Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Chamber is proud to shine a light on Hispanic leaders and their vital contributions to the strength, vitality, and growth of our region.

What does diversity mean to you and why should it be celebrated?

Miguel F. Alban, Senior Vice President, Director of Multicultural Banking, Customers Bank

“Diversity expresses our peculiarities, similarities and differences. Equity is about leveling the playing field. By offering different levels of support based on each of our needs, we can achieve greater equity and equal access to opportunities. It is about adopting our peculiarities, similarities and differences to build a culture of acceptance, tolerance, equality and respect where all persons feel a sense of belonging. Diversity, equity and inclusion are important because they bring people, perspectives and ideas together, and allow for stronger bonds as individuals and build a stronger company.”

Carlos Ramos, Vice President, Corporate Accounting, Aramark and Chair, Aramark Impacto

“Diversity is all the different and unique expressions of our humanity, like different colors within a beam of light. Inclusion is when every person is noticed and seeking to get them involved. Equity is to afford every person the same opportunities. Embracing diversity and actively pursuing equity and inclusion unites us in a bond that’s stronger than our fears. And that needs to be celebrated!”

How has your identity impacted and helped shape you into the leader you are today?

Chamber Board Member
Peter Gonzales, President & CEO, The Welcoming Center

“Early experiences of being stereotyped produced in me a deep interest in the ever-unique stories and lives of others. Because I was never able to settle comfortably inside of a single identity, it was clear to me from an early age how dynamic our identities often are. I am curious and inspired by people’s experiences and how their specific lens might prove essential to my own development and advancing the mission of The Welcoming Center.”

How can our region continue to strengthen and support the Hispanic community?

Chamber Board Member
Reverend Luis Cortés, Jr., Founder, President & CEO, Esperanza

“The business community should focus its philanthropy work on the poorest neighborhoods of Philadelphia. … Capital always goes where it can reproduce itself, but philanthropy can be targeted. As such, the vast majority of region’s philanthropy should be invested in our city’s poorest neighborhoods.”

Chamber Board Member
Pedro Ramos, President & CEO, Philadelphia Foundation

“Continued growth in our region depends on the relatively young and fast-growing Latinx population, so we need to act much more quickly to reverse historically poor access to high quality education, public employment, skilled trade unions, and business capital access — all of which have impeded economic mobility for generations of Latinx people in our region.”

Jennifer Rodriguez, President & CEO, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

“As Philadelphians, we can inform ourselves and understand that the Hispanic/Latinx community is, increasingly, the source of growth in our region and that we should work collectively to maximize its potential. We can do this by investing in solutions that will build wealth and prosperity, such as supporting local, Latino-owned businesses. They provide job creation and economic development in the areas of our region which need it the most.”