ career paths that inspire others
- Sharing music playlists and book recommendations that are food for the mind and soul
- Making available recipes for (real) mouth-watering food
- A company-wide “Todos Unidos” campaign – which translates in English to “Everyone United”
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Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation
The theme of this year's Hispanic Heritage Month is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.” At Pitney Bowes, we’re kicking off a campaign called “Todos Unidos” or “All United” through which employees share thoughts on how to promote unity in our communities. Here are some responses to the question, “In the spirit of “Todos Unidos,” how can we promote unity in our society?”
| Alfredo Espino, Marketing Specialist, Pitney Bowes Australia "Learning about the history, music, food, sports and art from other cultures helps us realize how similar we all are. It makes us appreciate diversity and embrace our Hispanic heritage." |
| Ana Chadwick, Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer "The time is now for listening and working to better appreciate our differences. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure diverse voices and perspectives are welcomed and respected. Listening to one another without bias is the first step. Sometimes this is hard, but it is up to all of us to make a conscious effort." |
| Cynthia Toscano-Lopez, Director, Robotics, Automation and Procurement Processes “One way to promote unity in our community is to show others that they are ‘seen’ and respected. There’s no better way to make others feel part of something when they are valued and appreciated for who they are." |
| Jose Rodriguez, Senior Director, Marketing Technology and Digital Analytics "We can promote unity in our communities by always being respectful, empathetic, inclusive and welcoming in every conversation we have." |
| Juan Sanchez, VP Central/Western Division Sending Technology Solutions, Pitney Bowes Global Service
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| Marifer Rodriguez, Senior Manager, External Communications "By getting to know people as individuals and being intentional about including and accepting others. Imagine the impact you can have by being welcoming and accepting." |
Learn about employment opportunities at our inclusive organization at careers.pitneybowes.com.
