Our Voices

During senior manager Pamela Esparza’s (she/her) tenure as leader of the LatinX business resource group (BRG), she enjoyed connecting with coworkers and watching them light up when discussing food, cultural practices, and even the pronunciation of their names. Strengthening her community has made all the difference in motivating Pamela through burnout.

In the past, she has known the absence of community. The culture shock of attending college sparked new insecurities that led Pamela to hide herself. With time, she learned to advocate for herself again. Though she recently stepped away from leading the LatinX BRG, Pamela is sharing her story to encourage everyone to feel comfortable taking up space and advocating for others who may feel misunderstood or unwelcome—and it all can begin with a little curiosity.

Can you discuss how someone might begin strengthening their connection to a community?

One thing I encourage others to do right now is lean into their curiosity. Ask questions. It’s okay to be uncomfortable with what you learn, but let it spark your interest in someone else and their culture. Curiosity is really powerful.

What might curiosity look like in an average workday?

It might mean using our personal comforts to help someone else feel comfortable. There are many of us, particularly in the Latinx community, who may feel self-conscious taking up space. I’ve been there. We have to learn to speak up for ourselves, and I’ve learned that it can take time depending on the person and their experiences.

Those of us who already feel empowered at work can use that confidence to advocate for others and remind them that their voices matter. I’m a big fan of encouraging people to take up space, and sometimes that simply means holding the door open for someone else.

Can you share more about your experiences with being too uncomfortable to take up space?

My first day of college orientation made me really self-conscious because I was the only one in the room who looked like me. Our family immigrated to El Paso, Texas, and most kids I knew had a Latin background. I grew up surrounded by familiar culture until I left.

College was the first time I realized I was different, and I’m not proud to admit that I started hiding who I am. I suffered culture shock, and I absorbed so many messages that made me feel embarrassed by my identity. I didn’t know how to engage with people. I had to relearn how to interact according to professional norms I hadn’t grown up with, which meant adapting.

At times, adapting meant hiding parts of myself. That continued through my first few years at our firm, but things changed for me when I helped start the LatinX BRG as a senior. The BRG gave me space to connect and celebrate who we are. As I moved up in the firm, I realized I had more autonomy to be myself. It made me more comfortable speaking up for myself and others.

Later, as a senior manager, I attended my first ALPFA conference. Being there reaffirmed what I learned. I saw how people could be fully authentic while thriving in a professional setting. No one hides there.

This year’s Latinx Heritage Month theme is Juntos: Celebrating Resilience and Strength in our Community. Why is it important for you to empower your community?

Some of our colleagues experience their first culture shock when they join our firm, and there’s so much more at stake. In school, when we feel we don’t belong, we have more room to make mistakes. Here, our careers depend on fitting in. Try to imagine experiencing that culture shock now, in a world that can feel increasingly uncertain and scary for many.

I believe curiosity helps us understand and empower each other. It may be intimidating to speak to a colleague about challenging topics, but you may get new perspectives on what’s affecting them right now. What you learn might help you imagine how their fears can lead to burnout, and maybe you can help.

In my opinion, we must always make space for others and stand up for those who feel out of place. We can educate one another. We can speak up. We can be curious. We may not have the power to change everything by ourselves, but sometimes, speaking up can be enough. And we can start small.

What might it look like to start small?

It can be as simple as joining a BRG. Everyone’s welcome. I know that might be intimidating for some people, so another option is to take an interest in a coworker. We’re all learning from each other, so when your curiosity is respectful and authentic, it’s a bridge.

If I travel to another country, I always look forward to learning more about local food, language, and customs. I’ve found new things to love, which is one way traveling can enrich our lives. I’d love for people to realize we have the chance to do that at work. Our coworkers have very different experiences, which means every one of us has a chance to learn something new. Express some curiosity and ask questions.

I still feel uncomfortable taking up space sometimes. It’s not always easy, and it’s a struggle to find my place. But at the end of the day, I think we’re so much happier if we celebrate who we are together. We only have to try.