Recognizing my Hispanic heritage and authentic self
American Family Inclusive Excellence Vice President Cesar Pinzon wasn't always comfortable being his authentic self and recognizing his Hispanic heritage in the workplace. Learn more about his story.
It’s taken many years for me to fully recognize and celebrate my Hispanic heritage. My experiences since joining American Family Insurance as an agency owner in 1999 have helped me to truly value and appreciate my heritage and what it means to me as a person, a family member, and a leader.
When I was a kid, my family moved from Humboldt Park, a largely Puerto Rican neighborhood on the west side of Chicago, to a predominantly Irish and Italian neighborhood on the north side. Because I was the only Hispanic kid in my new school, I worked hard to assimilate. I didn’t tell people I was Hispanic, despite my grandparents and father emigrating from Puerto Rico in the mid-1940s.
On the weekends we would visit my extended family in Humboldt Park, and I loved embracing the comforts of Puerto Rican food and music, spending time with my relatives, and watching (and sometimes being lucky enough to play) intensely competitive games of dominoes.
To read the rest of Cesar's story, see the ideas sharing site Medium.
About the American Family Insurance group
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family Insurance has been serving customers since 1927. We inspire, protect and restore dreams through our insurance products, exceptional service from our agency owners and employees, community investment and creative partnerships to address societal challenges. We act on our belief in diversity and inclusion by constantly evolving to meet customer needs and preferences. American Family Insurance group is the nation’s 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group, ranking No. 251 on the Fortune 500 list. The group sells American Family-brand products, primarily through exclusive agency owners in 19 states. The American Family Insurance group also includes CONNECT, powered by American Family Insurance, The General, Homesite and Main Street America Insurance. Across these companies the group has more than 13,500 employees nationwide.