Are you ready for your team to go back to school? By Ramón Portilla, Founder of HumanX Insights A midst the applause and cheers at the UC Berkeley graduation ceremony, a young woman approached the podium. She did not speak in English, as is customary. She spoke in Spanish. “This achievement is not only mine,” she said, “it belongs to my parents, my community, and everyone who dreamed of this moment.” Her name is Arisay Martínez, the daughter of Mexican immi- grants and the first in her family to attend college. Her message went viral. Why? Because it struck a deep chord with millions of Latinos, who saw in her a reflection of their own dreams, their own struggles, and their own childhoods. Arisay represents the result of an investment: emotional, financial, and human. The investment of parents who worked tirelessly. Of a girl who studied in English without ever stopping thinking in Spanish. Of a community that, despite the obstacles, believes in education as the path to the future. A Story in Progress And every summer, like a well-rehearsed ritual, the U.S. retail industry gears up for back-to-school season. The shelves are filled with notebooks, backpacks, colored pencils, irresistible offers, and campaigns designed to attract Hispanic mothers, fathers, and students. In our grocery chains, we focus on snacks, lunch boxes, and promotions for a variety of products that Latino consumers love. These Hispanic children are a source of pride, now numbering more than 18.8 million here in the U.S. and representing not just a market but a story in the making. But today, from HumanX Insights, I want to connect our back- to-school business with a debt we owe to Hispanic retail... one that goes beyond the average ticket or shelf execution: 48 JULIO / AGOSTO 2025 ABASTO.COM Read more on page 50… 48 JULY / AUGUST 2025 ABASTO.COM