There are over 20 countries that represent the Latinx global community, which is spread across the Caribbean, North, Central and South America. Latinx Heritage Month is a time for us to celebrate the Latinx community, appreciate its diversity, and recognize the contributions Latinx people have made not only to the United States, but to the world at large. Although not all countries celebrate their independence day this month, we collectively celebrate and honor all nations that identify as Latinx.
In honor of Latinx Heritage month, we've launched a number of #LHM-themed activations, programming, and hashtag challenges on our platform. More importantly, we've been celebrating members of our own "Familia Latina" at TikTok by sharing employee spotlights both internally and externally. In this article, we want to highlight our discussions with three of these employees -- Gisselle (Talent Acquisition), Jasmine (Global Communications), and Miguel (Business Development) -- as they reflect on their proudest career moments, their favorite cultural traditions, and the meaning of their Latinx heritage.
Tell us about yourself and what you do at TikTok!
Gisselle: "I'm an Afro-Latina with Dominican heritage, and I was born in Spanish Harlem (East Harlem) in New York. I've called LA home for over 14 years now. I'm a travel junkie with major wanderlust and have been to almost 40 countries. I love anything culture & arts related, especially salsa dancing and musical theater. Outside of work, I spend time coaching Black & Brown women in their careers and professional development. At TikTok, I work on a global recruitment team focused on building our people functions across the world, as well as developing our diversity and inclusion strategies. I co-founded Mi Gente, the Latinx affinity group at TikTok, and am helping grow, celebrate, and empower our community and latinidad."
Jasmine: "I'm the daughter of Mexican immigrants and currently live in Los Angeles. My hobbies include yoga and cooking, but I'm also passionate about supporting diversity and inclusion in any way I can, whether through mentoring, shopping at minority-owned businesses, or volunteering for political candidates who advocate for communities of color. As part of the global communications team at TikTok, I help lead our response on Trust and Safety issues. We work hard to ensure the safety and well-being of our community, so when issues arise on the platform, my team and I do all we can to address them."
Miguel: "My family is from Mar del Plata, Argentina, and I've lived in NYC ever since college. I'm an avid writer with hopes of one day being published, and I originally went to college for acting (although my parents made me switch majors as soon as they found out!). I currently work in global business development in TikTok's New York office. My team works primarily with global content publishers (movie studios, sports leagues, etc.) to build long-term partnerships. While the team is externally facing, a lot of my work requires cross-functional collaboration to make sure we have internal alignment."
What has been the career moment you're most proud of?
Gisselle: "As a first generation American and the first in my family to obtain higher education and build a successful career, my proudest moment has been showing my family that they have achieved their American dream in just one generation."
Jasmine: "As the first member of my family to graduate from college, I've had incredible life opportunities thanks to the enormous sacrifices my parents made. I've worked in Congress, where numerous times I assisted staff meetings with former president Barack Obama. I'm also grateful that through my work in tech, my parents have been able to travel the world with me. One of my most memorable experiences was traveling to Japan with my parents and sister!"
Miguel: "My family was very poor when we came to the United States. The fact I've been able to keep a steady job since graduating college is a real achievement by the standards of where I'm from, and when I consider the incredible places I've worked (Univision, the NBA, and ByteDance), it's even more humbling. At Univision, I got to meet and work with the Latinx talent I idolized as a kid, including Jorge Ramos and cast members of Rebelde; working for the NBA, I helped launch a G League showcase in Uruguay with mostly Latinx basketball teams; and at TikTok, I've had the chance to contribute to Mi Gente, which is exciting and only the beginning!"
What does your heritage mean to you?
Gisselle: "There is absolutely nothing I am more proud of than my Latinx heritage, and you know this from the moment you meet me! My ancestors, roots, culture, food, language, music, and traditions guide me every single day and make up the most beautiful parts of me."
Jasmine: "Heritage is the place where our ancestors came from and where all our stories can be traced to. It's the bond that holds our families together. I love to celebrate my heritage in many different ways, whether it's through food, language, or tradition."
Miguel: "Everything. As a first-generation American, identifying as Latinx taught me to empathize with others who weren't like me from a young age. There's so much diversity within the community. While most of my closest friends are also Latinx, they come from distinct racial, ethnic, religious, and/or national backgrounds."
What is your favorite Latinx family tradition?
Gisselle: " 'Noche Buena'-- our Christmas Eve family dinner, which is the only time of the year my entire family gets together! The dinner is held back home in the Dominican Republic in my maternal grandmother's home, and it's been a tradition since I was a little girl."
Jasmine: "My favorite Latinx family traditions all revolve around food. My mom is a fantastic cook who makes capirotada (Mexican bread pudding) for Holy Week and tamales for Christmas. She also makes delicious enchiladas, mole, and enfrijoladas. My taste buds and I are always very grateful for these particular traditions!"
Miguel: "Watching Argentina lose every Fútbol Final (World Cup, Copa América) that they've made in my lifetime. The last time we won was July 1993, which was two months before I was born. We've made it to seven cup finals since, without a victory. My family reminds me of this fact very often!"
At TikTok, our vision is to become the most diverse and inclusive company in the technology industry, and we're proud to highlight the incredible employees who drive our success. If you're interested in joining us, find out more about our career opportunities by browsing open positions here and following TikTok on LinkedIn.
At TikTok, it's your turn to make a change!
