Hispanic Heritage Month Marked by Hope and Gratitude at Qurate Retail Group
When asked what Hispanic Heritage Month means to her, beauty entrepreneur Sonsoles Gonzalez shared her thankfulness.
“It means feeling grateful for the chance to be one more Hispanic who has had a positive impact shaping this country’s culture,” said Sonsoles, owner of Better Not Younger, a beauty brand offered on HSN.
Sonsoles’ company was among multiple Hispanic and Latinx-owned brands – all current vendors of QVC or HSN – that were featured in special collections on QVC.com or HSN.com to mark National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. In addition, 12 Hispanic and Latinx-owned small businesses outside of our vendor community appeared in Small Business Spotlight, a collaboration between Qurate Retail Group and the National Retail Federation (NRF) Foundation to offer diverse small businesses increased exposure through QVC’s, HSN’s, and Zulily’s platforms.
The Qurate Retail Group team presented multiple Hispanic Heritage Month activities – with the theme “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope” – to highlight the culture and contributions of the Latin American and Hispanic communities and recognize our many valued Latinx team members, customers, vendors, and partners who are part of the Qurate Retail Group family.
A sense of hope, coupled with resiliency, resonated throughout the events, most prominently during a team member discussion hosted by our Latinx team member resource group (TMRG) and led by Lesley Ann Machado, HSN Program Host, who has Cuban American roots. During the session, team members discussed diverse Latinx perspectives and shared experiences in American society.
“For me, it’s always such an honor to try to lead by example, to try to be as professional as possible and break all of those stereotypes that they talk about,” said Machado. “I sometimes hear from people that they didn’t even know I spoke Spanish. I sometimes feel like I’m not white enough to fit in and be American, and then I’m not Latina enough. So, it’s those stereotypes we fight against every single day.”
To raise awareness and increase understanding outside of the Latinx community, our Latinx TMRG hosted several educational events, including a webinar with acclaimed poet Yosimar Reyes, who explores migration and sexuality in his work. The Advocate, a leading source for LGBTQ+ news, recently named Reyes one of “13 LGBT Latinos Changing the World.” In addition, the TMRG held an intimate fireside chat with two of Qurate Retail Group’s Latinx leaders: Renato Volpe, Vice President of Total Rewards & People Technology, and Richard Casado, Director of Global Security & Business Continuity. Renato and Richard discussed the impact their cultural heritage has had on their professional careers and shared the wisdom of appreciating one’s own unique perspective while moving forward together. The Latinx TMRG also invited parents of first-generation, college-bound students to a webinar on the college admissions process, and Latinx team members shared books, films, music, and recipes with their colleagues throughout the month.
Asked what advice he would give to those who want to learn more about Hispanic or Latinx culture, Edgardo Porrata, QVC Fashion Stylist Lead, said, “Have a genuine curiosity and willingness to learn about people’s culture. Don’t let that be an obstacle for someone coming into your life.”