Lauren and Alejandro on Celebrating Hispanic Heritage, Community and Connection

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), two McKinstry team members sat down for a Common Threads conversation where they explored their unique experiences and found connections along the way.

Over a virtual lunch, Alejandro Mercado, facility assessment consultant, and Lauren Sadler, social impact lead, talked about their roles at McKinstry, how their Hispanic identities have shaped their experiences and what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them. Their exchange has been edited for clarity and length.

Lauren: How long have you been at McKinstry and how did you end up here?

Alejandro: I just hit my one-year anniversary and first learned about McKinstry from a friend. After he started working at McKinstry, he was like, “Whenever you’re ready for a new opportunity, give me a call. I know your work ethic and I can definitely refer you.” So when I was ready to leave my last job, I took him up on that and reached out. What about you?

Lauren: Love it. I’ve been at McKinstry for four years, which has flown by so fast. I have been very purpose-driven my entire life and always wanted to make the world a better place, so I was in the nonprofit world before I came here. I was really excited when I saw this position open up because it leveraged all the skills I built in the nonprofit space, and I could help make a bigger impact in the construction industry with the tools and talent of a corporation. Can you describe to me what you do for McKinstry in simple terms?

Alejandro: I’m a facility assessment consultant. Whenever we’re getting started with an assessment project, I’m the one who goes in and figures out exactly what we’re working with. I check the conditions of the plumbing, electric panels, mechanical systems, all those things. From there, we can start planning opportunities to improve the facility, then also make a capital plan that explores areas such as how the client may want to invest their money, what their priorities should be, and how they can best administrate. What about you?

Lauren: I’m a lead on our Social Impact team, which is focused on making a positive difference for people and the planet in line with McKinstry’s values. At a high level, I help employees make a difference in their communities through philanthropy and community service. Some of the ways my team does that is by organizing Building Good events, supporting McKinstry Alliances, finding ways to reduce the company’s greenhouse gas emissions to make progress on our carbon and climate commitment, and so much more.

Alejandro: What’s the most fun or interesting thing you’re working on right now?

Lauren: Right now, our team is thinking about ways that we can support people in the business with client engagement. So instead of handing out a gift basket at the end of the year to McKinstry’s clients, we’re thinking about ways we can elevate our relationship while aligning with our values. One idea is to organize community service opportunities with the aim of inviting our clients and trusted partners to attend and participate with us. How about you? What’s the most fun or interesting thing you’re working on right now?

Alejandro: The City of Garland has been a big client of mine, and what we’ve been doing with them actually connects to what you just said. On top of future-proofing the city’s facilities, we’re also building a stronger relationship with them by getting involved in their volunteer program. We partnered with the city to make sure kids in foster care had backpacks and school supplies for the school year.

Lauren: That was a great event!

Alejandro: It’s great to see that our relationship with the city is benefiting the community. Another interesting client is the University of Texas at El Paso, and we’ll be doing their first facility condition assessment. I’m excited to be back home and help the university I graduated from.

Where at McKinstry do you feel the most you? When do you feel you most belong?

Lauren: I feel myself when I’m at a community service project with a diverse group of folks, and I see their faces light up with joy, passion and intentionality when we’re making a difference. Seeing how community service can transform people in a moment is so powerful to me. How about you? When do you feel [the] most you?

Alejandro: For me, it’s when all our Texas teammates come together in Dallas for our all-hands meetings. We have teammates working in our Austin office but also remotely all across the state, and we usually just see each other on a screen. But getting together in person to shake their hands, give them a hug, show your appreciation — that human connection with the people you work with is so powerful.

Lauren: I love that.

Alejandro: Yeah, I mean, of course we’re all getting together to talk about work, but there’s also a social and community building aspect to it. The small chats before meetings or grabbing breakfast and lunch together.

Lauren: Absolutely. Switching subjects a bit, do you think that there is any part of your Latino identity that shapes how you show up at work?

Alejandro: I always try to be myself and I never stop being me. I love to collaborate and communicate with people, and I can see how my background and my experience have shaped who I am today. I think the only thing that I would say is kind of complicated is whenever I run into a language barrier or a cultural difference. But we can get through any sort of obstacle by remembering we’re all working toward a common goal.

Lauren: I really relate to you in the sense that I don’t see myself as Hispanic every day, but I am. Some people may try and put me in a box and just see me as Hispanic or Latina, but I’m Lauren, and there’s more to me than that. I do want to advocate for myself a little bit more and make sure my voice is heard because, especially in our industry and in the social impact space, there isn’t as much representation for Hispanic women. It’s really important to remember that how I show up might be the only time that someone sees someone like me in this space. For you, are there any common misconceptions or assumptions you’ve encountered that you want others to better understand?

Alejandro: There’s a stereotype that Latino or Hispanic people are really loud and always partying. We’re always dancing, making big gestures, wanting to be the center of attention. And I don’t really identify with that because I consider myself to be a little more reserved. I mean, in the Latino community, we’re all coming from individual cultures that are different in some ways, but at the same time, there’s a lot that connects us.

Lauren: Yeah, I completely agree. I think that especially in the United States, depending on where you live, your experience with Hispanic culture or Latino culture is going to be unique depending on where those individual people come from. It’s hard for people to conceptualize that there are millions and millions and millions of Hispanic people that come from various countries that have unique experiences with the Spanish language and different cultures. We’re so diverse and not a monolith.

Alejandro: Absolutely. We’re all unique and shaped in different ways.

Lauren: Are there aspects of your identity that you feel really connected to or appreciate?

Alejandro: Even though we all have different unique cultures and experiences, there’s a sense of kinship within the Hispanic and Latino community. There’s some cultural overlap that makes our connection with each other so meaningful. I mean, there’s almost a sort of magic to it. What about you?

Lauren: Growing up, I didn’t realize how much my values and the way I behaved were shaped by my mom’s culture. We identify as “Hispano,” which are Spanish speaking settlers that have lived in the American Southwest for more than 300 years. And when I think about my family, my ancestors, they were so committed to their communities — to building a great reputation, to having a strong family — and never settling for less than excellence. I have a lot of pride when I look back at their roots in rural southern Colorado, how they were able to become judges, attorneys and engineers. I wouldn’t say it’s work ethic. It’s just a certain Integrity and dedication to their community that has lived on.

Alejandro: Yeah, I fully agree on that drive to excel in every aspect of everything that you do because you feel like someone is looking over you. Does Hispanic Heritage Month hold personal significance for you?

Lauren: Absolutely. A lot of my ancestors were directly tied to Colorado becoming a state and American history, which I’m very proud of. One of my great-grandfathers, Jose Victor, was a territorial state legislator, which made him one of the first Hispanic state legislators in Colorado. And then I think his father, Jose Amarante, was a judge, and he helped build out a lot of the counties in southern Colorado. So much of Hispanic culture and the founding of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico is left out of the conversation when we talk about our nation’s history. I think it’s really important to remember that when we think about American history, that includes Hispanic and Latin American history. How about you?

Alejandro: Wow, I didn’t know that about you. Since I grew up in Mexico, September has always been a patriotic month for me. Some people have the misconception that Mexican Independence Day is May 5, but it’s actually on September 16. You know how sometimes words feel like they have a color? September for me is a combination of green, white and red, like the colors of the Mexican flag. I always hang a flag outside my home this month to celebrate. And Mexico is one of many Latin American countries that celebrate independence during Hispanic Heritage Month, so the whole month is just one big celebration for the community. It definitely holds a special meaning for me.

Lauren: Ok, what excites you most about where McKinstry is headed?

Alejandro: We’re really established in the Pacific Northwest and are starting to make a name in Texas and the South. It’s great to see us expand and bring our values and our mission down here, and I’m excited to be a part of it. What about you?

Lauren: I’m excited that we’re opening ourselves up to more innovation and thinking about ways that we can do things differently. We’re thinking about how we can serve our clients in greater and more transformative ways.

Alejandro: Yeah, and I’m really excited for what’s coming as well. What do you think we had unexpectedly in common?

Lauren: I would have to say we both love serving our communities, which sounds corny, but we first connected when you raised your hand to be a part of our Texas Building Good Committee.

Alejandro: Yeah, I think we’re both passionate about what we do and making an impact. Not only by using our voices, but also through our actions.