Family is our focus for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and two Verizon SOMOS ERG members tell us why.
SOMOS. One Familia. Many cultures., our 2021 theme for Hispanic Heritage Month, has been a reflection point for many in our Hispanic/Latinx community and it reminds us of the sacrifices made by those who have migrated to the U.S. to make a better life for their children.
Two SOMOS Verizon ERG (employee resource group) members share their personal experiences, the influence of their parents in their lives, and the benefits they’ve received as ERG members.
From the beginning.
Mary Coronado works in Global HR Operations in Irving, TX, and also serves as the Global Program & Events Co-Chair for SOMOS. She’s been a member of this ERG since her time with GTE, a Verizon legacy company.
When Mary joined SOMOS over 20 years ago, there were less than 25 members, and she’s now proud to be a part of a continually growing ERG of more than 4,000. Mary is grateful for the many opportunities and skills afforded to her as an active SOMOS member.
Family first.
When Mary shares about her lineage, she becomes a bit overwhelmed with emotion because of the selfless actions her parents took to give her and her siblings the best possible life.
Her father traveled back and forth between the U.S. and Mexico to support his family. Though their extended family remained in Mexico, her parents made the difficult decision to permanently move to the U.S.
Mary also recently learned that her great-grandfather immigrated from China to Mexico for work. There, he married Mary’s great-grandmother. Sadly, when the work in Mexico had been completed, Chinese immigrants were forced to return to their home country, and were treated badly — many were executed. As a result, Mary’s aunt had to destroy all photos and documents related to the family’s background, and the family had to change their names to blend in.
Today, Mary is a proud wife and mother of three daughters ages 17, 11 and 8. She loves her fur babies - dog Nina and cat Lola. Next on her bucket list is learning how to make her mother’s perfect chile rellenos.
Looking back and paying it forward.
Though born in Mexico, Madai Gomez-Mora has no recollection of living there because her parents migrated to the U.S. when she was only 3 months old. Their decision was not an easy one, and they had to sacrifice their professional careers as well as their ability to visit any of their family members.
Fifteen years had passed before they were able to travel back to their home country again. When Madai’s parents arrived in the U.S. they did whatever they could to make ends meet, including working in fast-food restaurants, a car wash, and anywhere else they could land work in order to support their family. Madai looks up to her parents and credits them for her work ethic and drive.
Madai joined Verizon in a leadership development program, kicking off her experience in Customer Support. She eventually landed a role in Talent Acquisition, and currently, she is in a Consultant Program and Project Management role where she works closely with our Talent Management and EEO team.
Madai credits SOMOS for enhancing her skills and networking capabilities. Today, she focuses on giving back to her community as a way to pay it forward because of all the sacrifices her parents made for her.
When Madai first joined Verizon, she’d planned on being here for two years. Well, it’s now been nine years and she has no intention of leaving. As she reflects on Hispanic Heritage Month, Madai wants to always keep her traditions alive.
