Meet Ericka

I was born in San Jose, Costa Rica. My parents were bold and courageous enough to emigrate to the United States when I was heading into first grade.

We moved to Brooklyn, New York, and it was a great place to grow up. I did not speak English at all when I arrived but thankfully, Brooklyn was home to many Spanish speakers. That was a lifesaver since it allowed me to be social out of the gate.

While in school, I was expected to speak English, but I'd go home, and my parents would speak Spanish to me when not practicing their own English. As a result, my parents had to “be called to the principal's office,” because I wasn’t learning English. They asked my parents to "please speak to her in English.”

I went to school in New York City from elementary school through college, where I attended Pace University and obtained my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. When I was younger, being Black was just who I was. I didn’t give it much thought. One experience at a convenience store in my early 20s changed that. I was followed throughout the store and when I paid for an item, the cashier refused to give back my change in my hand. That was the first time it brought my experience as a Black woman to the forefront of my mind.

As other experiences compiled over the years, I would become upset. Eventually I learned that it’s not about me, but about them. There’s a bias and prejudice that was taught to them, and it’s being pushed onto me. Now I don’t get upset. To get to a better place in our society, to move closer to racial harmony, I believe that we must understand each other.

For me, being Black is about being proud, authentic, strong, resilient, and courageous. I come from a deep, rich culture as part of both the African diaspora and being Latina. I want to share that with others, and I want others to share their culture and heritage with me.

Black History Month, to me is a celebration of the achievements of Black people and their role in our history. A favorite quote that I try to embody is “I am my ancestor’s wildest dreams.” It’s especially important that we pass these lessons to our children, and teach them to not only recognize our differences, but appreciate and celebrate them.

I learned so much from working with my colleagues in this open and honest way. After graduation, I went into consulting and I asked questions about my colleagues’ culture so that I could understand and navigate accordingly.  Being able to learn from others and be exposed to new, different cultures has been one of the greatest gifts.

The opportunity to work at BNY Mellon was a fortunate stroke of serendipity. A recruiter reached out to me, and the opportunity featured similar elements to what I was used to. It was an exciting chance to work on many strategic initiatives across the firm that I couldn’t pass up. I’ve since shifted roles and now work in Client Service Delivery, focusing on client change and program management oversight. The role is a perfect fit because it emphasizes those client relationships, something that I enjoyed the most from my consulting days.

Outside of my role, I serve as the mentoring lead for IMPACT, our Employee Business Resource Group focused on recruitment, retention, professional development and advancement of multicultural employees. Since my involvement, our mentoring program has become global with colleagues matched up across countries and cultures, which highlights our strength in diversity.

When not working, I stay involved in my sorority, working on projects benefitting the communities we serve. Plus, traveling remains one of my biggest passions. From watching a friend get married on the picturesque Amalfi Coast to exploring Tokyo’s underground restaurants, I’ve been grateful to experience so many different places and cultures.