From family recipes to professional values, Veronica Gallardo and Sandra Alcala explain how their Hispanic roots shape their outlook.
Hispanic Heritage Month is an important time to celebrate the diverse perspectives that strengthen our work every day. It is also a chance to listen, learn and celebrate the stories of colleagues whose experiences enrich our community and help foster a stronger, more inclusive workplace.
This year, we are proud to highlight the voices of two of our colleagues, Veronica Gallardo, senior media specialist on the Media Network team, and Sandra Alcala, senior vice president on the Government Relations team. In this Q&A, the two share how they celebrate their heritage, what this month means to them and how their backgrounds shape both their personal and professional lives.
Veronica Gallardo
Q: What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you, and what would you like people to know or celebrate about the Hispanic community during this month?
A: To me, Hispanic Heritage Month is a way to showcase who we are and what we contribute, highlighting the positive impact we bring to this great nation. It’s a time to celebrate our community and recognize our artists, professionals and workforce who help drive this country forward, as well as the many contributions of Hispanics to the U.S. economy. Being Hispanic means being part of a culture of heritages united by language and values. There’s a lot of diversity within the Hispanic community, but one trait we all share is a desire to welcome and accommodate others. In my experience, whether visiting Hispanic countries or connecting with Hispanic friends here in the U.S., you’ll feel that same warmth and hospitality. Hispanic culture brings so much to the U.S., and it’s wonderful to have a month dedicated to celebrating it.
Q: Are there any traditional holidays, foods or music from your heritage that you particularly enjoy and would recommend others try?
A: My favorite time of year is Christmas, both through American traditions and my Venezuelan heritage. One of the Venezuelan traditions I love most is making hallacas with my family. They’re like tamales but are only made during Christmas and symbolize family togetherness and celebration. Preparing them is an all-weekend event, where families gather to cook, share stories and enjoy Spanish Christmas carols and gaitas — a festive style of music we only hear during the holiday season. I also highly recommend trying the traditional Venezuelan Christmas meal, which includes hallacas, roast pork shoulder (pernil) and pan de jamón — a slightly sweet bread rolled with ham, raisins and olives. It’s a truly delicious combination of flavors. With the Venezuelan diaspora in the U.S., you can now find hallacas during the holiday season at many Venezuelan restaurants across different cities. And beyond the food, you’ll be welcomed by the warmth of Latino hospitality, which makes you feel right at home … and if you have a Venezuelan friend, ask them to invite you to make hallacas — you’ll have a wonderful time!
Q: How do you approach balancing your identity as a Hispanic within American culture, personally and professionally?
A: My philosophy is to take the best from each culture. In both my personal and professional life, I’m always open to learning and adapting to American culture, while staying true to my essence and values — which I’m very proud of as a Latina. I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not; instead, I focus on finding common ground between the culture I live in and my heritage. That balance allows me to embrace opportunities, connect with others and honor where I come from. As we say in Spanish, “En la variedad está el gusto” — variety is the spice of life.
Sandra Alcala
Q: What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you, and what would you like people to know or celebrate about the Hispanic community during this month?
A: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month gives those within and outside the Latino community time to reflect on the contributions of Latinos in the U.S. But I also hope that it brings into focus the many similarities we share — prioritizing family, friends, work ethic and ensuring that those who work hard have the opportunity to be successful.
I grew up in a majority-minority city in Texas, where most of the population was Mexican American. I’ve now spent most of my life living outside of Texas and in cities where I’ve been able to experience the true diversity of the Latino community as well as other cultures. I appreciate that I had these experiences growing up, and I hope opportunities like Hispanic Heritage Month give others the same occasion to reflect on and experience the rich diversity of the Latino community and our unique and rich culture — whether that be through appreciating the food, art, music, history and broader contributions of Latinos in the United States.
Q: Are there any traditional holidays, foods or music from your heritage that you particularly enjoy and would recommend others try?
A: Most of my family is still in Texas so I’ve always gone back home to celebrate Christmas with them in San Antonio. Growing up, my grandmother would host my aunts, cousins and uncles the night before Christmas, or Nochebuena, where we would all celebrate as a family together. Of course, we would gather around food, where we would eat tamales made of pork, chicken or beef, with rice, beans and flour tortillas.
Later that evening, my family would then drive to downtown San Antonio and walk along the San Antonio River Walk. In San Antonio, trees along the river are decorated with colorful Christmas lights for the holidays, so I always enjoyed walking along the river admiring the lights and spending time catching up with family.
Q: How do you approach balancing your identity as a Hispanic within American culture, personally and professionally?
A: My grandparents immigrated from Mexico to the U.S. to work as migrant farmworkers, so I’ve always felt my life experience is both Mexican and American — I feel like I embrace both cultures nearly equally. (Though I recognize and appreciate that more recent immigrants to the U.S. or those that are 5th or 6th generation may feel differently.) For my professional and personal growth, the key attributes I’ve carried with me are a hard work ethic, and valuing and building friendships and professional relationships, which I think transcend any one cultural approach or perspective.
