At the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, we’re proud to have a diverse and vibrant workforce. The individuals who make up the teams across our organization each play a vital role in our success. September 15 – October 15, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. This time allows each of us to reflect on the many contributions that those from Hispanic cultures have made to our society and our organization.

National Hispanic Heritage Month started as a weeklong celebration in 1968 and was expanded to a month in 1989. During this time, we honor and celebrate the traditions, cultures, and histories of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

We encourage you to listen to the stories of the people from these vibrant communities and connect with those around you. Get started now:

• Visit the National Hispanic Heritage Month website to browse the virtual archives and find ways to get involved.
  
• Enjoy a virtual Homegrown Concert, premiering on Wednesday, September 29, on Facebook and YouTube, with music by Cambalache. This Spanish word means “exchange,” and the group plays and promotes traditional son jarocho (a regional folk musical style from Veracruz, MX) through musical performances, demonstrations, and workshops.
  
• Kids are invited to join a virtual pajama party on September 25, hosted by the National Archives. This online event for kids ages 8-12 and their families will discuss Sylvia & Aki, a true story based on the desegregation case Mendez v. Westminster School District.

“I hope to continue to inspire our nation’s youth to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math so they, too, may reach for the stars.”

Ellen Ochoa

Dr. Ellen Ochoa, a veteran astronaut, was the 11th director of the Johnson Space Center. Ochoa joined NASA in 1988 as a research engineer at Ames Research Center and moved to Johnson Space Center in 1990 when she was selected as an astronaut. She became the first Hispanic woman to go to space when she served on the nine-day STS-56 mission aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1993. She has flown in space four times, including STS-66, STS-96 and STS-110, logging nearly 1,000 hours in orbit.

Born in California, Ochoa earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from San Diego State University and a master’s degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Ochoa has been recognized with NASA’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award for senior executives in the federal government. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), serves on several boards, and chairs the Nomination Evaluation Committee for the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.