To mark Hispanic Heritage Month, four Battenhall colleagues share their culture, experiences and advice for fellow Hispanic people in communications roles.
The month from September 15 to October 15 marks Hispanic Heritage Month, which honours the cultures and contributions of people in the Hispanic and Latino communities. The month also coincides with many independence days across Latin America.
As this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, we spoke to four of our Battenhallers about their cultures, experiences, and advice for fellow Hispanic people navigating the communications field.
Pili Troconis, Account Director
- Location: Mooresville, NC
- Background: Mexican
- Favourite food: Pasta soup and meatballs
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
This month is a great opportunity to share the culture of my country with everyone around me.
What were your favourite moments of being Hispanic growing up?
Listening to my National Anthem or having the Mexican flag while representing my country during high level events, like winning an award.
What is the importance and significance of having Hispanic people in the communications field, especially in your job role?
Having team members with different cultural backgrounds makes the workplace special. I love learning from colleagues about their culture, food, history, and language.
I’ve been bilingual since I was young, and it’s opened so many doors for me. I have insight into how clients and brands from Latin America like to be treated, which gives me a secret weapon to get into their hearts.
What advice do you have for other Hispanic people who want to start their journey or are coming up in the communications field?
Believe in yourself. Never let anyone make you feel less or different because you speak English with an accent, or because your skin is not 100% white. We should all be treated the same!
Delia Howe, Consultant
- Location: London, UK
- Background: Honduran and British (mixed)
- Favourite food: Honduran Tamales, Mexican tacos al pastor, and Venezuelan arepas de carne mechada (I can't decide which)
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
Having spent the majority of my early life in the US and Latin America, Hispanic Heritage Month is a joyous celebration of Latinos and Hispanics – a time to honour the culture and history that unites us, as well as the remarkable achievements and contributions we've made to society at large.
What were your favourite moments of being Hispanic growing up?
Learning the Spanish language in all its intricacies opened the doors to my profound appreciation of literature. Equally cherished are the moments spent indulging in diverse flavours of South and Central American cuisines from my homeland, Honduras, to the places I called home during my childhood, like Venezuela, Mexico, and Uruguay.
Growing up in a multicultural family further enriched my journey, with cousins hailing from the US, Peru, and Brazil – exposing me to a wide spectrum of Latin American cultures.
However, my most cherished moments revolve around having fun by learning to dance Punta, a traditional dance belonging to the Garifuna community in Central America and popular in Honduras; as well as cooking tamales with my mum, taking part in the vibrant Carnaval celebrations in Venezuela near the Brazilian border, and mastering the rhythms of samba and calypso.
What is the importance and significance to having Hispanic people in the communications field, especially in your job role?
The importance and significance of having Hispanic people in the communications field can't be overstated. A diverse workforce in any business or organisation offers invaluable benefits by providing a multitude of perspectives and nuances that may not be inherent to one's own upbringing. Latin America is also a market with significant regional variations, so having individuals from various locations can offer valuable insights into user behaviours, plus how words are used and their diverse meanings.
What advice do you have for other Hispanic people who want to start their journey or are coming up in the communications field?
Always show up as your authentic self, and never hesitate to share and celebrate your cultural heritage. Connect with fellow Hispanics and uplift one another. Treasure these connections, for we are bound by a shared tapestry of culture and unity.
Ashley Oakes, Account Executive
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Background: Mexican and Spanish
- Favourite food: Tortas, tacos al pastor and Spanish rice
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
It's a time to celebrate and appreciate my culture. Spending time with family and eating is really what I look forward to.
What were your favourite moments of being Hispanic growing up?
When I was younger, I danced Flamenco for 9 years, and every summer we’d perform during an event called Old Spanish Days Fiesta that runs for a week in Santa Barbara, CA. The whole city turns into una fiesta with local vendors selling hispanic dishes to local musicians, who perform to confetti covering the streets from the cascarones (egg shells filled with confetti).
What is the importance and significance to having Hispanic people in the communications field, especially in your job role?
Hispanic people are quite literally everywhere, but their experiences are all unique and different, which is why it’s important to have them in the communications field.
What advice do you have for other Hispanic people who want to start their journey or are coming up in the communications field?
Not being fluent in your culture's language shouldn’t be considered a disadvantage. I’m not fluent in Spanish, but I’ve never let it make me feel less Hispanic.
Erin Leahy, Junior Account Executive
- Location: London, UK
- Background: Colombian
- Favourite food: Empanadas
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
A time to celebrate and embrace culture, and to be proud of the contributions of Hispanics to the world.
What were your favourite moments of being Hispanic growing up?
Any party that involved a mariachi band, great food and company, and salsa dancing. Holidays to Spain to see my family who have migrated there is definitely a core memory, too.
What is the importance and significance to having Hispanic people in the communications field, especially in your job role?
Representation is key! Having Latinos among other minority groups in any industry is crucial to pave the way for others that come after them.
What advice do you have for other Hispanic people who want to start their journey or are coming up in the communications field?
In communications, a diverse workforce means regions and demographics can be more accurately reached and represented with a real life understanding of the people as well as their culture. Whether you’re fully Hispanic or mixed-race, fluent or not fluent, your voice and perspectives matter - and your heritage is always something to be proud of.
We are actively recruiting for a number of account roles and specialist positions globally. Find out more here.