Sazón, Celebración, and the Resilience to Keep Going

Meredith Rendoll | Finance Project Manager | CCL Hospitality Group

December has always been a special time for my family.

Every Christmas Eve, we get together and, at midnight, take a moment to reflect, pray, share what we’re grateful for, and make a toast. Then we enjoy a big meal and open gifts, usually after midnight! The celebration often continues for hours, sometimes even until sunrise.

We have a similar tradition on New Year’s Eve, minus the gifts and with even more celebrating. Sometimes, we even spend New Year’s at the beach. Growing up, these family traditions made December my favorite month of the year.

Professionally, if I had to describe being Hispanic in a few words, I’d say resilience and adaptability. My immigrant journey has pushed me to adapt to different environments, which has helped me build resilience and taught me to keep going when things get tough.

Personally, I’d say sazón (seasoning) and celebración (celebration). I’m proud to be part of a community that brings sazón to everything we do and always finds ways to not only show up for one another, but also celebrate each other every day.

____________________________________

Thank you to Janice De La Cruz, Armando Garcia Guzman, Yarian Rodriguez, and Meredith Rendoll for sharing their stories with us this National Hispanic Heritage Month. Through their memories, traditions, and reflections, we gain a deeper appreciation for the experiences that shape our colleagues and our communities.