Source: United States Navy
The walkthrough, which celebrated and educated various hispanic countries and cultures, consisted of a slideshow, posters and presenters, some of whom originated from the countries they spoke on, to further explain the cultures, foods, people, and history.
“These diversity events are incredibly important for us to understand cultures throughout the world, and these cultures are a part of us, part of our team,” said Capt. Kim Davis, NMRTC San Diego’s commander. “This morning, I was able to interact with several of our Shipmates who are from these countries and hear about the people, the food, immigration to their countries and how certain traditions were created.”
By speaking with the presenters, Davis was introduced to the differences in the Spanish language in Argentina and that part of the world, some of the delicacies, recommendations for authentic cuisine within San Diego, and reconnected with past experiences from previous missions.
“I also talked to another one of the participants today who’s from Puerto Rico and that was lovely because I had an opportunity back in 2002 to be stationed there at Roosevelt Roads in Ceiba, Puerto Rico,” said Davis. “Our family embraced every corner of that wonderful island and the warmth of their people, so it was a little bit like a homecoming.”
The Diversity Committee members who hosted the event appreciate the opportunity to share and celebrate the diverse cultures present. One such presenter, Hospitalman Luis Trejo, created the poster for Argentina, where he and his family are from.
“Me being Hispanic, I felt very proud making a poster sharing about my culture and my people,” said Trejo. “As people were coming in, I felt happy explaining all the things about my country to them, and this is just something very special for me because I’ve helped out in other command observations as well and this one was something that was close to me.”
Both Davis and Trejo see this event as an important way not only to showcase the huge diversity of NMRTC San Diego, but also to bring Sailors closer together through understanding, education, and celebration.
“The biggest thing is making everybody feel a part of the team,” said Trejo. “We all work here everyday, and events like this bring people together and that’s the biggest thing we can take away.”
“Having events like this has a way to bring us together to share in what makes us unique and different,” said Davis. “It is a beautiful way to see and understand the melting pot that our military is, we have folks as part of our team, civilians and military from around the globe.”