This Hispanic Heritage Month, JCPenney honors and celebrates our Latinx and Hispanic associates and inspires the future with the message ‘when we are united, we are more’ or ¡Unidos Somos Mas!
Commemorating Latin American Independence Days
To recognize Hispanic Heritage Month today, we must remember the community’s history, heritage, and contributions that brought us here. Originally instituted in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month honors the anniversary of independence for many Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on Sept. 15, and Mexico, Chile, and Belize later in September.
Creating Inclusive Spaces for our Customers and Associates
Celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, Hispanic Heritage Month commemorates the Hispanic culture that makes up over 18.5% of the U.S. population with a projected growth to 30.2% by 2050, according to the Pew Research Center.
JCPenney is committed to supporting and serving this community through stores in Hispanic communities across the U.S., including six in Puerto Rico, and providing bilingual signage in these stores as well as actively sourcing and contracting minority suppliers and Hispanic-owned companies.
A reflection of this commitment is carried out in our workforce and strong Inclusion & Diversity program through the recent recognition in LATINA Style’s 50 Report of the 2021 50 Best Companies for Latinas for the sixth consecutive year. Ranking 36th on the list this year, this achievement highlights JCPenney’s continued work to cultivate an inclusive culture.
Inspiring ¡Unidos Somos Mas!
JCPenney’s inclusive culture is best represented by our associates who foster it. That’s why the Latinx and Hispanic Educational & Awareness Team (HEAT) Business Resource Team (BRT) invited several Latinx leaders to speak in a virtual panel discussion, including:
- Enriqueta Calvillo, general manager, Store 0226 in McAllen, Texas
- Brandon Flores, vice president, e-commerce
- Areli Guzman, general manager, Store 1542 in Chicago
- David Trujillo, district manager, Region 2
Panelists shared their experiences as they faced adversity, showed resilience, earned success, and inspired ‘when we are united, we are more’ or ¡Unidos Somos Mas!
“When I first joined JCPenney, I was looking for an opportunity to get a college education and show my children that it’s possible,” said Guzman. “Today, I am a true example of growth within the company from joining as seasonal help to now running one of the largest stores in my district.”
“Our culture is focused on faith and family, and a healthy fear of failure,” said Trujillo. “We were brought up to be successful by working harder than everyone else. If you have a talent for something, go and pursue that and be the best at whatever you do.”
We are proud to support our Latinx and Hispanic associates and customers by providing a workplace and shopping environment where everyone feels like they belong and thrive. Please join us in celebrating the many cultures, traditions, and voices represented by this community during Hispanic Heritage Month and throughout the year.
