Hispanic Heritage Month Employee Spotlight: Pilar Larrea
According to Hispanic Heritage Month’s website, “each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.” To honor this incredible month, Investis Digital would like to highlight some of our employees who are of Hispanic and Latino descent.
In today’s post we’re spotlighting some insights from Pilar Larrea, a Senior Project Manager at Investis Digital. Pilar shares, “I’ve been at Investis Digital for three years. As a Sr. Project Manager, I help our clients with the timely planning, monitoring and execution of their website development projects. I also strive to make their experience working with our delivery team a gratifying one throughout the process.”
Pilar graciously answered six questions about her career, life, and heritage for us—here’s a little bit more about her in her own words:
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
As a native from Ecuador who is very proud of my Hispanic background, I think Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize the contribution and influence that Latinos and the Latin culture have exert in our society and to also highlight the communities’ historical and current struggles.
Who would you say was your greatest influence for your career?
My late grandfather Angel is my greatest inspiration: from being orphaned at a very young age and growing up in scarcity, he became the first person to hold the position of Vice Admiral of the Ecuadorian naval force and the Chief of Staff of the Ecuadorian army in the 1960s. He was also an extremely kind and fun-loving person who enjoyed the simple things in life.
What advice would you give to young Latino professionals who are looking to get into the digital communications space?
To use their cultural background and experiences as a means to offer something unique in their work environment and at the same time to remain always open to expand their horizons by learning from other people from different cultural backgrounds.
In your opinion, what challenges remain for Hispanic Americans today and how can understanding history help us to overcome them?
Hispanic Americans face many challenges in the current political climate and have been one of the hardest hit communities by the COVID-19 pandemic. History has taught people of Hispanic origin to be resilient in the face of adversity and instability and I’m confident that our community’s strong family roots and positive outlook on life will get us through these challenges once again.
What is a family tradition you wish to pass down, that your parents have passed down to you?
Life is about experiences. Preparing and enjoying many types of food, and doing so together with my family, is a tradition I hope to see continued in the next generation.
Flan!
Empanadas
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I was born and grew up in Quito, a city 9,350 ft above sea level, I’m practically immune to altitude sickness. ?
Also, If I’m not running behind my two children you’ll find me wearing full armor gear and combatting people with a bamboo stick (I practice a martial art called Kendo).
Join Our Team
At Investis Digital, we are always looking to hire a diversity of viewpoints and backgrounds. If you’re interested in exploring a career with us, learn more here. And make sure to read the rest of our Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlights!