Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at ECS

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month — a time to celebrate the many cultural, political, and historical achievements and contributions of AAPI individuals that have shaped the U.S. AAPI covers a wide range of cultures including those from East, Southeast, and South Asia and the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

Rachel Ahakuelo, CERRC Program Manager. May 2024.

ECS strives to celebrate and embrace all cultures and is proud to have outstanding AAPI employees, including at our Central East Regional Recovery Center (CERRC). Rachel Ahakuelo, the CERRC program manager, has been with ECS for five years and identifies as German-Filipino. Her father met her mother while stationed in the Philippines. Summer Kahoonei, a CERRC substance use disorder and program counselor, has worked for ECS since 2002 in several programs. Kahoonei identifies as Hawaiian.

Both Ahakuelo and Kahoonei’s relationships with their cultures have been a journey. “It didn't really dawn on me the cultural significance of my mom's side until I got older,” Ahakuelo explained. “So, when I got older, that's when I really was like, ‘I am Filipino,’ and was when I grasped my culture more.” Ahakuelo said that she has started to explore that side of herself in recent years. Kahoonei’s father passed away when she was young, so it was hard for her to connect to her Hawaiian side. She has sought Hawaiian influence by engaging with other Hawaiian individuals and traveling to Kauai, her father’s birthplace. “That’s the place I want to retire,” Kahoonei said. “My dad was born there, and I was born here [mainland U.S.]. He died here, and I was thinking ‘if I’m gonna go I want to go there.’” Ahakuelo and Kahoonei both expressed pride in their AAPI heritage. “I feel very at home around my culture even though I wasn’t raised around it,” Kahoonei said. “I’m really proud to be Hawaiian.”

CERRC client Angie & Summer Kahoonei, CERRC Program Coordinator. March 2024.

Their heritage has given them important values and traditions. One of Ahakuelo’s favorite Filipino traditions is eating pancit on birthdays. “For somebody’s birthday you always buy pancit for long life ... ,” she said. Ahakuelo also explained how the importance of family was instilled in her by her mother’s heritage and has guided her outlook as a mother herself. “My mother is very family-oriented; the sacrifices she made were for her family. Those values, I carry with me because I take after my mom as far as my kids, I'm gonna do whatever I can for my kids,” Ahakuelo shared. Kahoonei’s father impacted her values and passions, including music. “My dad used to have his own band called the Hawaiian King Trio,” Kahoonei said. “They would perform all over the place – all over California, Washington, Oregon. And so, I’ve always had this passion for music, for singing ... I think that I got that from my dad and listening to his music when I was really young.”

The values instilled in Ahakuelo and Kahoonei by their AAPI heritage are echoed in ECS’ values. Kahoonei shared that in Hawaiian culture, “Everything we do, every move we make is considered ‘aloha’ ... I feel like ECS implements that. Throughout the years I’ve watched them grow and change ... it’s been great growing with the company.”

ECS is committed to creating an inclusive organization. Celebrating and understanding all cultures is vital. “Knowing people's culture plays a significant part in what we do over here [at CERRC]. You can't treat everybody the same, there's a difference,” Ahakuelo said. “They [CERRC staff] utilize their skills to accommodate that person. Those kinds of values and … empathy come into play.”

Ahakuelo and Kahoonei expressed pride in working for ECS. “I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. ECS has been there for me ... ,” Ahakuelo said. “I wouldn't change it for anything.”

To learn more about ECS’ diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts or the work that amazing staff like Ahakuelo and Kahoonei are doing at CERRC, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/.

Honoring Black History Month at ECS

From left to right: Angel Askew, Family Support Tech; Jennifer Anthony, EHS Child Development Specialist; Adrienne Wilkerson, Communications Director; Angela Divinity, Head Start Teacher, Amanda Jackson, Training & HR Specialist, Rhonda Hillard, Staff Professional Development Mgr.; and Lenell Carter, Chief Financial Officer are all smiles underneath the new signage at ECS Headquarters in National City.

SAN DIEGO – February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate, acknowledge, and educate oneself on the impact and presence of the Black community on American history. But this education should not occur in February alone. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts should be made year-round. That is why, at ECS, DEI initiatives are a priority. So that all employees and clients feel welcomed and celebrated no matter their identity or background.

Lenell Carter, ECS’ chief financial officer (CFO), has been with ECS for just eight weeks and has already had a positive experience. “I know a lot of companies have started making changes… but when I was in for-profit, it was more bottom-line driven… [ECS] is not only [looking at] ‘how much money.’ It’s other things like the social impact, making relationships,” he said. “They walk the walk and talk the talk.”

Carter has even been inspired to pursue this change of mindset on an individual level. “I’m retraining myself to make sure I’m taking the human aspect or social aspect into all accounts when I’m making a decision, instead of ‘bottom-line says we should do X, Y, and Z,’ and that’s what we’re doing,” he said.

Rhonda Hilliard, staff professional development manager at Head Start, who has worked at ECS for 12 years, also expressed gratitude for the focus on inclusion. “I think working with a team who is multiculturally sensitive is very nice,” she said. “I’ve worked at other places where that wasn’t the case. I felt more isolated and didn’t really belong, but here, I do feel I’m equal with the team. It’s a good thing, it’s great being supported and understood.”

Carter agreed and echoed Hilliard’s comparisons to other places of employment. “I was that one different face, and it didn’t bother me. As I said, I actually had great mentors and great access to people that had phenomenal success. And to me, it would have been more comforting to see someone like you. You’ve got to cut that part out of you so that you can fit into those programs. And when you get in a program like [ECS] you don’t have to cut that part out of you. You can let it exist and see somebody like you and just be happy,” Carter said. “Now I’m in a place where I can give that knowledge to a more diverse group, so for me, it’s a win.”

Hilliard and Carter reflected on leadership and the importance of diversity in those spaces specifically. Hilliard expressed, “I was excited to see the organization move forward as far as diversity and inclusion. Until recently, there was a lack of diversity in our management and executive leaders, but now we’re starting to see more, which is exciting,” she said. “It makes me feel good to see someone like me in a higher position.”

That inclusion and diversity on the team affect more than just those within the workplace. It also makes a difference in the broader San Diego community. “I think it’s important when we reach out to the community to have people of color to relate to those people. I think it creates an opportunity for relationships,” Hilliard said.

February has been set aside as Black History Month, but it takes purposeful effort to make that time meaningful. “It’s exciting to see that it’s being done as an organization… To see it actually go out, even out into the community, showing that we’re promoting Black history, I think it’s important,” Hilliard said. “Black history is American history, so it’s important for everyone to learn about it, and if we understand our history, it can help us not make the same mistakes that have happened in the past.”

This month, take the time to explore resources that highlight Black History and the significance of the Black community that is too often overlooked. For more information on ECS’ DEI initiatives, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/dei.

Filipino American History Month

Filipino ECS staff members take pride in their culture and history. October 2023.

SAN DIEGO – Alongside several autumn traditions and festivities, Filipino American History Month also falls in October. This history month commemorates the first arrival of Filipinos on American soil and presents an opportune time to delve into the rich legacy and contributions of Filipino Americans over the years.

Joan Borgonia, ECS’ education and behavioral health manager, embodies the spirit of this celebration. Borgonia’s roots trace back to the Philippines, as her parents migrated to the U.S., bringing a legacy of community service and generosity with them. Her mother, a devoted school teacher, nurtured the minds of children in impoverished areas in the Philippines. Her father dedicated himself to co-founding a non-profit that fostered connections among Filipino Americans while extending financial support to struggling families back in the Philippines.

For Borgonia, Filipino American History Month holds great significance. “It’s nice to know other people’s cultural backgrounds and where they came from. You can do that with the food, [and] the culture we bring to the United States,” she said, explaining how she’s taught her children Filipino customs, such as greeting elders with a blessing, so their culture will live on in future generations.

ECS celebrates the history and heritage of its employees and works to promote inclusivity in every aspect of the organization. “ECS has always made me feel welcomed, regardless of my culture or ethnicity,” Borgonia said. “ECS has always felt like family. I’ve been here for 20-plus years and have always felt embraced.” This sense of belonging is a cornerstone of ECS’ core values and helps to fuel its mission to break barriers and transform communities.

The values instilled in Borgonia by her parents and culture seamlessly align with the work of ECS. “[ECS’] beliefs, what they do, aligns with what my mom taught me… this program reminds me of her,” she said.

This Filipino American History Month, take the time to learn more about Filipino customs and the deep history of Filipino Americans impacting the U.S. Through a reflection on the shared values and the community-centric ethos of team members like Joan Borgonia, ECS continues to build a more inclusive environment, fostering deeper connections with the communities we serve.

Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month

SAN DIEGO – As summer comes to an end, there’s still plenty to look forward to. Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 and lasts until October 15. The beginning of the holiday month coincides with various Central and South American independence days, such as Mexican Independence Day on September 16. 

Some of ECS’ Latino/Hispanic staff gather for a group photo. September 2023.

Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to reflect and educate on Latinos’ role in American history. The month ahead presents an opportunity to honor a community that’s so prevalent and influential in the San Diego area and here at ECS.

ECS strives to promote an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees. Brenda Wilson, ERSEA Supervisor for Head Start, has been part of the ECS family for 22 years and says she has always felt welcomed and comfortable working at ECS. “It is nice, you do feel seen, you do have a voice,” Wilson shared. “There’s a lot of representation. As of recently, to see [Rosa Cabrerra] go in as our director is nice. It’s nice to see that representation for us. I’ve always felt that here.”

Jose de la Torre, Accounting Controller, recognizes the importance of diversity in the workplace. September 2023.

Jose de la Torre, the Accounting Controller, echoed this observation of representation and diversity in the workplace. “One of the things I notice at ECS is the diversity,” he stated. “Most of the employees at ECS, we come from different backgrounds. We could be Mexicans born in Mexico or Mexicans born in the U.S., and I also see other people coming from different races, different countries; you see diversity.”

Brenda Wilson, ERSEA Supervisor, is proud of the Latino/Hispanic representation she sees at ECS. September 2023.

Diversity and inclusion for the Latino community continue beyond the workforce; it also extends to our clients. “We serve a high community of Latino families and families that are immigrants,” Wilson said. “You’re coming to a whole new world that you have no idea about, that you do not know the language. I have [a] particular perspective on that because my mom was an immigrant here.”

Representation helps serve our community to the best of our ability. “Being in National City and Chula Vista, Spanish-speaking people are probably going to be the biggest community,” de la Torre noted. “We must be diverse; otherwise, we may have a problem in performing our services… we need to be sure that we have what we need for the type of communities we serve, so [they] feel comfortable coming to us.”

The Latino community’s contributions to America are often overlooked despite their significant population and influence. Take the month to learn more about Latino/Hispanic history and celebrate the culture of those communities.