Carowinds Recognizes National Hispanic Heritage Month and Latinx Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month and Latinx Month are celebrated annually from September 15 to October 15. It is a time for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans and Latinx individuals in the United States. Carowinds celebrates numerous leaders at the park representing the Hispanic and Latinx communities, including the park’s vice president and general manager, Manny Gonzalez.
Natalie Piecuch, a rides attractions supervisor, oversees the day-to-day operations and safety procedures on certain rides. This year is her second season at Carowinds, and her favorite part of the job is interacting with guests.
“I enjoy getting to know where they are from and knowing that they come from all over the world,” Piecuch said.
Guests and associates alike admire Piecuch for her outgoing and bubbly personality.
Piecuch encourages others to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and Latinx Month by getting to know Hispanic culture. She especially recommends trying Hispanic cuisine.
“Flautas, sopes, and chilaques,” she recommended. “Maybe even try some homemade recipes with family and friends.”
She hopes to remind the next generation of Hispanic and Latinx leaders to always remember to continue to work hard and always give their best. Her father shared a quote with her, which always brings her back to her roots.
“Keep your number one your number one. Your family.” – Ernesto Rodriguez
Vanessa Espinoza, an area manager for park services at Carowinds, began working at the park in 2014 as a SCarowinds character talent. Now, her team is tasked with the important job of maintaining the park’s cleanliness. She oversees the park services department and coordinates daily operations as well as vendor partnerships.
She enjoys her job because every day is different, which allows her todevelop a wide range of skills.
“I have worked with the company for a while, and I have met so many people from different cultures, ages, and walks of life,” Espinoza said. “I have also made lifelong friends and learned from their different perspectives.”
Espinoza’s coworkers describe her as caring, and always having their best interests at heart. They also credit her listening skills, and her ability to hear every one’s needs.
Espinoza’s father immigrated to the United States with the goal of creating a better life for himself and his family. He engrained his work ethic in his children.
“I think it is important to the Hispanic community to support local farms and small businesses,” Espinoza said. “I believe we can also help to bridge the communication gap by learning simple phrases in Spanish, as it is the second most common language in the United States.”
Espinoza also urges the next generation of Hispanic leaders to remember why their families came here.
“The life we lead can be rewarding if we put in the effort,” Espinoza said. “This generation, we are the catalyst that causes change.”
Frank Padilla is the director of food and beverage at Carowinds. He has worked for the Cedar Fair Entertainment Company for 19 years across multiple parks, including Valleyfair (Shakopee, MN) and Kings Dominion (Doswell, Va.).
Human interaction is his favorite part of the job.
“Even short interactions with our guests can be impactful,” Padilla said. “Not only for the guests, but also as rewarding feedback to ourselves as associates.”
He also values creating relationships with associates and hopes to make an impact in their lives. While most people perceive Padilla as very serious, his coworkers know that he truly cares and deeply values the success of those around him.
Padilla encourages others to be open about other cultures, opinions, and experiences, not only during this month, but all the time.
“Food is a great gateway for learning about a new culture,” he said.
He also reminds the young Hispanic leaders that they represent more than themselves and their immediate circles.
“You represent a community, and you can be a trendsetter for the others behind you,” Padilla said.
