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During September and October, Retail Business Services, the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA, is celebrating our associates who come from Hispanic backgrounds in honor of Hispanic American Heritage Month.

While Allison Depp, Program Management Analyst, Supply Chain Strategy, has roots that connect her to Europe, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, she finds she is most influenced by her Hispanic heritage.

While Depp’s upbringing in the United States was not solely focused on her Latino background, she managed to stay connected to her roots with the help of her aunts, uncles and cousins.

“Growing up, I had a very diverse extended family, and many of my relatives were from the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico,” Depp said. “They played a big hand in raising me – especially my tía (aunt) Ana. She made sure I stayed connected to my heritage and really helped me embrace Latino culture.”

Depp said she didn’t speak Spanish at home with her father, but her tía Ana helped her become fluent in the language and ensured Depp used it often. Tía Ana taught her Dominican traditions, showed her the steps to different dances, shared the vibrancy and color of Latino culture and made sure Depp had a tres leches cake for every birthday and graduation.

“She was always very encouraging and supportive of me,” Depp said. “She taught me that it’s good to be proud and that Latino culture is something to share with everyone – no one should be excluded from such a beautiful culture.”

Now, Depp aims to share what she learned from her tía with others. Latino and Hispanic culture is very diverse with different subcultures, food, traditions and dialects of Spanish for every country. It can be overwhelming to learn about, but Depp said she loves teaching people about the beauty in each tradition. She also noted that some things that are the same for all Hispanic and Latino cultures.

“It’s a very passionate and beautiful culture,” she said. “Everyone’s very loyal, and family is at the root of everything. It’s kind of like this big brotherhood, and Latino culture is very accepting of people wanting to learn more. It’s a culture that’s very rich, very selfless and very giving.”

And National Hispanic Heritage Month is the perfect time to invite others to learn, and to celebrate her own heritage.

“For me, it’s just a time to be extra proud of where myself and others come from,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for people to learn more about Hispanic culture. It’s so diverse! Each Hispanic country has its own traditions and history.”

For those interested in learning more, Depp recommends listening to Latino music, which has recently emerged in mainstream music in America and across the world. More than ever, artists from Latino and non-Latino backgrounds are doing musical crossovers and collaborations.

“American pop and Latino music are way more blended now,” Depp said. “And even if you don’t understand the lyrics, everyone can enjoy the beat!”