Join us in celebrating Latinx Heritage Month!

Celebrating Latinx Heritage Month on LIVEcommunity

New week means a new blog for Latinx Heritage Month! We’ve had a great time celebrating this special month by highlighting some amazing Latinx individuals and learning about their journey and their heritage. Last week you learned about two incredible Latinx employees at Palo Alto Networks, Stephanie Carlos and Hugo Arenas. They both shared their stories and what this month means to them.

This week, I'm excited to share my story — and what this month means to me — with all of you! Reading the amazing stories these past couple of weeks have been inspiring for me, especially since I'm very early on in my career. For me, this month is all about celebrating and bringing light to all the different Latinx cultures. It’s also a time for us to learn more about the history of this culture!

Alejandra Galindo, Social Media and Programs SpecialistMy Latinx culture has had a huge influence on my career journey thus far. Seeing how my parents took a risk by coming to America and leaving their families behind, has taught me to not only take risks, but also to never give up. I remember when I was younger and my dad was teaching my brother and I how to ride our bikes, he would always say “You can do it!” and for some reason that has always stuck with me. No matter what obstacle I face, I always try to remind myself that I can do it!

A Latinx tradition that my family has passed down to me would definitely be cooking together on the weekends! When I was younger, I remember going to my aunt’s house every Sunday and asking my mom if I could help her and my other aunts cook. Now that I'm older, I don’t even have to ask, in fact my mom loves to volunteer me to cook. 🙂 It’s great to know that no matter what we all have going on in our lives, we take a day to all come together and just enjoy each other’s company.

Being that I'm so early on in my career, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing people who have become my mentors. They’ve not only given me such great advice, but they’ve also inspired me to want to give back and help others. This has led me to join the Cristo Rey Work Study Program, which gives high school students the opportunity to work for a company, gain work experience and also use the money they earn to pay for their college education. I am also part of our own Palo Alto Networks Latinx Network - Juntos! Being a part of both is important to me, as I want to make sure I’m doing my best to help others and stay involved with my community.

This month has made me not only think a lot about my family, but also the amazing Latinx community I have around me, whether that’s in the workplace or my friendships. I hope that we all take some time this month to celebrate the Latinx community around us.

I enjoyed spending some time sharing my story with all of you! I encourage you to share your thoughts about Latinx Heritage Month in the comment section down below. Let’s continue celebrating this special month together!

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read this blog.

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Alejandra