Humans of Meraki
Connecting the Latinx Community across the World
Being a member of a community is part of the human experience. For this series of Humans of Meraki, we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from September 15th through to October 15th, by highlighting members of the Conexión Latinx Network, an Employee Resource Organization (ERO) here at Cisco Meraki. As part of the series, Jesika Paul from Meraki London, shares her thoughts on her cultural pride, the importance of community, and how she is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
Why is it important to you to be part of a Latinx community?
I grew up in Guatemala, though I have lived in many places, including London where I currently reside. My family members live all over the world; my mom lives in El Salvador, my dad in Spain, and my sisters live in Qatar and Florida. Since my family is so spread out, it’s important to me to be a part of a community wherever I am. I have always found it comforting having friends I can connect with about our Latin identities, whether it’s our favorite foods, traditions, or the things that make us unique as a culture.
Were you able to find a Latinx community at Meraki?
When I started at Meraki San Francisco, I learned about Meraki’s Employee Resource Organization (ERO), Conexión Latinx Network, an affinity group focused on bringing the Latinx community together. Conexión hosts regular events for its members, focused on fostering career development and celebrating Latinx culture and history. After attending a few events, I joined the ERO and was excited to be a part of a group that gave me a taste of home away from home.
How did you become a leader of Conexión Latinx Network?
When I relocated to Meraki London, I wanted to remain involved in Conexión, but the time difference made it difficult to attend events in the United States. With encouragement from the president of Conexión and my friend, Angela Mesa, I decided to start the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) chapter of the Conexión Latinx Network in London. The EMEA arm formed in 2020 and at that time, we only had three members — we’ve since grown to 243 members and will be celebrating this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month with our first in-person/hybrid event. I am so glad we have built a Latinx community in EMEA and share our welcoming culture and values with everyone.
How is Conexión Latinx Network celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month?
To kick off the festivities, we are going to have influential speakers, a professional development series, and a “Rum & Reggaeton” closing celebration. Additionally, there will be a spread of delicious Latin-inspired food and drinks throughout the event. To me, Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to invite people into our rich heritage and history. If everyone learns about our culture, I believe it will help form a more equitable and diverse world.
