International Women's History Month Celebrates Local Latina's Achievements

Ixchel del Castillo, Hispanic Marketing Manager at Cox

By: Cindy G. Castillo

March is the International Women’s History Month. The perfect time to celebrate women’s achievements over the past few centuries.

For women like Ixchel del Castillo, Hispanic Marketing Manager at Cox Communications, this month represents a celebration of the power and value that women bring to the world, especially local Latina women.

“(We want to) remind ourselves that there are so many wonderful women that are making an impact in all areas and we should be proud of that. We should embrace that,” she said.

Del Castillo migrated from Mexico to the City of Phoenix about 9 years ago, and recalls a time she witnessed an incident of prejudice at a local restaurant against two people who were speaking Spanish.

“The waitress was talking to this person and was telling them, ‘You don’t have the right to be here’,” she said.

Since then, her efforts both on and off the clock have been devoted to educating people about Hispanics and providing support to fellow immigrants.

“It was a shocking thing. That kind of made me want to be a representation of who we are and show people that this is who Hispanics are,” Del Castillo said.

Her work in Hispanic Marketing has earned numerous awards including the Phoenix Business Journal “40 under 40 award”, where she was nominated by Cox Communications.

“It was an extremely humbling experience to know you work for a company that appreciates your work, (and) working outside for the community,” she said.

Del Castillo is an example of motivation for young Latinas to pursue their dreams and honor their Hispanic heritage while reaching their professional goals.

“Don’t be afraid to be yourself, to be who you are, but also to embrace yourself as a professional and a community member,” she said, “there’s so many areas of opportunity for us Latinos that it’s just a matter of choosing what means something to you.”

International Women’s Month is a celebration of women’s achievements over the past centuries and for Ixchel del Castillo, a reminder of the contributions made daily to the community.