Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) recognizes and celebrates the contributions Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Spanish-speaking countries of the Caribbean have made to U.S. society and culture. In honor of this event, four NYGC staffers reflect on what their Hispanic heritage, as well as diversity and inclusion, mean to them.
Wilmarys Concepcion
Executive Assistant and HR Assistant
Tell us about your current role at NYGC.
I have been with NYGC for a little over five years and have worked with a number of groups in that time. I currently support CompBio and HR.
What does Hispanic heritage mean to you?
Hispanics are a very diverse people with ancestry from all over the world, I am very proud of my heritage and invite others to learn about our rich histories and contributions to the world. My heritage is closely tied to the way that I view the world, and in many ways, has influenced some of the most important decisions that I have made for my life.
What got you interested in working at NYGC?
Initially my colleague Mike Rosario. Currently, the many wonderful people that I work with and NYGC’s mission.
What/who is your biggest inspiration?
My daughters inspire, motivate, and challenge me every single day.
What do you enjoy doing besides work?
I love going to concerts (pre-COVID), I am all about the live music and enjoy spending time with close friends and family. I really enjoy laughing hard and often.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I always seem to get in my own way, so my advice would be to:
– Trust yourself a little more, your experience is valid.
– Stop apologizing so much.
– Don’t be afraid to take risks and ask questions.
Justin Maldonado
Senior Network Engineer
Tell us about your current role at NYGC.
I’m a Senior Network Engineer in the Information Technology Department.
What does Hispanic heritage mean to you?
For me, my heritage means being a caretaker for the traditions that my ancestors have left behind, choosing which traditions to hold dear and which ones to let go.
What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?
Diversity means having perspectives that are varied by race, gender, ethnicity, skin color, orientation, nationality, religion, political ideology. Inclusion means leveraging these different perspectives from that kaleidoscope in shaping the direction of that organization. This includes everything from business to culture.
What got you interested in working at NYGC?
I have had several family members affected by Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer. I wanted to be part of the community that is [seeking] the cure for those ills.
What/who is your biggest inspiration?
Simón Bolívar.
What do you enjoy doing besides work?
Traveling, deejaying, dancing, art.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would tell my 2005 self to invest in Google.
Laura Pereira
Staff Scientist and Lab Manager, Knowles Lab
Tell us about your current role at NYGC.
My current role at NYGC is Staff Scientist and Lab Manager in David Knowles’s lab. I work on generating data that can be used to improve machine learning models that can predict splicing outcomes in different cellular contexts.
What does Hispanic heritage mean to you?
I was born and raised in Uruguay, a tiny country in South America. When I got to the United States, I realized how diverse the Hispanic community was in this country. You can be Hispanic from South America, which is very different from Central America or Spain. For me, Hispanic heritage relates to acknowledging and appreciating the richness of the entire Hispanic culture, including our language, our food, our music and movies, and being able to pass that on to my children. I believe it’s important to be able to treasure our heritage as we integrate into the community we are part of in New York City.
What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?
Diversity encompasses all the differences you can find between people in terms of culture, skin color, religion, socioeconomic background, political leaning or sexual orientation and probably others I’m forgetting. I would not say Uruguay is a very diverse country. Moving here is when I first enjoyed being part of a much more diverse community where we should all be welcomed and valued by what we are. I wish this was truly the case. Diversity and inclusion bring a richer experience to my personal life and also challenge me to put myself in someone else’s shoes. I actually think my kids are lucky to grow up in a diverse society and I’m hoping we can work together to make it more inclusive.
What got you interested in genomics?
I’d say I’m sort of new to genomics. I’m fascinated by the amount of data we have generated and what are the details we can learn from it regarding how a cell makes all types of decisions.
What/who is your biggest inspiration?
I find inspiration to be a better partner, mother, scientist, and friend in talking to other people with different perspectives and struggles. It helps me to put what I think are my problems into a bigger picture and realize I’m doing the best I can. In particular, I admire women who have had children and still manage to fulfill their professional aspirations. I’m working on it!
What do you enjoy doing besides work?
I like the basic things like getting a full night of sleep on weekends (I have two young kids) and a good meal with my family and friends (where I don’t have to clean up). I like listening to podcasts on my bike ride to NYGC, reading fiction, traveling to new places, and finding time to be alone.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to young scientists starting out in their career?
I’d say to find research topics that interest you deeply, to surround yourself with a supportive environment and to not take a failed experiment or rejected grant personally.
Lindsay Reisman
Associate Scientist II, Production Lab
Tell us about your current role at NYGC.
I’m currently an Associate Scientist II on the library prep team in the Production Lab. My day to day usually involves preparing whole genome, exome, or RNA libraries for Next-Generation Sequencing. In addition to my daily duties, I am fortunate to work on other projects, such as testing new instruments with the Automation team, or working with new reagents. However, a recent project I have been most proud of is the testing and efficient adoption of a Illumina prep for processing COVID RNA samples in our lab. This has been an extremely rewarding accomplishment as I feel like I’m contributing to valuable research during these stressful times. In addition to my work at NYGC, I am also a part-time student in the Bioinformatics M.S. program at NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
What does Hispanic heritage mean to you?
I recently learned there are five core values of the Hispanic culture: family, fiesta, food, faith, and fútbol. Ironically, it’s also how I could easily describe my childhood. Some of my earliest memories consist of blaring music and watching my cousins dance until their feet were numb. From the never-ending family parties to the sound of laughter coming from my many cousins for my never being able to roll my R’s. To this day, I can’t walk into my Abuelita’s house without leaving with a full stomach and leftovers in hand. The Hispanic heritage to me is the stories that my older relatives tell; my Abuelita teaching me how to perfect quimbolitos [Ecuadorean spongy corn cake wrapped in a banana leaf] with her secret recipe; my mother teaching me how to be the strongest woman possible. It’s ingrained into who I am and I am proud to be a part of it.
What does diversity and inclusion mean to you?
I grew up in an extremely diverse town where different cultures and ethnicities were celebrated. It wasn’t until college that I realized not everyone was afforded this same luxury. Many people in my new environment had only been exposed to people similar to themselves, either economically or physically. It wasn’t until then that I had realized that inclusion and diversity, topics that seemed so ingrained in my life, were so foreign to others. This has stayed such an important part of my life because I believe that bringing an understanding of cultures or religions that differ from yours is so crucial in harnessing successful communication.
What got you interested in science?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with the way our bodies function. We know so much about ourselves, the daily processes that run throughout our systems to keep us going, yet there is still so much left to learn. That idea alone sparked the passion I have for science, a field where there is an infinite amount of information to absorb and learn. I love working in a field that is constantly evolving and requires us to keep searching for answers.
What/who is your biggest inspiration?
I draw many inspirations from a number of people in my life but the one person who has greatly inspired me is my mother. A single parent who faces adversity with grace and elegance, and always sees the light at the end of the tunnel. She has taught me that challenges are not something to fear, but rather invaluable life lessons. I hope that I can carry her power, strength and courage in anything I pursue.
What do you enjoy doing besides work?
Quarantine has shifted a lot of the things I enjoy to do in my free time. I’ve recently got back into yoga which has kept me balanced during such an eventful uneventful time, for lack of better words. I also have been baking and cooking a lot more than usual and dare I say, have even mastered the art of chicken wings. Honey soy garlic, Cajun barbecue, garlic parmesan – you name it, and I can make it! If quarantine has granted me one thing, it’s been the opportunity to enjoy the small things such as walks on a sunny day to perfecting my headstand in yoga.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to new scientists starting out in their career?
Don’t be afraid to push the limits. Always continue to learn from your colleagues and question everything.
