Bienvenidas al futuro: Sparking opportunity for Latinas

What do you want to be when you grow up?

The possibilities should be endless. But when children grow up without exposure to different careers, the options become limited. That is especially true for girls in places where traditional values may restrict opportunities for women. Fortunately, groups such as the U.S.-Mexico Foundation are changing the trend.

In June 2018, Moody’s partnered with the U.S.-Mexico Foundation to host 115 high school girls from 11 Mexican states. The event a tour New York City headquarters was part of a summer camp commemorating the culmination of the eight-month Women in STEM, Future Leaders mentorship program. For many participants, the trip was their first time visiting the US.

Ximena Rubio, assistant vice president, Moody’s Corporation,says that most of the girls came from disadvantaged backgrounds and were the first in their families to attend high school. They were excited to be in New York, celebrating their hard work throughout the program.

Rebeca Vargas, president and CEO of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation,created Women in STEM, Future Leaders to empower Mexican teens to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Each girl is assigned a mentor — a woman with a doctorate or post-doctorate or a fellow in academia who specializes in a STEM field. The program makes career possibilities tangible by incorporating visits to offices, factories and labs.Experiencing these workplaces firsthand fuels the girls’ curiosity and passion for STEM careers. Then the program helps direct them to degrees and areas of study in college that align with those interests.

At our New York event, the young women learned that while career-building will present challenges, hard work will be rewarded and they will find people rooting for them along the way if they reach out. To reinforce the sense of community and to honor these young women’s identities, our Latino/Hispanic leadership initiative, conectaMos, and our Generational Employee Resource Group, GenERGy, teamed up to conduct the event entirely in Spanish — a first for Moody’s.

They put together a panel of junior to mid-level Moody’s employees of Latin descent, several of whom are immigrants to the US. The afternoon was filled with stories of hard work, determination, struggles and success. Moderated by Rubio, the panel discussion led to many poignant moments of recognition and empowerment.

“It was one of the happiest days of my life,” says Cristina Pieretti, managing director for Reis at Moody’s Analytics, who gave the closing remarks for the event. “The energy in the room was amazing.”

Engaged and eager to learn more, the girls asked panelists about their college degrees, their backgrounds and how to find resources. Rubiore calls one girl with a scholarship to a university in Mexico City who asked for tips on how to cope with living away from home. In response, panelists provided examples of the economic, emotional and academic support they received throughout their own journeys.

“I’m Venezuelan, I’ve never studied in the US, but Moody’s gave me the opportunity to prove myself,” Pieretti says.

The event exemplifies Moody’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, empowering women and promoting careers in finance, technology and economics among tomorrow’s leaders.

Reflecting on her own path to Moody’s, Rubio sees the same boundless potential for each of the young women. “If you’re willing to work hard and you reach out for help and look for opportunities,” she says, “you will be amazed by the number of people willing to help you — and you will be able to get very far.”

Moody’s panelists
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Wilfrido Torres
PROJECT MANAGER, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE
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‍Cristina Miranda
FINANCIAL DATA STRATEGIST, MOODY’S ANALYTICS
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‍Laura Cuello
VICE PRESIDENT, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE
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Nathalie Medina
FINANCIAL DATA ANALYST, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE
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Maria Guaman
SENIOR TEAM LEADER, DATA GOVERNANCE, MOODY’S CORPORATION

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“If you’re willing to work hard and you reach out for help and look for opportunities, you will be amazed by the number of people willing to help you — and you will be able to get very far.”

XIMENA RUBIO
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, MOODY’S CORPORATION

“I’m Venezuelan, I’ve never studied in the US,but Moody’s gave me the opportunity to prove myself.”

CRISTINA PIERETTI
MANAGING DIRECTOR, REIS, MOODY’S ANALYTICS

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