September 27, 2024
José Manuel Pérez works at COUNTRY Financial as a senior life insurance and investments product professional and is the Programming Manager for the Multicultural Resource Group at COUNTRY and the Illinois Farm Bureau.
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Pérez shares his personal experience and how others can join in honoring Latinx traditions and achievements.
My father, José Luis Pérez, grew up in a very small town called El Caracol in Zacatecas, Mexico, where he helped my abuela Carmela and abuelo Angel keep livestock with his three older siblings. He came to the U.S. when he was 15 years old and later met my mother, who is of Irish/European decent. Growing up in a mixed household as a mixed-race individual brought unique and valuable perspectives and challenges, as I am sure many other first-generation Hispanic Americans can relate. Most of all, it brought a deep appreciation for what makes us different, an empathetic insight from a young age into what makes us similar, and a joy for celebrating these aspects of our collective culture through food.
Launched in 2018, the purpose of the Multicultural Resource Group (MCRG) is to provide an open and safe space with supportive resources and programming to attract, retain, and engage highly motivated multicultural employees and allies of all backgrounds to personally and professionally develop themselves for their overall success and that of our companies.
Personally, the MCRG has been a place to exercise a sense of belonging, to make connections I didn't even know I needed, and to grow in ways I didn't even fully believe I was ready for. There is a sense of imposter syndrome that can become pervasive for individuals growing up with a mixed identity - MCRG involvement, various leaders and mentors, my peers, and many I also count as friends have helped me to become more surefooted. I am happy to say that this kind of experience is not an isolated one, based on the feedback we get from our membership as well as the collective feedback recently expressed during the 5-year anniversary celebration of our resource groups.
To honor the progress that has been made in Latin countries and all the lessons I have learned growing up in a mixed household, I intend to spend time with my family. Generally, I also seek to attend any local events taking place such as concerts or festivals that involve local businesses.
One thing I would love for others to be aware of and consider is that when Hispanic Heritage month or any other cultural event comes up, these things are not inherently exclusionary - in fact, it's quite the opposite. Everyone is invited. You are invited. I would humbly ask you to join in celebrating our collective global story together, because it is a natural part of loving one another when we choose to make space to celebrate and advocate for the things that do not directly affect our own specific affinity. In my eyes, progress starts in those small moments where we make space to be happy for others at least as much as we do for ourselves.
When you ask someone who has been at COUNTRY for 20 days or 20 years, you are going to hear a similar answer about what makes it a special place to come to work: It has a great culture. But what is a core pillar to that culture? The employee resource groups that connect us at a personal level, helping us to be seen and heard, allowing us to come as we are and be met where we are at, and yet to also be healthily challenged to grow into a higher potential. Why does that core pillar of our organization flourish? Because our company's leaders actively champion it; they live it out and serve alongside all of us; they are committed to the future of these groups, allowing us to personally invest in them, further growing the positive impact that these initiatives have.
To learn more about careers at COUNTRY, visit countryfinancial.com/careers.
COUNTRY Financial® is a family of affiliated companies (collectively, COUNTRY) located in Bloomington, IL. Learn more about who we are.