Airport Experience® News - Retail Innovation Issue 2024

INDUSTRY INNOVATORS

a positive light,” she says, speaking generally and not specifically about the airport industry. “The idea is that through the advancement and through the visibility of what Latinos do and what we’re capable of, we can start also breaking down any negative stereotypes.” Another Layer Martinez, who has been involved with AMAC since 2017 and served on its board of directors, stresses that Latinos in Airports is not affiliated with AMAC, nor does it seek to duplicate or replace the work AMAC does on behalf of the industry. But while AMAC is inclusive of all minorities, the new group will focus solely on connecting and advancing Latinos in the industry. Nazario-Bucobo says Latinos in Airports provides an extra layer of connection. “Personally, I think it’s just nice to have an extra community on top of AMAC, just to reach out to who have similarities to me,” she says. “It’s an extra resource.” Both Martinez and Treviño say they aren’t interested in forming a formal organization. “Our objective is not to create and entity and formalize it and have all the politics and the drama that typically comes with something like that,” Treviño says. The first step, identifying Latinos in the industry, is well underway. Next will be to identify the strategies that will best help expand the Latino representation in the airport community, then chart a course to execute those strategies, he says. Martinez agrees, at least for now. “At this point in time, it is not our intent to formalize,” she says, noting that everybody involved in organizing the networking and other events is a volunteer with a full-time job outside the group. “I’m not saying that we wouldn’t in the future consider it, but at this point in time, we find that many of our goals can be met [through the current format].” Martinez is hoping for more active involvement. “It has to be everybody in their own circle of influence, creating [events] and bringing the community along,” she says. “That’s really going to be key, but all this is still being developed.” Left: The Latinos in Airports group holds networking events at conferences including the Airport Experience Conference and the Airport Minority Advisory Council conference (pictured).

need that came from just one person or a couple people, it was recognized as a collective need.” Treviño’s airport industry career spans more than three decades. He’s seen the “sea of white males” in leadership positions slowly evolve to include more women and minorities, but there is still ground to make up. A group focused on networking among Latinos could help accelerate representation, he says. With the momentum from that first meeting, Martinez and Treviño followed up with a virtual meeting and another in-person networking event, this time at the 2024 Airport Experience Conference in Dallas. Volunteers Laura Mauricio, director of business development for Half Moon Empanadas and Desiree Nazario Bucobo, president and CEO of Sweet Mango Hospitality Corp ., pitched in. By then, the group had come on the radar of more and different Latino industry members. “It was a very powerful session,” Martinez says, noting that the AXC crowd included a broader range of industry players, many of whom were eager to share their stories. “It speaks to the need for people to be heard, and for belonging in a group that hasn’t really been recognized before.” That sense of community is a key element that attracted Mauricio. She was inspired by the opportunity to “support each other and

create opportunities for each other, and to really have a voice,” she says. Community Development The Latinos in Airports community continued to expand in its latest meeting, which took place at the 2024 AMAC Conference in Nashville. A few companies took notice and agreed to sponsor, defraying the costs associated with hosting an event. With Latinos in Airports now proving it resonates with the Latino community, the group is formulating some goals. “We want to develop a collective mindset because up to now, many of us have been working in silos and more individually,” she says. “But as more and more Latinos are engaged in the industry – especially those who are in position of influence – we need to be sure that the Latino community is being represented.” “We want that presence to be felt,” Martinez continues. “We want to our voices to be stronger. We want to see more Latinos in leadership, whether at an airport, a trade association or in businesses.” One group goal is to raise awareness of issues that are important to Latinos. Another is to support provessional advancement among its members. Elevating the profiles of Latinos is important in part because “not everybody sees Latinos in

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AX NEWS SEPTEMBER 2024