“Why Not? We can …and We Will!”
Accepting and Making the Most of Our Authentic Selves at Work

Marie Quintana
Vice President, Multicultural Sales
PepsiCo

I was making a presentation at a sales meeting when it happened. In fact, it came out very naturally: “Por que no? Nosotros podemos, y nosotros lo haremos!” “Why not? We can …and we will!”

I heard myself speaking my “first” language to a non-Hispanic audience, something I had not done before. Coming from Cuba in the early ‘60s, I’d use Spanish every day, but only with my parents. I grew up in a small Louisiana town among few Hispanics, and I learned that to fit in, one spoke English. The lessons in assimilation continued, from my early years to when I graduated from college, got my first job, and every job after that. My career goal became focused only on producing results—the ultimate way to assimilate into corporate America. At that point, I was unaware of inhabiting two distinct worlds—my Hispanic family life and my assimilated business life.

That is, until I began working at PepsiCo. A few years after joining, I spoke at a Latino Leadership Forum, relating my story of coming to America and growing up as a “Cuban Cajun” in a non-Hispanic neighborhood. Afterward, I heard from many who had been there that my story had hit a nerve. I felt a sense of community, connection and tremendous support.

A few years later, I helped establish what became PepsiCo’s Women of Color (WOC) Multicultural Alliance, which today serves as a support system and resource to attract, develop and retain women of color through mentoring and by sponsoring authentic relationships between managers and their employees. Our steering committee worked with a consultant whose words still resonate: “You have to find your ‘spice.’” Through this experience, I realized the power of tapping into your roots, into your heritage, and into what it means to be a Latina in the workplace.

Women of color—including Latinas, African Americans, Asians and Native Americans—often lose confidence as they climb the corporate ladder, because of cultural differences and the absence of a clear career path. Most of us never had a role model who shared our heritage. Having a role model is a gift that can empower Latinas and I’m proud now to serve as a mentor. Personally, I have a deeper sense of the sacrifice of those who came before—and a greater commitment to opening the doors for those who come after.

After leadership positions in sales and information technology at Fortune 100 companies, today I am in a role that integrates my diverse background with my sales experience: vice president of multicultural sales. What a vital opportunity to use my heritage for a bigger purpose—touching the community and making consumers’ lives fuller, more enjoyable and more convenient.
I’m grateful to PepsiCo and its empowering leaders with the vision, strength and courage to create an inclusive environment. It’s a culture that helps our people feel at ease bringing everything from our cultural heritage to our work experiences, to focus on PepsiCo’s challenges and opportunities.

Finding the right mentors and the right employer to encourage what is best and most authentic in us is key. Life can be a journey where we come full circle to find our heritage—a gift to be celebrated and shared. I feel blessed to be blazing a trail, to be making it easier for those who are entering the workplace and developing their careers by using my unique Latina experience as a daughter, mother and executive at PepsiCo. I think of Latinas, including my daughter, who will follow in their own careers, and say be authentic, “Por que no? Nosotros podemos, y nosotros lo haremos!”