This month, we are moving the spotlight over to feature a core member of our University Health Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (UHEDI) team. Guillermo Cuevas (he/him/el) has been with UHEDI since September 2019 and is a programs manager whose work focuses on student pathways programming.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. I received an associate’s degree in Engineering Science from Bronx Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Lehman College, part of the City University of New York. I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Finance at the U. I am a father, a husband, a student, and a spiritual youth leader.
What excites you about working in UHEDI?
It is my privilege to work at UHEDI with many individuals with whom I feel identified. It is a work environment where my opinions are validated.
Why did you want and choose to take this role?
As an immigrant, I always wanted to be recognized and validated when I bring my ideas about discrimination among underrepresented minorities in the community. I am an EDI emissary that can express his voice on behalf of those that are afraid of retaliation.
Sometimes folks look at EDI-focused careers and work as not being enough to prepare for other leadership roles outside of EDI departments. How do you feel this work does or can help benefit and advance your career as well as your close collaborators and partners?
After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the nation began to open its eyes to the poison of racism that lives within the country. Many entities are openly opposed to this crime and are opening equity, diversity, and inclusion opportunities in their institutions. EDI work is expanding exponentially and more than ever are companies willing and able to collaborate in this effort. I see the EDI work will keep increasing in our nation, but we need to make everyone accountable for their efforts.
What is your “why”?
I have always been exposed to racism. Regardless of my professional and academic preparations, I have been denied to job opportunities because of my accent or my color of skin. Sometimes I have felt like an outcast in an institution that “welcomes” everyone. The most recent experience happened to one of my kids at school where she was placed into a “Rosetta Stone” English performance session simply because of her last name. She and six other students have been placed in this program because of their Hispanic last names. No assessment tests were administered. Ironically, my daughter was selected to represent her class in a spelling bee contest where she won second place the year before. My “why” is making a difference in my community where I can create awareness and make others accountable of their actions.
Fun Facts to Know About Guillermo
- Favorite color: Light blue
- Favorite quote or piece of advice: “English is a language, not a measure of intelligence. Don’t look down on someone who speaks ‘broken English.’ It means they know another language." —Jack Parsons, CEO of The Youth Group
- Current (or most recently) binged show: Moon Knight on Disney+
- Favorite book: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
- Most used emoji: Thumbs Up or Smiley Faces
- Food or drink you couldn’t live without:
- Drink: Virgin Pina Colada
- Food: A traditional Dominican food called “La Bandera” (The Flag). It is a typical dish of white rice, pinto beans, chicken, and salad
- Something you’d like to cross off your bucket list: Parachuting
- Favorite class in school (any level of schooling): Personal Finance Planning. It should be taught in high school before students go to college.
- Most recent movie you watched, and do you recommend it? King Richard with Will Smith
- What is your “get energized” or “feel good” song? Danza Kuduro by Don Omar
- Favorite series (movie, book, tv, etc.): Breaking Bad (TV series)
- Where is the next place you’d like to travel to or visit? Costa Rica
- If you could have one superpower, what would it be? I would love to have the power of creating awareness. I would like to promote more awareness about living outside of the bubble that many individuals live in my community. Ideally, I want to let others know that diversity is a superpower that only strong and stable communities have.
- Something not listed but that you want to share with folks: I love all kinds of music. My favorite genre of music is Salsa. I remember when there was a salsa dance contest back in the Dominican Republic, and my partner and I won the contest. It has been over fifteen years or so, and I still have my trophy stored somewhere in my house.