UScellular Celebrates Hispanic Heritage With Art, Storytelling and Community Building
UScellular is committed to a workplace culture that supports and empowers people of all backgrounds and experiences. An inclusive workplace is part of our company culture, and drives the best outcomes for our associates, our customers and our communities.
We spoke with some of our associates who shared their stories about finding fellowship in our Latino Associate Network Associate Resource Group, giving back to their local communities, and mentoring others to develop new skills and pursue their career goals.
Carmen O’Brien
Associate Mobile Services Optimization Engineer
Why did you decide to join our Latino Associate Network?
We have a very inclusive culture at UScellular, and I’ve always wanted to promote that with other people. I first joined our Women in Action Associate Resource Group because I am passionate about empowering women and supporting their career development. When I learned about our Latino Associate Network, I signed up to empower and uplift like-minded people here in Knoxville,
Tenn., and I now serve on the national board as an internal engagement lead. It’s amazing to share learnings and our culture with other associates through fun and interactive events sponsored by our Associate Resource Groups.
What has been your most memorable contribution as a member of this Associate Resource Group?
I really enjoyed speaking at our “Embracing Equity: Latina Women in Leadership and Executive Roles” event during Women’s History Month. It gave me a chance to share my story and advocate for women being at the forefront of the conversation in technology professions.
How do you influence or champion other associates at UScellular?
I always look for ways to support others with their career development. I mentored a new associate who moved to the United States from Venezuela, helping her get acclimated to our team and projects, and we’ve maintained a relationship to ensure she continues to succeed in her role. When I worked in a technical support role, I pushed for a promotion to challenge myself and take the next step in my career, which inspired other associates to consider new possibilities for their careers. Helping my fellow associates and instilling belief in their potential is very rewarding.
Who has been a mentor or role model for you in your career? What was the most valuable lesson you learned from them?
My parents taught me to always take pride in what I do, no matter how small the job, which was an important lesson early in my career. I really admire United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland for being the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary in U.S. history, and I’m continually inspired by other women who are setting an example for what women can achieve in their careers.
Ignacio Cabrera
Senior Service Assurance Engineer
Why did you decide to join our Latino Associate Network?
My parents moved from Mexico to the United States in search of better opportunities for our family, and I come from a family-oriented background where we always try to help others. My father worked in the steel mills of northwest Indiana, which was difficult and sporadic work, and even though my family didn’t have much, we always gave back to our local community. This taught me an early lesson to “leave it better than you received it” that I bring to my work every day. I want to give back at UScellular and being a member of the Latino Associate Network enables me to help other associates with their professional development and careers. Being a member of an Associate Resource Group has also given me opportunities to develop my public speaking skills, share what I’ve learned and model the way for other Latino associates at UScellular. I like to share my experience with others so I can make their experience better at work and in their careers.
What has been your most memorable contribution as a member of this Associate Resource Group?
Building connections in the community is very important to me. Last year I visited the Boys & Girls Club in Tulsa, Okla. to speak to the kids about careers in STEM in support of our annual Hispanic Heritage Month art contest. Not every kid will grow up to become an engineer or work in telecom, but I enjoy connecting with these kids to open the door to what is possible for their future careers when they grow up.
How do you influence or champion other associates at UScellular?
I enjoy mentoring interns who participate in our annual summer Internship Program. I lean into our company values and culture to help the interns feel like they’re part of our UScellular family. I also use my professional knowledge and experience to support them while they work on a real-world business challenge during the 10 weeks they spend at our company. I also enjoy representing UScellular at local job fairs to help recruit candidates to join our team. I highlight how our company prioritizes its people and share my own experiences to set an example for others. As a Latino recruiter at a job fair, I can show Latino candidates that UScellular is a great company for career opportunities.
Who has been a mentor or role model for you in your career? What was the most valuable lesson you learned from them?
My older brother was the first person in my family who attended college. He paved the way and inspired me to attend college and achieve my goals. The most valuable lesson he taught me was to never give up. I also look up to my parents who taught me to be humble, work hard and always help other people. As a kid, I saw how hard my parents worked to provide for our family. I learned from that to work similarly hard and do good things for others.