Hispanic Heritage Month at Cadent: Jake Cordero

Hispanic Heritage Month is from September 15th to October 15th and serves as a month to celebrate the history and diversity of Hispanic cultures. It invites us to remember all the contributions Hispanic, Latina/o/e/x, and Afro-Latina/o/e/x people made in the past and will continue to make in the future. This year’s theme, “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation,” encourages us to ensure that all voices are represented and welcomed to help build stronger communities and a stronger nation.   

Jake Cordero, a Media Analyst for Broadcast Operations, joined Cadent just last month but has already become an integral member of the team. This month at Cadent, we spoke with some of our Hispanic, Latinx, and Afro-Latinx colleagues to learn more about who they are, their experiences in and out of the workplace, and what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them. To learn more about Jake, check out our Q&A below.    

What has your career journey been?  

My career journey has been a fun and exciting one! I began working for Univision in the Local Traffic Department, working in various other departments as the years went on. My favorite part was working with our promotions team and going to all the fun events where we interacted with the community. I joined Cadent in August of this year, so I look forward to seeing where this role takes me.
 
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you? 

Hispanic Heritage month is a good time to remember and acknowledge all the accomplishments of our ancestors and how they helped shape this nation. It is also a great time to be thankful we live in a country where we can speak our language, practice our traditions, and celebrate our differences. Hispanics do not have one culture, we are a community of many different traditions, and we should celebrate them all. 

What do you feel helps to foster a culture of inclusion? How have you seen those behaviors and practices successfully put into action?  

Treating everyone with respect and acknowledging our differences but ultimately understanding, we have more in common than we think.  

What challenges do you feel are faced by the Hispanic, Latina/o/e/x, and Afro-Latina/o/e/x communities in the U.S. today and what growth do you hope to see in the future?   

Everyone has challenges and Hispanic Americans are no different. What concerns us is very similar to what concerns most American – the economy, the rising cost of higher education, our health, equality, and most importantly, in my opinion, opportunity. However, Hispanic Americans have always proven to be an active, important part of our society and I hope that continues with the next generation. 

What advice would you give to a younger colleague or a younger version of yourself? 

I would encourage my younger self to learn more about personal finances. U.S.-born Hispanics still have an 11-percentage-point gap in financial literacy compared to non-Hispanic whites. Learning the consequences of debt, the importance of saving, and even the impact of something as simple as a budget could have helped me tremendously in my younger years. 

Learn more about life at Cadent and see available roles on our Careers page.