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Hispanic Heritage Month: April Alvarez Takes Her Family’s Lessons to Heart

When she was a young girl, April Alvarez spoke both English and Spanish at home. Born in El Paso, Texas, just north of the U.S.-Mexico border, she moved to Arlington with her family when she was 8 years old.

“I learned both languages at the same time,” April said. Her parents speak mostly Spanish at home, but they also know English. “Growing up I was taught ‘Spanglish.’ As a child I would mix my sentences with Spanish and English."

Being bilingual from infancy has been a career advantage. April joined GM Financial in January 2019 as a Collections representative and gained valuable experience — and a promotion — by moving between the Servicing and Customer Experience (CX) departments.

After six months as a Collections representative, April moved to CX Operations as a phone representative for about a year and a half. Next, she became a Servicing Specialist, helping with escalated customer calls and new-hire teams. Thanks to her language skills and her breadth of experience, she was promoted nine months ago into her current role as a Bilingual Customer Experience Advocate for Cadillac Financial.

April said her fluency in two languages and her strong desire for a successful career are a direct result of her Hispanic heritage.

All four of her grandparents immigrated to El Paso from Mexico and became U.S. citizens in the 1970s. Her maternal grandfather, José Lujan, worked sweeping and cleaning a panadería (bakery), where he met April’s grandmother, Maria. Both of her grandmothers worked as maids and nannies for families in El Paso.

“My grandparents worked until they couldn’t work anymore,” April said. “Without working they couldn’t feed their families. They taught me that if you want something, you have to work for it.”

Hard work, family and faith

April is sharing her story in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed annually in the U.S. from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The month highlights the cultures and contributions of citizens whose ancestors came from Central and South America, Spain, the Caribbean and Mexico.

April’s parents and grandparents built a new life in the United States through hard work, family and faith. The lessons they passed down have shaped her values and her perspectives about work and home life.

Her father, Tomas, works for Lockheed Martin, and her mother, Guillermina, works at GM Financial as a Lease Servicing Account Representative. Guillermina, who joined the company seven years ago, handles collections calls in Spanish.

April lives with her parents, older brother, two younger sisters and one of her nieces. “That’s very common in the Hispanic culture,” she said.

José, April’s maternal grandfather, deeply influenced her spiritual life and her work ethic. He took her to church when she was a child, and her faith remains a core source of strength.

‘I believe in never settling’

Her grandfather also talked to April about how to achieve a better life and a better career than he had.

“My grandpa died last year, and I think about him a lot. He was one of the main influences in my life. To him, this is a success,” April said, referring to her job and her life. “I have come a long way from where he started, but I don’t feel like I’ve succeeded yet.”

April is only beginning her career journey. She has ambitious goals and participates in multiple GM Financial programs designed to help team members develop their skills and expand their careers.

She is a mentee in the company’s Mentoring Program. She attends Tarrant County College and has been approved for the company’s Tuition Reimbursement program for the 2023-2024 school year. She is majoring in business administration and management, and plans to minor in psychology.

“For me, success means to be financially free and to wake up each day and love what I do,” April said. “I’m not in the position I hope to be in yet. My short-term goal is to be in Project Management. Then someday to move up again. I believe in never settling.”

By Sonny Bohanan, GM Financial

Sonny Bohanan is a writer who loves telling stories and has a special passion for writing about life events that help foster diversity, equity and inclusion. Libraries and used bookstores provide the ideal backdrop for Sonny’s penchant for reading and writing fiction.