Celebrating Diversity

The Power of Being Accepted for
Who You Are

Adriana M., Project Coordinator

“Welcome to Social Factor, Adriana!” These words marked the start of my career journey at Social Factor. I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. Being an immigrant and a mother returning from a work hiatus, I had no clue what the future held for me.

After I moved to Florida in 2019, I was a happy, ordinary stay-at-home mom fully dedicated to my then 3-year-old daughter and my newborn son. My weekly routine included things such as countless trips to the grocery store, “Story Time” library visits, and play dates at the park. I consider myself a natural communicator, so I took advantage of every opportunity to interact with people. 

But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit

In the effort to combat the Coronavirus, there has been a significant shift in how people interact and maintain social connections. People were obligated to rearrange their routines with the help of technology. My countless trips to the grocery store became not even a handful of curbside pickups, many children’s books were read in my quiet living room, and our play dates became simply playtime.

The drastic change in routine made me increase the time spent on social media. Facebook became my best friend, Twitter was my favorite place to vent, seeing pictures on Instagram was like daydreaming, and WhatsApp knew all my secrets. Social media was the only place I could engage in conversations with different people. I was so invested in this online interaction that I became a Moderator for the biggest Photoshop Community on Facebook. Thanks to my experience moderating various Facebook groups, I found Social Factor. The idea of turning my hobby into a paid career made my eyes shine. 

Social Factor celebrates who I am

The transition from a stay-at-home immigrant parent to a Full-Time employee was great. The apprehension I had when I first started disappeared as soon as I built connections. I believe many people postpone restarting their careers because they are afraid of the adaptation period, especially if they are immigrants. This fear intensifies when they feel they are being judged based on their culture, background, and accent.

However, here at Social Factor, I am surrounded by people like me. Individuals from different countries, backgrounds, races, genders, and ethnicities who bring along their unique cultures and experiences. Here, accents are celebrated and not just tolerated. I’m heard, and I listen. Social Factor embraces diversity and makes everybody feel included. 

Better than hearing “Welcome to Social Factor” from HR when I first started is to actually feel welcome throughout my entire journey here. This amazing sense of belonging drives this incredible team to collaborate seamlessly and achieve remarkable results. 

The positive impact of diversity on our work at Social Factor

• Increased creativity: our social media responses are unique
• Better employee engagement: our group works better together since we understand and embrace the differences with more facility 
• Innovative thinking: better understanding of different cultures and perspectives
• A better comprehension of Businesses’ Tone of Voice: Our diverse team can more readily adjust to various communication styles thanks to our proficiency in comprehending different languages and/or cultural backgrounds

How we celebrate diversity remotely 

World Wide Web Club

Social Factor is committed to celebrating diversity all year long. We promote numerous events sponsored by the Culture Club in which we learn about different countries’ festivities and languages. Our events bring everyone together to celebrate all of who we are and encourage us to be ourselves at all times. 

Where I am now

Indeed, the pandemic altered our perspective on the world, teaching us resilience. Social Media has demonstrated that we can still feel connected to those who are oceans apart. Now that our routines are back to normal, so is mine. However, my ordinary world is much more exciting.

The outstanding support I received across all departments, from executives to managers and coworkers, was crucial to my development as a professional. I transitioned from Community Moderation to Project Coordination, thanks to amazing leaders who guided me to the right career path.

Because I work for a place that values diversity and inclusion, I have the tools and support needed to excel in my role while also allowing me the flexibility to attend Story Time at the library with my three children.