Hispanic Heritage Month Employee Spotlight: Emmanuel Segarra-Otero

Joining our Hispanic Heritage spotlight series this month is Account Manager, Emmanuel Segarra-Otero! Emmanuel (Manny) graciously answered five questions for us about his heritage, family, and career—here are his insights:

Give us some background on you, your heritage, & what you're looking forward to in this role?  

I am Puerto Rican which is located in the northeastern Caribbean. In 1898 during the Spanish-American war, it was invaded and possessed by the United States. We are what you consider a United States territory, and in 1917 Puerto Ricans were made United States citizens through the Jones Act. Puerto Ricans are a mixture of Taino Indian, African, and Spaniard blood. I should mention that although highly refuted, many consider Puerto Ricans to be considered the ‘perfect’ human.   

Through my new role within Investis Digital I hope to assist those primary Spanish-speaking clientele where I can, bridging an often communication gap due to language. I always enjoy assisting those where Spanish is their primary language as it allows me to connect and effectively communicate any services that could assist them.  

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you? 

To me Hispanic Heritage Month offers the opportunity to recognize the contributions made by the Hispanic community and honor those contributions but also show pride for our heritage and culture.  

Who would you say was your greatest influence for your career?  

I would say that a great influence would be Lin-Manuel Miranda. You might know his name from Broadway’s Hamilton, Disney’s Moana, In the Heights. Lin-Manuel Miranda is an American actor, singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, and playwright, who also happens to be Puerto Rican.  

What is a family tradition you wish to pass down, that your parents have passed down to you?  

There are two traditions I have tried to pass down to my three-year-old daughter Brooklyn (or rather my mother). One would be the rich cultural food such as flan, arroz con gandules, and anything that has to do with guava. I also have this game I play with my daughter that comes from my heritages where you tickle their arm and go ‘I don’t want meat from here, here, here…’ until you get to their shoulder then tickle their armpit. It sounds weird explaining it, but I love hearing my three-year-old laugh when I do it and try to emulate it (she is three and can only say aqui (here). 

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!  

I enjoy my island of Puerto Rico so much and feel so alive when on the island, but the irony is like Lin-Manuel Miranda, I was born in New York.