At Sanvello, we are always looking for opportunities to celebrate and share stories that champion diversity and serve as catalysts for change. And we’re constantly challenging ourselves to grow and learn as individuals and as an organization too.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I was surprised to learn that October was LGBTQ History Month. I had no idea! When I brought this to the attention of my team, they were just as surprised as I was, so I knew we had some work to do.
LGBTQ+ History Month celebrates the achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender icons. It also happens to align with Hispanic Heritage Month, so the Sanvello PRIDE employee resource group decided to hold a very special event to celebrate the history of these two vibrant communities.
To kick off our celebration, we welcomed the world’s first LGBTQ+ mariachi group Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles to hold a virtual performance of their music. The group’s director Carlos Samaniego dazzled us all afterwards during a special Q&A session. Carlos and Natalia Melendez, a founding member of the group and the first transgender mariachi woman, started the band in college after witnessing discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. Their music promotes acceptance, while giving the mariachi world a little splash of the rainbow.
Dating back centuries, mariachi originated from the small towns and ranches of the western region of Mexico. Today, groups like Mariachi Arcoiris give new life to mariachi, while also honoring their rich culture and heritage. As Natalia Melendez said in a recent interview, “Times are changing, and music is always evolving – and you know – we grow as people.”
This amazing group is just one of the many advocates for this community. There are countless people that do incredible work to raise awareness and fight for this population and they often go unseen. We’d love to know what you’re celebrating, learning, or honoring right now in our in-app PRIDE Community. Stay tuned for more updates from these wonderful groups and thank you, as always, for continuing to grow and learn right along with us!
By Anthony Saffert, Sanvello Patient Care Coordinator
Anthony spent most of his early career in hospital operations before realizing how much he wanted to hyper focus on the behavioral health patient population. When he’s not assisting patients, Anthony enjoys spending time outdoors, practicing yoga, and hanging out with Peanut, his 20-year-old-dachshund.