Finding Belonging Through Unidos: How Upstart Supports Hispanic and Latinx Voices
When Valentina Albright began exploring new career opportunities in 2021, she was quickly drawn to a Customer Experience role at Upstart. For her, the job felt like a perfect match.
“I had all the skills listed, but they were also looking for a fluent Spanish speaker. I remember thinking: that could be me. All of a sudden, I felt seen.”
That feeling was reinforced during the hiring process when one of her interviews was conducted entirely in Spanish. “At that moment I immediately felt welcome,” she recalls. “It wasn’t just about language and proving I had the skills for the job. It showed me that Upstart cares deeply about making people feel valued and included.”
Once she joined, Valentina quickly realized that Upstart’s mission to improve access to credit for all had a direct connection to her community.
“Access to credit is a systemic challenge many Hispanic families face. When I thought about my parents, my friends, and many others across the U.S. who struggle with language barriers, I saw firsthand why this work matters. Upstart isn’t just serving English speakers, we’re helping everyone access financial opportunity.”
Her early work supporting customers in Spanish only deepened that sense of purpose. “Servicing loans in Spanish and being able to help people in their strongest language was powerful. It was customer service, but it was also human connection.”
Building Belonging Through Unidos
Today, Valentina leads Unidos, Upstart’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) for Hispanic and Latinx employees. The ERG has become a cornerstone of her experience at the company.
“Unidos isn’t just a community group, it’s an opportunity to share our culture and heritage with each other and everyone who works at Upstart. Whether we’re connecting on Slack, or bringing employees together for a virtual salsa making class, we find ways to celebrate who we are and the impact we make.”
Other Unidos members share similar experiences:
Ada Ortega, Head of Procurement: “I originally joined Unidos in 2021 when I began at Upstart. As a new employee it was great connecting with others who had similar interests and backgrounds. I’ve met some fantastic individuals and have loved seeing how our group has grown. I encourage everyone at Upstart to join one or more ERGs to take advantage of meeting others, sharing interests, and learning from each other.”
Brian Collins, Project Manager, Continuous Improvement: “I joined Unidos as an ally because I wanted to support my Hispanic/Latinx coworkers, participate in their culture, and get to know people I otherwise wouldn’t interact with. Being an ally has helped me to see the world through a different lens, understand issues and events going on in the Latinx community, and helped me to have more context for what’s happening in my coworkers’ lives beyond work.”
Unidos is one of several ERGs at Upstart, all designed to foster belonging and amplify diverse perspectives. For Valentina, the impact is deeply personal:
“When you can bring your full self to work, you do your best work. ERGs like Unidos make that possible. They’re not just about inclusion, they’re about empowerment.”
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Together
Every day is an opportunity to celebrate hispanic heritage and Unidos’ impact is felt by Upstarters year-round through events, storytelling, and community building opportunities. And every September, the fun gets turned up a notch during Hispanic Heritage Month where Upstarters can take part in fun activities like guest speaker sessions and virtual loterías. From welcoming new members daily to hosting networking events, Unidos plays a massive role in helping Upstarters feel seen, heard, and supported.
Valentina sums it up:
“For me, joining Upstart was about more than a role. It was about joining a mission I believe in, at a company that values who I am. Unidos has made that journey even more meaningful.”
Interested in joining a company where ERGs help shape culture and amplify voices? Be part of building the future of credit at Upstart, where teams drive real innovation and every Upstarter shapes what we build.
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