One of the most important forms for the Latino community, which will give a voice to our communities, shape our future, and impact the nation should have been returned by now. It is time for the U.S. Census, an event that only happens every 10 years, and many organizations want to make sure that there is full count of all the Latinos in the U.S. The U.S. Census counts everyone residing within the U.S. border, including citizens and non-citizens. Congressional districts and political representation are assigned from the Census data and more than $400 billion in federal funds are distributed based on Census information. “Women play an important role in filling out the form since they handle a lot of the household details,� says Marilia Matos, U.S. Census Bureau’s associate director for field operations. “Participating n the U.S Census is a constitutional mandate. We do not share information with anybody and information is completely confidential. Everyone needs to be counted in the Census, it’s how we get our voices heard. It affects funding for our communities and ensures that the Latino community is fairly represented. Funding for our schools, for job training, for housing and much more will be dependent on participation in the 2010 Census.�

You’ve been working for an organization for a couple of years now and are not quite sure how to get to the next level or maybe you’re a senior leader at your respective organization and want to assist others in achieving the same success. Enter affinity groups—also known as networking groups—these groups provide a place for employees within a company to come together, interact, and essentially serve as a support group to help one another reach a goal. The groups are set based on certain parameters such as ethnicity, gender, or even sexual orientation. By incorporating affinity groups, an organization is demonstrating a best practice for forming and maintaining an inclusive work environment, key to diversity within a company, and its bottom line. When Irene Rosenfeld was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Kraft Foods, Inc. in 2006, diversity was a priority on her agenda. “We’re fully committed to diversity as an integral part of our business strategy,� says Jim Norman, vice president of Diversity for Kraft Foods, Inc., whose position was created in response to Rosenfeld’s commitment to diversity. “At Kraft Foods, diversity is not just about gender and race. Rather, it’s also about bringing together people with diverse experiences, perspectives and backgrounds. As a result, we’re creating a culture that’s open and inclusive – a culture that’s driving business success for our shareholders, our business partners, our consumers and our employees.� Currently, there are 10 nationalities represented within top 30 leaders and 34 percent of women in middle/senior management at Kraft. “At Kraft, diversity really comes from the top,� says Janeth Caicedo, director of Global Supply Chain Strategy for Kraft Foods, Inc. in Northfield, Illinois. “All the activities, the support and all of the programs we have, have been driven by a strong commitment at the top level.� Caicedo explains there is a strong effort in the company to reflect the faces of its consumers with the employees. With sales in approximately 160 countries, it’s no surprise Kraft would want to represent its consumers within its employees. One way the company is doing that is by having different affinity groups, known as councils. Kraft currently has 10 councils, including a Latino Council, with some of these councils in existence for at least a decade.

These groups address the needs of its members by providing different tools, programs, and training sessions to help employees achieve success. Kraft’s Latino Council focuses on three main priorities: professional development, community/cultural awareness and business linkage. Last year the council launched a mentoring program called Guía (Guide) that pairs employees with an individual or group mentor. “There are a lot of Latinos at junior levels and they want to move ahead in their careers. They’ll ask: What type of experience is necessary? What kind of knowledge do I need? What steps in my career do I need to take to get ahead?� says Caicedo, who leads the Latino Council within the Northfield region. “We can help provide support on how to plan all of that by understanding what an employee’s strengths are, what an employee is lacking, what an employee’s future aspirations are and help develop an action plan.� Additionally, the council will help its members get exposure to senior management through networking events. By inviting senior leaders within the company to interact with council participants, the group is given the opportunity to learn more about these leaders and how they got to their positions.

It’s an enriching experience,� says Caicedo. For Verizon’s Hispanic Support Organization (HSO), career development also means an awareness of the need for higher education. Elva Lima, vice president of Strategic Programs at Verizon, has been with the company for 30 years. As a member of Verizon’s California HSO Chapter who holds a leadership position with the HSO, Lima wants Latinos to understand the benefit of Verizon’s tuition reimbursement program and that it shouldn’t be passed up. “I have one Latino young man I’ve been mentoring for the last four years and he had no degree. Now he has two classes to finish. He has a family and is the first in his family to go to college,� says Lima who had her undergraduate and graduate degree paid for by Verizon. “The company does everything but go to class for you.� Similar to the Latino Council, the HSO has several initiatives to assist employees. There is an annual conference where employees come together to create employee resource groups. There are also workshops, mentoring and networking opportunities. The HSO has helped Lima in her career, as well.

“I have met other Latinas in the company who I can call upon when I need to share ideas, challenges, or just career advice,� says Lima. Affinity groups also do their part in helping their respective companies succeed in their business plans. Perhaps one of the most critical roles they play is representing consumers within the company. When the research and development team at Kraft is developing a product for the Latino market, they will leverage the diversity that already exists within the company. The Latino Council is called upon to participate and provide internal input with the preferences that the Hispanic/Latino community may have. At Verizon, the HSO advocates internally on market trends and marketing opportunities that should be addressed. “There’s a voice internally to come together as a collective group and share our thoughts and recommendations,� says Lima. It also gives the HSO a chance to meet with organizations externally that may have suggestions for the company, but these external organizations do more than just make recommendations; these relationships are leveraged to help with recruitment efforts.

“I reach out to non-profits like alumni associations or organizations if we have openings in our multilingual center and are looking for bilingual Vietnamese/English or Spanish/English candidates so we can connect them to our company,� says Lima. She helps build awareness and promote job opportunities through her work with community colleges and universities in California. By continuing to promote affinity groups such as the Latino Council and the Hispanic Support Organization, more and more minorities will find the support needed to grow within their profession and advance in their career. “In the Latino community there is so much energy and drive,� says Caicedo. “There’s a strong desire to collaborate and move forward and I think that is what will help us reap the benefits of the work we’re doing now with these programs.� By Alondra Hernandez