SOMOS panel talks Clemente, future of MLB

Major League Baseball partnered with the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) New York City chapter for the SOMOS BEÍSBOL Executive Leadership Tour to engage with career opportunities at MLB and share strategies to enhance inclusion and equity in the workplace.

As part of the event, attendees saw a panel discussion -- moderated by MLB Network on-air talent Alanna Rizzo -- with three MLB executives: Frances Isabel (MLB vice president, human resources), Ariana Talai (MLB vice president, technology infrastructure operations) and Xavier Murrillo (MLB director, creative). The panel focused on three areas: equity, accountability, and unity.

The panel also discussed Roberto Clemente and the Hall of Famer’s impact on the game.

“Where would we be if it wasn’t for him?” Talai said. “He laid down that foundation. I think that’s what is so important about having these discussions and remembering his legacy and doing things in his honor, because we need to continue that work.”

Diversity in baseball has certainly grown since Clemente suited up for the Pirates, but the panelists all agreed -- there is still room for improvement. One step in that direction is incorporating inclusion and accountability into the workplace.

“[Inclusion and accountability] is probably the most important thing,” Talai said. “The culture that has been created here and the directions DEI has taken are important. But, if your team doesn’t feel good coming into work, if they don’t feel like they’re collaborating with people who look like them, who talk like them and have shared experiences like them, how are you going to get the most out of them?”

They also agreed there is more than one way to accomplish professional goals.

Murrillo began his career as a personal assistant at a small graphic design firm, where he worked for 12 years. When he decided to leave the company for better opportunities, he feared that not having a college degree would hinder his chances of getting a job. MLB enjoyed his work and his personality during the interview, and he was brought on to work as an art manager. Now, he oversees the creative graphic design department.

Murillo has stayed true to himself and takes comfort in seeing many people speaking their native language at work.

“Be your authentic self,” Murrillo said. “You don’t want to be someone you are not. When I come to work, I’m 100 percent X[avier]. Whether that’s me speaking Spanish to anybody here, we’re speaking our mother tongue. It feels good to have those individuals around you that you can share with.”

That’s where unity comes into play. Rizzo read a quote from Gwendolyn Brooks that said “We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond.”

Isabel, in her role overseeing employee experience, sees the strides MLB is making to create a more united workplace. She worked at another company for 19 years where she had many roles, worked long hours and also raised a family.

Now, she sees MLB providing different opportunities to its employees to not only grow the brand but give room for personal growth within the company as well. Isabel said her experience taught her that the road may not be easy, but if you stay determined, you can achieve your goals.

“If you have the right mindset and if you’re willing to do the work, you can do anything,” Isabel said. “I know it’s super cliche, but it’s true. With hard work, anything is possible.”