HOLA
Highlights from our key events in 2023 and 2024
Key Highlights & Events
2024: Hispanic Heritage Month
HOLA organized in-person celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month featuring catered lunches from local Hispanic or Latinx small businesses. Each office received banners and t-shirts for the events.
HOLA also hosted a virtual volunteering event for Vaco employees to review the LinkedIn profiles of Hispanic and Latinx students to prepare them for success.
2024: Cinco de Mayo
HOLA hosted a virtual cooking class led by Chef Dave Mau, an executive chef, food writer/photographer, and bar manager. Participants were provided with the ingredients so they could follow along and cook during Chef Dave’s demonstration.
2023: BIPOC Mental Health Month Calm Workshop - Healthy Boundaries and How to Set Them
In honor of BIPOC Mental Health Month in July, various employee resource groups including Black Employee Action Members (BEAM), Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and HOLA hosted a joint event. Featuring a Calm app workshop, the event focused on how to set healthy boundaries, perceived barriers to boundary setting, and the impact of having healthy boundaries.
2023: Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
During Hispanic Heritage Month in 2023, HOLA hosted a celebratory event for employees across Vaco Holdings and its collective of brands to discuss resilience and elevation with Mexican American actress and second-generation Stephanie Escajeda, VP of Radiology Partners, David Gutierrez, and MorganFranklin Consulting, Franzhua Byrd.
2023: Cinco de Mayo
To honor Cinco de Mayo, HOLA organized an Enterprise event hosted by Lucas Assis, a tequila expert, to provide an overview on the history of tequila. Lucas provided insights on how distillation started in Mexico, the differences between Mezcal and Tequila, and the main families around Tequila and the brands they own today. Participants in the event were instructed on how to create an easy-to-make cocktail or mocktail at home.
2022: Hispanic Heritage Month
Chief Executive Officer Betty Porto of Porto Bakery spoke to Vaco Holdings about her journey as a Cuban American, the beginnings of Porto Bakery, and her entrepreneurial spirit to the present day.
Members of HOLA answered:
"What is your favorite traditional Hispanic/ Latinx dish, and what memories or cultural significance does it hold for you?"
Alan Porter
"My favorite drink that I've picked up in recent years is called mate, a staple in both Uruguay and Argentina. I spent two years living in Uruguay and fell in love with the culture, including their custom of drinking mate. At any given time, you'll see people drinking it on the street, at the office, and even at soccer games! I still drink it almost daily, and it always brings back great memories of my time spent in Uruguay."
Marissa Pantoja
"I have been surrounded by my entire family in the kitchen ever since I can remember, and there are many of us! One Peruvian dish that is very near and dear to my heart is called Papa la Huancaina. Every holiday, my abuelita, cousin Abbey, and I would make it together ever since we were little, which was one of my favorite memories. Even though our abuelita passed away three years ago, Abbey and I have continued to make it together and can feel her with us every step of the way!"
Frances Moreno
"My mom, Herminia, was first generation in the United States and was born in El Paso, Texas. I used to watch her make beef enchiladas for the family; and now, 25 years after she's passed away, I still make them for my family the same way she made them for me. Also, the Moreno's make tamales every holiday season the week before Christmas. The entire family participates. We have just as much fun making them as we do eating them. It's something to look forward to and brings us all together!"
Shelton Blease
"My favorite Hispanic dish is Ajiaco, a traditional Colombian soup. My mother makes it every year on Christmas Eve, and we always get together with my mom's side of the family that night to celebrate! Even my wife and kids have come to expect it and look forward to eating it every Christmas Eve!"
Vaco understands the significance of drawing the circle wider to broaden our perspective, to connect on a deeper level, and to be a force for positive change in our world. With thousands of Vaconians and clients around the globe, our vision is creating a company – and a world – that places diversity and inclusion at the heart of its culture.