Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Aileen Tavares Details Her Dominican Story

This year, the CTCPA added a number of new staff to the team, including Professional Development Coordinator Kendalynn Morales and Accounting Associate Aileen Taveres. 

Two proud Hispanic women, Kendalynn and Aileen were more than happy to share their stories and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month (occurring annually from September 15 to October 15).

Tell me about your family’s background.
My parents were both born in Dominican Republic and my two siblings and I were born in New York City. My dad works in technology and e-commerce and my mom is in the aerospace industry. I am the first to enter the accounting and finance world! 😊  

How much Spanish was spoken in your house – are you bilingual?
Spanish was spoken in my household every day, and I am trilingual. My mom would speak to me in Spanish and made me read books in Spanish. My dad spoke to me in English and made me read and write the English language. I grew up speaking both English and Spanish and started taking Italian in middle school, high school, and my college years.

How has your Hispanic heritage shaped you?
My Hispanic heritage has taught me to be goal-oriented and never give up. I consistently make a lot of goals for myself, achieve them, and create more goals. My dad always said, “Every day, wake up and be a better version of you. Work on yourself physically, mentally, emotionally. Never stop learning; advance in school and your career. Always grow and evolve, and, remember, change is good”.

Can you share a favorite tradition, food, etc. your family has?
A favorite tradition my family has is every Sunday, it is mandatory for everyone to attend Sunday dinner. We all get together and make Chimichurri, which is a traditional snack dish served in the Dominican Republic. We also make Salpicon, which is Dominican-style seafood. With everyone being so busy with their career and/or college, Sunday nights are fun and nice to look forward to, knowing everyone will be there and we can all get together and spend quality time at the dinner table.

Why do you feel diversity is important within companies and the business community?
A diverse workforce provides more channels for acquiring talents.