Creating Meaningful Change: POWER and LULAC Unite for the San Antonio Community

Culture

At POWER, our people are driven by a deep commitment to give back and realize the potential within the communities we serve. That’s why every year each of our employee resource groups (ERGs) host a dedicated event for their community that not only serves as an enriching employee experience, but is geared towards something greater: creating meaningful change in our communities outside of company walls.

Last weekend, POWER’s ERG dedicated to the Latino and Hispanic community, Mi Gente (or “my people” in Spanish), brought their annual celebration to San Antonio to kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month.

But this year’s event was special. It marked the first time POWER would be teaming up with their recently-announced national partner — the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) — in an effort to scale their impact for the Latino and Hispanic community.

Read on to learn more about POWER’s Mi Gente event and how it impacted both employees and the San Antonio community.

Our Stories, Our Power

Employees pose for a group photo in POWER's San Antonio office on day 1 of their Mi Gente event. — *_{Mi Gente members are welcomed to the city with an evening reception at POWER’s San Antonio office to break the ice and kickoff the weekend-long event.}*

The three-day event kicked off Thursday, September 19th when Mi Gente members from all across the country arrived in San Antonio for team-building, giving back, and celebrating their culture.

On day one, attendees were welcomed to city with an evening reception at POWER’s beautiful brand new San Antonio office to get to know fellow teammates in a more intimate setting before gearing up for a busy day two.

Two female employees have a one-on-one conversation after a group breakout session. — *_{After the breakout session, Cassie forms a deeper bond with fellow Mi Gente member, Jazzlynn Mann — a Customer Development Representative in Pittsburgh.}*

Day 2 consisted of a historic walking tour to learn about the city’s rich Latino and Hispanic history and a trip to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. To build off of the theme of the event which was “Our Stories, Our Power,” or Nuestras Historias, Nuestro Poder,” smaller group breakout sessions were organized, giving attendees an opportunity to not only share their individual stories, but also weave it into San Antonio’s dynamic story, building a collective story within Mi Gente. Cassie Torres, a Business Affairs Manager in Connecticut and Secretary of Mi Gente, recounts her eye-opening experience during the breakout session:

“I’ve seen an inspiring amount of vulnerability and connection on so many levels. I’ve seen people sharing their stories for themselves, but also because they know it’s impacting or inspiring people in the group. I shared my story during one of our group breakouts sessions, and immediately after, a teammate came up to me and told me their story and said how connected this made them feel, despite feeling so isolated before this experience. It was a huge ‘ah hah’ moment for me in that opening up can not only be an eye-opening and healing experience for me, but also for someone else.”

Employees sit around a table and listen to a teammate share an emotional journal entry during breakout sessions. — _{POWER’s ERG events would not be as impactful without breakout sessions — an intimate group talk experience where people can authentically share their story, build confidence, find their voice, and form deeper relationships with their teammates.}

Breakout sessions are an integral part of POWER events, especially our ERG events. It’s in these sessions that people discover they can embrace their culture, instead of hiding it. They find a renewed sense of confidence, deeper bonds, and a stronger voice. They find similarities in other’s stories and feel a sense of belonging.

Mi Gente event attendees take an evening boat tour to see the sites of vibrant San Antonio. — *_{Attendees unwind and have some fun during a boat tour to take in the sites of vibrant San Antonio.}*

Day two closed out with a beautiful boat tour on the San Antonio River to unwind and have fun, followed by dinner al fresco. Every aspect of POWER’s ERG events are intentional and meant to be as impactful as possible. For example, each dinner, outing, or experience during the Mi Gente event supported or took place at a Latino or Hispanic-owned business or organization.

Giving Back with LULAC

Employee volunteers at the LULAC Health Fair by building signage. — *_{POWER employees including Cassie Torres volunteer at the LULAC Family Fun Day and Health Fair in San Antonio.}*

POWER’s ERGs are given a lot of autonomy when it comes to improving the employee experience for their respective communities, and how they want to use their power for good to give back to the communities they live and work in. New in 2024, each one of POWER’s ERGs were given the opportunity to partner with a nonprofit that’s addressing an issue that’s important to their respective community, by providing a $100,000 grant and hours of volunteer time from employees.

“We chose LULAC because they are one of the largest nonprofits that’s not only advocating for, but changing the lives of the Latino and Hispanic community,” explained Torres. “It was important when partnering with LULAC that it wasn’t only going to be us writing a check. We wanted the grant to go towards something tangible, and our employees wanted to be involved by volunteering to maximize the impact,” said Torres.

On Saturday, LULAC and POWER hosted a Family Fun Day & Health Fair to provide family-friendly activities and essential health services to families in the San Antonio and surrounding communities.

Mi Gente members played active roles in building the event and bringing it to life. They built and set up signs to encourage local residents to attend, distributed groceries and went the extra mile to carry them to people’s cars, passed out water, and set up health booths and various stations across the event. Our people wanted to get involved and really be a part of the impact.

“Our donation is going towards these initiatives that are creating real impact for people in the community,” stated Torres. “They’re helping to bridge the gap between the Latino and Hispanic population and healthcare, providing education and services that this community needs.”

What’s Next for POWER x LULAC

Mi Gente members pose for a group photo during the LULAC Family Fun Day and Health Fair. — *_{The Family Fun Day and Health Fair in San Antonio kicks off the beginning of POWER and LULAC’s national partnership.}*

With POWER’s national partnership with LULAC, members of Mi Gente will be responsible for spearheading volunteerism and other give-back initiatives with the non-profit annually.

“The event in San Antonio is not a one-time thing. There will be future events in Dallas and Phoenix as well,” explains Torres. “It was a true collaboration between POWER and LULAC to do something that we collectively believed the community needed and would benefit from. We’re so grateful for that true partnership.”

Impacting Careers… and Lives

A POWER employee captures a photo of the Alamo in San Antonio during the company's Mi Gente event. — *_{Part of POWER’s Mi Gente event provided opportunity for attendees to connect to and celebrate their culture’s rich history.}*

After the health fair, attendees headed to the next activities — an opportunity to explore the Historic Market Square and a group lunch before some downtime and an evening reception to close out what was a meaningful and impactful event.

POWER’s Mi Gente event is just one of the many ways that the ERG is creating not only a better workplace experience for POWER’s Latino and Hispanic population, but enhancing the quality of their lives. We’re letting Cassie close us out with how the ERG has impacted her.

POWER Mi Gente members participate in a group breakout session outdoors to reflect on their experience thus far. — _{Cassie and her fellow Mi Gente members participate in a breakout session with Kevin Wiggins, POWER’s Chief Financial Officer and Mi Gente executive sponsor.}

“Mi Gente has impacted me both personally and professionally. I get this unique opportunity to meet and work with people from across the business, in different departments and different positions of leadership like our Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Wiggins, who is the executive sponsor of Mi Gente. On a personal level, Mi Gente has added to my identity. The Latino and Hispanic diaspora is very diverse, and so is POWER’s Mi Gente group. There’s people that speak Spanish, and some that don’t. Regardless of what your background is, I have always felt very welcomed.”

The Path Forward

Mi Gente members gather in a circle after the volunteer event with LULAC to reflect on their experience. — *_{The future of Mi Gente is bright. As the ERG continues to grow, so will their impact on the communities they serve.}*

“I hope the future of Mi Gente turns into a pipeline of people who are ready to stand up and make a difference,” said Torres. “My hope is that our annual Mi Gente event turns into something bigger than just 30 attendees and grows into more local events. I hope that more people use their power for good to help grow the ERG in their offices and impact the lives of more employees — like it has on mine.”

Looking to be a part of a mission-driven community? Explore open positions on POWER’s Careers page.

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