Latinos at Amazon, an employee affinity group, organized more than 25 events across the U.S. to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which ran from September 15 to October 15.
Leaning into the theme of Cultúra: You make lo nuestro better, the events recognized and celebrated all of our Hispanic employees, customers, and communities. Cultúra is meant to recognize and celebrate the individual (tú) that helps move the culture forward, because without tú there is no cultúra.
Signature programming included a fireside chat between Dr. José Hernández, an engineer and former NASA astronaut, and Diane Gonzalez, Amazon’s VP of technology, Finance Automation. During the conversation, Dr. Hernández shared his incredible journey to accomplishing his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, how his family was crucial to his success, and his goal of inspiring Hispanic youth to fulfill groundbreaking careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Amazon also welcomed Gaby Melian, a world-renowned chef and cookbook author, for a Fishbowl conversation about the impact and intricacies of Latin American food and cooking. Speaking with Antonio Hernández Crane, Amazon’s head of DEI, Global Engineering and Security Services, Melian also discussed the release of her new cookbook Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen, which pays homage tothe diversity of the Latin American community and their culinary traditions and flavors.
As part of their 10th anniversary celebrations, the Latinos at Amazon board participated in a panel discussion with Candi Castleberry, Amazon’s global vice president of DEI, where they highlighted how Hispanic employees can enhance their career trajectories and serve in the next cohort of leaders within the organization, industry, and beyond.
To spotlight the many Hispanic employees who are building an Amazon that is more inclusive than the outside world, Latinos at Amazon also called on members of our workforce to share photos and videos showcasing how they honor and celebrate their Cultúra. These submissions were featured throughout the month across internal channels and highlighted the unique experiences, contributions, and celebrations of Hispanic employees at Amazon.
Nearly 6,500 employees participated in Amazon’s signature events throughout the course of Hispanic Heritage Month. Looking ahead, Latinos at Amazon will continue to partner with teams across the organization to uplift and celebrate our Hispanic employees, customers, and communities globally year-round.
