Step up and sponsor: Let’s use our privileges in service of our community

Each year, from September 15 through October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, a time during which we recognize the achievements and contributions of the Hispanic and Latinx community in the U.S. Like many others, I look forward to this time of year, and I always ask myself, can we do more to empower the 62.3 million Hispanics that are key contributors to the economy and labor force of this country?[1] Is it enough to just recognize their achievements, when we know there is so much more we can offer and become as a community? I believe it’s time to come together stronger and be agents of change. The representation of this diverse, transformational, and dynamic community is vital, and the future is determined by those who make their voices heard, bring people along the change that is needed, and take action to create it.

Hispanic and Latinx people are and will remain the largest population growth contributors in the U.S. for the next 40 years, comprising 53% of the growth in the next five years and 68% of the growth up to the year 2060.[1] It’s also important to consider, that our community has long been one of the nation’s youngest, with the most common age of Hispanics in the U.S. being 11 in 2019, compared to 27 for the Black and African American community, 29 for Asians, and 58 for whites. We represent 12% percent of the annual U.S. GDP, $2.6 trillion of annual consumer purchasing power and are the faster growing entrepreneurs in small businesses. Yet, we are underrepresented in politics, in boardrooms, in C-Suites, in the entertainment industry, in STEM, among other key sectors.[2]

This lack of representation matters today, and it becomes more critical as we look at the future. To achieve collective success, our youth need to feel empowered, have their voices heard, be an integral part of society, this nation’s economic growth, and innovation. It’s amazing to see the impact and potential the Hispanic and Latinx community is having and will continue to have in their contributions to this country. Our potential is so inspiring, and it grows every day. But not everyone has a seat at the table.

As a proud Hispanic holding a leadership position at Microsoft and in the tech industry, I have been on a quest to enable the Hispanic and Latinx community, with special emphasis in sponsoring and mentoring. This act of giving back, to help recognize and lift others has been extremely rewarding and I have seen the impact this has had even in my own career. Engaging in?mentoring and sponsoring is not something I was taught to do,?nor trained?to do, but I have learned, embraced and I have become a believer in its transformational power. I am grateful for what I have received and achieved, and look for opportunities to pay it forward, using my privileges in service of others so they can grow and pursue their own path.

Leading positive change is the reason I stay so connected in my role as Executive Sponsor of HOLA, our Hispanic and Latinx Employee Resource Group at Microsoft and I continue to be involved with organizations such as HITEC (Hispanic IT Executive Council) where I serve on the board of directors, the Hispanic Star , and We Are All Human Foundation , among others. I want to contribute in every possible way, from thought leadership work (like the recent Hispanic Leadership Forum 2020 where we identified the key strategies for empowerment and upward mobility), to concrete actions and initiatives. It’s about partnering with other leaders to create more opportunity and progress for our community.

In the spirit of broad partnerships that generate positive change, in this Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to extend an invitation to all Hispanic and Latinx leaders and allies, from the boardroom to the classroom, to join me in the “Hispanic Latinx Sponsorship Challenge” #HispanicLatinxSponsorshipChallenge… The challenge is simple yet powerful:

“As a Leader, commit to sponsor at least two people, and ask in return for each of them to pay it forward and sponsor at least two more”

Why am I doing this, you might ask? Because I believe that if leaders and aspiring allies become intentional and active in creating more opportunities for members of our community, we will be able to self-propel our progress and representation. If you are reading this post, most likely you have privileges that you can leverage to uplift other members of our community, and by doing so, inspire them to do the same. I have always believed that our Hispanic and Latinx community does not want anything to be given for free… we just need a leveled playing field where opportunities are equally accessible.

You may ask yourself, what does it mean to be a sponsor and what are the different ways I can show up for the community? As someone who has been privileged by the sponsorship of leaders I admire, and in return, used my privileges to sponsor future leaders, I can tell you sponsorship has fueled my?fire to?move forward.?Knowing that?people took a chance with?me, and trusted my potential, I have witnessed the impact sponsoring has.

A powerful and simple way to describe a sponsor is “a person in a position of power or influence that will use it for you”.?I learned that and a lot more while contributing to the work of Maria Angela Capello author and renowned leader in the energy sector, as she launched her book titled “Mentorship and Sponsoring”. This topic is so rich and deep, that it’s a lifelong journey. If you want to read more on this topic or to ignite your own journey, I invite you to check out this article .

This is a month of reflection and celebration, but it is also a time for us to come together and accelerate change. This year, I have a call to action for anyone reading this to join the Hispanic Latinx Sponsorship Challenge. If we all engage, just imagine the impact we can have! I encourage you to think of this as a challenge that will live on beyond Hispanic Heritage Month. The reward of seeing someone succeed and realize their potential is such an incredibly rewarding experience as it creates a long-lasting legacy.

While I prepare a follow-up post with more details about the challenge, I would like to thank the leaders that have already joined the challenge and are making a difference by being sponsors! Guillermo Diaz Jr. , Omar Duque , Miriam Hernandez-Kakol , Lucia Soares , Jonathan Echeverria , Yamila Harris , Jesus Mantas , Juan Carlos Gutierrez , Claudia Romo Edelman , Maria Angela Capello , Nicole Dezen . #HispanicLatinXSponsorhipChallenge

[1] Nielsen 2020

[2] LA Times, 2015; Fast Company, 2020; Brookings Institute, 2018, New York Times 2019

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