Presentation Recap | Inclusive Workspaces: The Latinx Experience

Explore the Latinx Experience through a dynamic panel discussion featuring Latinx leaders and the opportunities and challenges that arise in the workplace. The Racial Equity & Social Impact Leadership Sessions focus on what it means to be an ally in the workplace, how to be a more inclusive manager or colleague and how equity work can drive business success. Sponsored by Berkshire Bank. 

Panelists:

Hugo Acosta, founder and owner, CNY Latino Media
Acosta is the founder and owner of the CNY Latino Media, publisher of the ONLY Hispanic oriented newspaper in Central New York, and producer a weekly "Spanish" Radio show. Native from Venezuela, he is a graduate of Computer Science from the University of Colorado, and Marketing & Advertising from New York Institute of Technology. Right after selling his successful Computer Business in 2004, Acosta started a monthly “bilingual” newspaper in Syracuse that serves a diverse readership spanning Albany to Rochester, as well as Watertown and Binghamton. His media company also provides professional translation services and serves as a marketing and advertising agency. Acosta is responsible of the creation and running of Latino Festivals in several Central New York cities, and he is devoted to positively promoting and advocating for the Latino community in America.

Bea Gonzalez, former Common Council President and Syracuse University Vice President (retired)
Bethaida "Bea" Gonzalez was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico and is a long time resident of Syracuse, New York. She has a more than 40 years of experience in higher education and a distinguished record of public and community service. In 2014 she was appointed Special Assistant to the chancellor at Syracuse University and then vice president for Community Engagement in 2017 until her retirement in 2020. Gonzalez has been elected to public office three times. In 1991 she was the first Latina to be elected to the board of education in the city of Syracuse, and in 2001 she was the first Latina elected as president of the Common Council for the city of Syracuse. Gonzalez earned a Master of Arts from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Binghamton.

Diana Jaramillo, Principal and Owner, Kin Architecture Studio, PLLC
Born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Jaramillo is an award-winning architect, licensed in New York State, and certified as a Minority Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) on the state and city level. Her firm, Kin Architecture Studio, PLLC, recently opened its doors in the Historic Hawley-Green District in Syracuse, NY. Kin Studio is a boutique design studio focused on residential, light commercial, and community projects with an emphasis on diversity, equity, and sustainability. Jaramillo has served on the EDI AIACNY and is an active member of the entrepreneurial community of CNY. Jaramillo holds an Associate Degree in Architectural Technology from Onondaga Community College, a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University, and a MPS in Sustainable Construction management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Moderator: Dr. Juhanna Rogers, VP of Racial Equity & Social Impact, CenterState CEO