Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at AC Transit
By Salvador Llamas, Chief Operating Officer and Robert Lyles, Media Affairs Manager, Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
On October 12, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) held “Celebrando Nuestras Culturas” (Celebrating Our Cultures): a virtual event honoring Hispanic Heritage Month 2021.
The celebration is one of a series of AC Transit diversity events celebrated annually – This year, “Celebrating our Cultures” was led by Director of Maintenance, Cecil Blandon (Nicaragua), Board President Elsa Ortiz (Colombia), General Manager Michael Hursh, and Director of Legislative Affairs & Community Relations Claudia Burgos (Mexico).
General Manager Michael Hursh reminded attendees that celebrating Hispanic Heritage should not be limited to 30 days. Instead, he stressed to the crowd that “Hispanic Americans embody the best of our American values, including commitments to faith, family, country, and community. We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to show our recognition of the work our Latinx employees are doing daily to help serve our communities.”
Board President Elsa Ortiz emphasized that inclusion is much more than a noun; it is a commitment to action. “There is an inextricable connection between public transit and our immigrant and Latinx communities. So strong that we must be intentional about how we engage with the Latinx community as we plan service and new projects,” explained Ortiz..png)
Guest speaker Alva Carrasco provided a inspirational story of her journey: from a Mexican immigrant youth in Southern California to an entry level position at Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus, and ultimately ascending the career ladder to executive positions in both public transit and private industry. Carrasco echoed the sentiment of President Ortiz, also emphasizing the importance of Latinx inclusion in transit planning to better reflect this nation’s riders and their communities. Professionally, Carrasco shared that there continues to be an underrepresentation of Latinx people within mid-management and executive-level positions. Her experiences catalyzed change and led her to become a founding Board Member of Latinos In Transit.
Over the years of hosting diversity events, AC Transit has equally learned that cultural inclusion fosters a heightened sense of belonging amongst employees. So, without regard to title, employees and their personal stories are the cornerstones of each celebration. This year’s Hispanic Heritage Month honored the Nicaraguan culture of Janitor Karla Gonzales, Bus Operator Mario Lopez described the rich culture of El Salvador, the treasures of Guatemala were highlighted by Senior Maintenance Clerk Ingrid Cardona, and the colorful traditions of Mexico were extoled by Program Specialist-Elizabeth Gamez.
AC Transit operates in a region that is the generational home, as well as newly adopted home, of people from across the Latin diaspora. The people of Latinx descent are more than our riders; we make a conscious effort to hire from the communities we serve. So, in many ways, AC Transit honors Hispanic Heritage each day of the year.