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Right in time for Hispanic Heritage Month (and September Surge), the most avid readers of Hispanic Executive shared the employee resource groups (ERGs) and business resource groups (BRGs) they belong to at their places of employment. For many of these folks, ERGs—voluntary, employee-led groups—are some of the first places where they received mentorship, an opportunity to lead a high-visibility project, or simply meet other Latino professionals.
Check out these seven standout ERGs among the dozens of submissions we received and learn more about their daily work to make the workplace more inclusive.
1. Los Ubers at Uber
“I joined Uber after working at much smaller organizations. Having ERGs not only available but encouraged allowed me to create a vast network within the company even when we were dealing with the complexities of working remotely.”
– Brandi Villareal
Los Uber is Uber’s community for Hispanic and Latinx employees and allies whose mission is to empower, celebrate, and advocate for Hispanic and Latinx communities in and outside of the company. Its core focuses are community, culture, professional development, and recruiting. Some of the ERG’s proudest moments include arranging an UberEspañol driver appreciation event in Chicago and partnering with organizations like dev/Mission and Latinas in Tech to host educational tours and speakers.
Los Uber Leadership Spotlight:
- Victor Gutierrez, Senior Community Operations Manager
- Linda Vega, Uber Eats Account Manager
- Brandi Villarreal, Head of Uber Direct, Online Food Delivery
2. TODOS at Toyota Motor North America
“TODOS has really put a lot of focus on career development over the past few years. There was not only a lack of pipeline of Latino leaders, but we also found that some of our members saw us as more of a ‘fun’ group. We really changed that narrative, and we focused a lot of energy on helping our members develop professionally. I was promoted last year, and we had an unofficial count of approximately twenty promotions throughout our membership in the past year or so.”
– Chris Devlin
Toyota Organization for the Development of Latinos (TODOS) is Toyota’s Latino Business Partnership Group (BPG), an employee-driven network based on shared experiences, offering team members a place to form inclusive communities and foster professional development. For twenty-three years, TODOS was the company’s first BPG and has approximately 1,200 members across seven chapters nationwide. TODOS focuses on hosting volunteer events and creating opportunities for professional development.
TODOS Leadership Spotlight:
- Diana Charbonneau, Senior Auditor
- Chris Devlin, Business Operations Manager
3. Somos at Paramount
“Somos created an environment where I finally feel seen, heard, and recognized. Since joining its leadership team, I am more motivated and dedicated to our company and its commitment to DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). We foster a collective mission of an inclusive work culture, employee engagement, and belonging. Our employee diversity and cultural traits make us unique, and Paramount recognizes our value to the organization.”
– Melissa Fernandez
The Somos ERG is part of Paramount global ERGs and promotes belonging through community engagement, leadership development, and organizational initiatives to increase the representation of Latinx and Hispanic employees. This group provides a forum for employees to flourish personally and professionally while offering direct business support to all of its brands. More than 50 percent of Paramount’s workforce are members of these employee-led groups, and Paramount’s president and CEO, Robert M. Bakish, highlighted the ERGs’ work and events including internal and external activations like movie screenings, mentorship and networking, literary events, and more.
SOMOS Leadership Spotlight:
- Melissa Fernandez, Director of Emerging Distribution Platforms and Special Markets
- Marco Lopez, Senior Client Technology Analyst
- Maritza Murillo, Senior Manager of Data Strategy and Operations
4. 49ers L.E.A.D at San Francisco 49ers
“Being a founding member of 49ers L.E.A.D and continuing to be an active board member since we started in 2020 has given me many opportunities to showcase the Latino voice both inside and outside our organization. It has provided a platform to provide feedback to senior leaders in the organization to better represent the brand and connect with the fans.”
– Emilio Cortez
The mission of the San Francisco 49ers Latinx Empowerment, Advancement & Development (L.E.A.D) is to foster an environment of inclusion for Latinx employees as well as a platform to promote cultural diversity and professional development in the community. Each year, this ERG partners with the 49ers to develop activation plans and initiatives to support the team’s growing Latino fan base. In 2021, 49ers EDU launched a Spanish edition of its digital playbook, which contains interactive football and science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics activities for students. Additionally, as a joint effort with NFL Mexico, 49ers PREP began presenting the Virtual Flag Football Training Camp in Spanish.
49ERS L.E.A.D Leadership Spotlight:
- Sofy Navarro, Senior Manager of 49ers EDU
- Angelica Perez, Manager of Levi’s Stadium Event Sales
- Nick Clarke, Senior Manager of Fan Engagement
- Xavier Mora-Sanchez, Marketing Coordinator
- Emilio Cortez, Senior Coordinator of 49ers EDU
- Chelsea Marroquin, Manager of Ticketing
5. HOLA at Microsoft
“When I came from Mexico without knowing anyone in the city nor in the company, an ERG leader reached out for a cafecito. This completely changed my life. I started to have a network to ask personal questions such as where I can get a driving license and also got mentorship advice to help grow my career.”
– Ana Sofia Gonzalez
The Hispanic and Latinx Organization of Leaders in Action (HOLA) provides employee community space, helps inspire future Hispanic and Latinx employees, and advances the careers of current ones. The group also serves as a resource to Hispanic and Latinx communities and organizations worldwide. Among its many initiatives, in 2023, the HOLA Scholarship awarded five scholarships totaling $55,000 to selected Latino high school seniors.
HOLA Leadership Spotlight:
- Joseph Sefair, Partner Group Engineering Manager
- Ana Riveros, Principal Program Manager
6. Latino Employee Network at Morgan Stanley
“It is wonderful to feel valued and seen as a Latina. They have outstanding programming and meaningful engagement.”
– Michele Arencivia
The Latino Employee Network (LEN) at Microsoft promotes Hispanic/Latino culture at the firm, drives awareness of the community’s achievements, and highlights the power of identity. As a firm-sponsored organization, LEN invites employees to actively participate in the group’s educational and cultural events as well as its volunteer efforts to increase community impact. A recent event it supported was the exhibition, ¡Presente! A Latino History of the United States, presented by the National Museum of the American Latino at the Smithsonian.
LEN Leadership Spotlight:
- Ileana Musa, Managing Director and Head of International Banking and Lending
7. Latine@Gong at Gong
“Being one of the early coleads and now executive sponsor has been a great opportunity. It encouraged me to share my story (where my family comes from) and to try to inspire other children of immigrants about what is possible. . . to not feel that just because their background is different they should be limited in tech.”
– Jack Leidecker
Gong develops a nurturing and empowering community for employees who identify as Latine through professional development and social networking activities. By doing so, it strives to create a supportive environment for the community, increase recruitment and retention, and promote Latine staff. Gongsters, as members call themselves, are encouraged to join these and other self-organized, employee-run communities to cultivate a sense of belonging. The company is committed to creating visibility, safety, and inclusion for all. Read about its progress and latest efforts in the BelongAtGong annual report.
Latine@Gong Leadership Spotlight:
- Jack Leidecker, Chief Information Security Officer
- Jose Loera, Senior Customer Service Manager
- Eduardo Valladolid, Marketing Program Director
For more ERG content, check out Companies Committed to Latinos.
Editor’s note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.
