WE LatinX
We are excited to announce a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) for our LatinX employees - WE LatinX!
The mission of WE LatinX is:
WELatinX promotes cultural diversity at Walker Edison. By doing so, we hope to create a supportive environment for our Latinx community, and help to elevate and encourage professional development for the members of our group.
Hispanic/LatinX employees represent approximately 11% of Walker Edison employees. We are excited to have this new ERG to create a supportive environment for our Latinx community and help to elevate and encourage professional development for the members of our group.
The 4 goals for WE LatinX are:
- Support efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in the recruitment process
- Increase a sense of belonging in the workplaces as measured by the people and culture survey in areas of racial, ethnic, and cultural identities
- Advance the reach of Walker Edison employee resources across all demographics and beyond cultural and language barriers.
- Promote community involvement via service opportunities and projects that uplift local LatinX communities
The WE LatinX ERG has three employee co-leads: Heilly Gálvez (Data Scientist), Vanessa Ripley (Operations Lead), and Ailleen Ramirez (Customer Service Representative) with Lionel Montoya (Director of Facilities) as the executive sponsor.
“This resource group is meant to educate, support and celebrate the LatinX community, yet foster inclusion among all cultures at Walker Edison. This group will undoubtedly build-on the cohesive culture WE love and respect.”
- Lionel Montoya, executive sponsor for WE LatinX
“Having the chance to start up the LatinX ERG and participate in the other ERG’s means so much to me! Being a woman of color and part of the LGBTQ+ community, it feels amazing knowing my place of employment supports and sees me. I look forward to the growth of our ERGs and creating more to educate and make others feel safe.”
- Vanessa Ripley, employee co-lead for WE LatinX
"I am truly so excited to have an ERG which many can identify in it is truly so amazing to have a company who cares about our individual identities and continues to allow us to take initiative to constantly help and create a safe environment to grow. As a Latina I've never worked for a place that allowed me to share my cultural identity, I could not be prouder to work for Walker Edison, I am so excited to see what's to come"
- Ailleen Ramirez, employee co-lead for WE LatinX
“Being a part of WE LatinX, to me, means having a space to acknowledge an already diverse community and to foster belonging among coworkers. As someone who joined Walker Edison after being an international student, I never had the opportunity to be in such a space. I expected to always feel foreign and for all my associations to be transient. I'm grateful for an opportunity to help others feel accepted and valued at WE”
- Heilly Galvez, employee co-lead for WE LatinX
