Culture

Elasticians Unidos Month 2021 | Our global celebration of Latinx and Hispanic heritages

We proudly celebrate Hispanic and Latinx-identified communities as part of Elasticians Unidos Month, a global expression of solidarity and appreciation of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Employees at Elastic have come together to extend the US Hispanic Heritage Month to communities around the world of Hispanic and Latinx identities through a series of virtual learning and sharing–from ceviche and tortilla making to folklore and history-telling, from music showcases to cocktail mixings. 

To kick off the Sept 15th to Oct 15th festivities, we spoke with five Elasticians about what this month means to them and how they bring their heritage to work. 

Ully Sampaio

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Ully has been a Specialist for Community Programs at Elastic for three years. The native Portuguese-speaker, who lives in Maryland, moved from Brazil to the United States first to participate in a cultural exchange program. Now, she manages our Elastic community in Latin America and Canada and has led Elastic’s partnership with Latinas in Tech.

Do you feel comfortable bringing your heritage to work?

“I immediately connected with one of Elastic’s core values, that we all have an accent. I am working for a company in the United States, with a bunch of other immigrants, where English was also their second language. That made me feel so welcome. I feel empowered. My differences are welcome by my team, and the company as a whole.”

What does Elasticians Unidos Month mean to you?

“A lot of people think we speak Spanish as the official language in Brazil. It’s Portuguese. With Elasticians Unidos Month, it feels good to feel known by our individuality and by your country and our languages. This just shows, one more time, and one more way to make sure we all feel embraced, and included, and welcome.”

 How does your personal experience enrich your professional goals at Elastic?

“I studied communications and was working at an events company in the United States building relationships in Brazil. Elastic was looking for a Brazilian, or somebody who can speak Portuguese to help grow the Latin American market, especially in Brazil.”

Johana Ochoa

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Johana, originally from Mexico, is a Senior Channels & Alliances Manager for the Americas at Elastic who moved to California in pursuit of her college degree. The native Spanish-speaker has worked at Elastic for more than two years. “Like every immigrant, I was in search of something bigger,” she says about why she came to the United States.

Do you feel comfortable bringing your heritage to work?

“I’m a minority. I'm a female first. I'm a woman in business. I'm a woman in sales—a career where there are more males. I'm also part of the LBGTIA+ community. I'm a lesbian. Elastic has been a place where I don't feel judged, where people not only have respect for who I am, but they have embraced it. Elastic is a company where I feel I can be myself and be respected enough for who I love or for who I decide to be with.”

How does your personal experience enrich your professional goals at Elastic?

“I know how markets operate differently in different cultures. I bring my cultural knowledge on how to do business in Latin American countries, and how to develop local relationships with our local partners.”

Who from your culture inspires you?

“My mother, who taught me how to read and write, and how to love freely. My father who taught me freedom and to be the architect of my own destiny.”

“Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. She was empowering women for equality. She was independent. She was not the normal domesticated woman of her time in Mexico. And in the United States, Caesar Chavez, who worked to protect labor rights.”

Javier Detrinidad

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Javier is the Program Manager for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at Elastic who lives in Orlando, Florida. The native Spanish-speaker, who has been at Elastic since May, moved to the United States from Nicaragua after earning a scholarship to Drury University in Missouri.

Do you feel comfortable bringing your heritage to work?

“I don’t think of myself as the guy, Javier, from Nicaragua. I don’t necessarily like labels. At Elastic, it’s about coming as you are, and bringing your whole self and background to work. And how cool is that, to be yourself and see others who are themselves, it makes our interactions so much more interesting. As TV series Ted Lasso said quoting Walt Whitman, ‘Be curious, not judgemental,’ when we are our genuine selves we are interesting and inspire others to be curious about our backgrounds… and I for one love meeting interesting people!”

How does your personal experience enrich your professional goals at Elastic?

“I bring life experiences of economic challenges and look at things differently. Growing in a country with significant economic and political challenges helps me be more appreciative of living in the United States. Our personal life experiences makes us more empathic towards each other. At the end of the day, it allows me - and all - to bring all of that experience and put it to work at a company that values who I am.”

Who from your culture inspires you?

“It is hard to describe the feeling when my Spotify playlist plays a song that reminds me of back home, it takes me by surprise! Or when mom sends me a picture of a favorite Nicaraguan dish or fruit, I miss it! Remembering where I come from and my family inspires me. My parents were always there for me and never said no to any of my crazy dreams, including being a pilot. It was very special when mom sent me a picture of my great grandfather’s tomb that read, ‘Humberto Pasos Diaz, First National Pilot, Died in Combat.’ It gave me chills; I had NO idea! Remembering where I come from keeps me grounded.”

Kimberly Chavez


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Kimberly has been a General Ledger Accountant at Elastic since April. The native Spanish and Portuguese-speaker moved from Peru and eventually settled in Texas.

What does Elasticians Unidos Month mean to you?

“Elasticians Unidos Heritage month means an opportunity to celebrate multiple cultures, reflect on influences, recognizing the importance of breaking barriers, and an opportunity to learn and to come together as a community. I hope other Elasticians take away from Elasticians Unidos Month a deeper knowledge and appreciation for Hispanic cultures and can feel like a part of a greater community. “ 

Who from your culture inspires you?

“My biggest Latinx inspiration are my parents. I would not be here today if it wasn’t for them. My dad’s job as a petroleum engineer allowed him to move around the world and give my brother and I an opportunity to learn languages, enjoy food, travel, and form friendships. My mom supported my dad through all the moving and made every place we moved feel like home even if it was momentarily.”

Do you feel comfortable bringing your heritage to work?

“I feel like part of the team. It really feels like they care about me. When I wake up, I’m excited to come to work. As a distributed company, Elastic makes an obvious effort to embrace representation of different backgrounds. It was one of the factors that led me to choosing a career at Elastic.” 

Marcela Rysbekov

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Marcela is the  Regional VP of Sales for the Americas West responsible for some of the largest enterprise customers in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. The native Spanish speaker moved to the United States as a teenager from Nicaragua and now lives in California.

Who from your culture inspires you?

“My immediate inspiration is my parents. They set up the foundation of who I am. I grew up in a  progressive household, where I was allowed to be myself and be inspired daily. My mother was the oldest of 11 siblings, a working mother, and was a civil engineer. She has inspired me to always remember who I am and to aim for opportunities that would expand my knowledge. My dad inspired me to be curious at a young age and reminded me that there are no limitations to my dreams and goals.”

What does Elasticians Unidos Month mean to you?

“This month is special as it provides a platform where we can celebrate our culture, our communities, our differences and similarities, and highlight the contributions and the accomplishments that Latinx have had on the world.”

 How does your personal experience enrich your professional goals at Elastic?

“I came from a third-world country filled with chaos due to political and socioeconomic circumstances, but we were rich with great values. Growing up with values such as curiosity, education, honesty, persistence, and grit because of what we went through. From this experience, and my parents' influence I am able to bring a unique perspective to the work I do everyday. I am also excited to bring my culture to Elasticians Unidos and be a leader in this new employee resource group.” (An employee resource group is an organization of employees, supported by Elastic, who join together in the workplace based on shared characteristics or life experiences.)

Do you feel comfortable bringing your heritage to work?

“Elastic really provides a forum for diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage uncomfortable discussions with an open mind. Our Source Code allows for empathy and mutual understanding.”

Elastic is a distributed company and harnesses the inherent strengths of diversity and all cultures. Different people approach problems differently. Our minds are shaped every day by our culture. For Elastic to continue to be successful, we need minds of every shape imaginable. 

Want to learn more about life at Elastic? Check out our Source Code, meet our teams, and find the right role for you.