Just 35 years ago, José Ginarte opened the first office of the law firm Ginarte guided by the clear conviction of helping and defending the rights of Hispanic workers who, like him and his family, came to the United States looking for new opportunities for life.

Although the firm was born with Hispanic roots, it has more than 150 employees, 98 percent of Latino origin, who with their work and sense of belonging to culture have managed to make it the leading Hispanic firm and leader in the New York-New Jersey metro area.

If anyone has witnessed the evolution of the firm and contributed to its success it is Ada Sebasco, administrator of the Newark office, who joined the team in 1983. “In all these years we have had representation from all countries in the region, which is undoubtedly a differentiating element that attracts many customers, because they know that when they come they will feel at home,” she explains.

Ada values and appreciates being able to honor her Hispanic heritage with her work every day. “I love what I do. Every day I come with a lot of desire to work, knowing that we are helping so many people who are living difficult times. The dedication I see in my colleagues shows me that I am not alone in this feeling,” she says.

And it is precisely this Hispanic pride that is celebrated annually throughout the country between September 15 and October 15, during National Hispanic Heritage Month, declared in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan. This year, each office of the law firm Ginarte will organize a lunch to which each employee will bring a typical dish from their country of origin to share it with their colleagues.

The origin of this national celebration goes back to 1968, when Lyndon Johnson proclaimed National Hispanic Heritage Week. To that end, it chose the week that included 15 and 16 September, when Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile celebrated their respective independence.