Diane Ramos shares thoughts on Hispanic Heritage Month
AMD’s Diane Ramos is featured as a voice of Latino leadership in Hispanic Executive magazine, first appearing in 2016 as well as later this month. Diane has also been awarded “Latinos Worth Watching” by the Diversity Journal in 2021.
When we asked our DFSA board members to choose a topic that resonated with them, Diane selected Hispanic Heritage Month (observed September 15 through October 15) and shares below her thoughts on its significance:
I am passionate about sharing an opportunity for others to learn about our culture during Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM). To me, HHM means an opportunity to celebrate those that have made critical contributions to our community, remembering those traditions that make us who we are and to continue to lend our growing voice to moments that matter.
More recently, there is a quote I read by Lin-Manuel Miranda “The fun for me in collaboration is, one, working with other people just makes you smarter; that’s proven.” I agree and have seen this time and again whether collaborating in business or personal life – you can always learn so much from others which ultimately brings you up higher or “makes you smarter.”
I celebrate my heritage by teaching my sons about our culture, our food and the importance of family and faith. I think music and dance is another outlet to celebrate. I’m looking forward to attending many of the AMD events and reading online as multiple communities post about Hispanic heritage.
Some cultural traditions and values that I have passed down are work ethic, prioritizing family and our Catholic faith. It’s often been said that Hispanics are hard workers and I believe and live by that. I share with my sons that it is never okay to just do the bare minimum, that we should always strive to do more than expected and to the best of our abilities. Prioritizing time with family is a very big deal and it’s important that my sons know there is so much wisdom, learning and love to experience with their cousins, aunts and uncles. Our Catholic faith is something that we as a family are committed to by not only attending, but serving our time. As a family, there is power in prayer and faith and there isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t pray. I learned this as a child and it’s something I’m proud to pass on to my children.
I think personally when I worked for AMD the first time around, I wasn’t fully secure in my Hispanic heritage and felt the need to act a certain way to get ahead. When I rejoined the company after being away for five years, that was something that completely changed. AMD had one ERG when I left and now, they have 13 including the Impacto organization of which I’m the executive sponsor for. When I came back to AMD, I honestly felt like I could bring my authentic, Hispanic self to work. I feel that we as a company celebrate diversity and inclusion and that helps me to be my true, passionate and vocal self.
I used to also feel a bit of shame that I couldn’t speak fluent Spanish. My speaking skills are more at elementary level, but I do understand it as my mom always spoke to me in Spanish. It used to bother me and now I’m okay with sharing what I know and don’t know. It doesn’t make me less of a Hispanic – just a more honest one.