Breaking Barriers & Building Bridges: ALAS's Mission to Amplify Hispanic & Latino Voices at Spirit

Abel Barraza, a Composite Research and Technology (R&T) engineer at Spirit, embodies the spirit of community and the power of diversity in the workplace. He hopes that his journey into engineering and his commitment to fostering inclusivity will leave an impact at Spirit.

Abel's family story is one of migration and determination. Both of his parents left Durango, Mexico, seeking opportunities in the United States. Their journey eventually led them to Dodge City, Kansas, where Abel was born.

This immigrant experience shaped Abel's perspective, instilling in him a deep appreciation for hard work and resilience—a characteristic in which he takes great pride.

“Hearing stories of how those who came before me have constantly pushed for more rights and better working conditions has always been inspiring to me,” he says.

Abel’s Inspiration

Abel's path into engineering was uniquely inspired by his older brother's passion for cars. At 12 years old, he began working on cars with his brother, and the joy he found turned this fascination into a career. With a natural aptitude for math and science, Abel realized that engineering was a natural fit, a field where he could combine his love of mechanics with his academic strengths.

Abel joined Spirit in 2021 and noticed Spirit lacked a group dedicated to promoting Hispanic and Latino communities. He saw firsthand the power of community in the workplace at a previous job and he wanted to bring that to Spirit. Understanding the value these groups bring, Abel contacted Spirit's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) leaders who saw the same opportunity he saw.

Only a few months after starting at Spirit, Abel embarked on the journey of creating ALAS (AH-las), an employee business resource group (EBRG) named for the Spanish word for “wings.” Together with other DE&I leaders, he helped construct the group’s charter. The inaugural committee included Abel and four colleagues. From the moment it began, ALAS’s ambitions have been clear: highlighting the invaluable contributions of Hispanic and Latino culture at Spirit.

ALAS goals & mission

ALAS’s key pillars include attracting, retaining, and developing Hispanic and Latino employees. And its primary goal is to create a culture that fosters belonging, inclusion and pride among its diverse members.

ALAS functions through various committees, including project management, membership development and aiding in recruitment (when needed). They believe that allowing candidates to see people who share their culture and experience on the other side of the recruitment table can be a powerful motivator.

But Abel and his leadership group are acutely aware of the challenges they face. Spirit's Hispanic and Latino demographic is currently around 6%, a stark contrast to Wichita's 17%. One of their key objectives is to bridge this gap.

"There are several barriers that might discourage members of the Hispanic and Latino community from applying," Abel explains. "Many believe that a college degree, computer literacy or perfect English are prerequisites for employment at Spirit. That's not the case. Many skills prevalent in the local Hispanic and Latino community are highly transferable." 

Abel hopes continued outreach efforts by ALAS will help increase Hispanic and Latino representation at Spirit. Beyond promoting diversity, ALAS also supports professional development. 

"ALAS can play an important role in developing its members and serving as a bridge between the [Hispanic and Latino] community and management," Abel says. “It provides an avenue for future leaders to develop their skills, giving them a platform to be recognized by executives for their work."

ALAS's plans for Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15, 2023)

It'll be hard to top ALAS’s 2022 inaugural Hispanic Heritage Month celebration that included Lt. Colonel Olga E. Custodio—the first Latina fighter pilot and the first Latina commercial airline captain at American Airlines. But this year’s events are meant to share different aspects of Hispanic and Latino culture.

ALAS is planning to host two events open to the entire Spirit community:

• Panel discussion: An opportunity to hear from prominent Hispanic leaders within Spirit. The panelists will share their experiences and how their Hispanic heritage has influenced their careers.
• Sabor Latino: This come-and-go event will feature food samples, live music, and baile folklorico (folkloric dance). A performance that features choreographed dances by performers clad in traditional Mexican dress. There will also be display boards that will feature Hispanic and Latino influential figures who have made an impact on aviation history.

Around Wichita, ALAS also plans to have a presence at Latin Fest, where it will collaborate with talent acquisition teams from Spirit. The aim is to reach out to visitors, answer their questions and make meaningful connections within the community.

ALAS’s long-term vision

Abel aspires to create an environment where everyone feels inspired to become a better version of themselves.

Abel sees the importance of aligning recruitment efforts with the organization's culture. He wants to attract talent but also to ensure retention. His long-term goal is to eliminate or at least minimize the barriers to application and reduce any existing stereotypes about working at the company.

"I just want to create a community within the company where people come together—no matter who they are or where they come from—and they just feel like they belong," Abel says.

To learn more about ALAS and Spirit’s other EBRGs visit the DE&I initiatives page.