Ever since he was a kid in Puerto Rico, José Vélez-Silva loved “the storytelling power” of Hispanic media.

That love has propelled Vélez-Silva throughout his career in the marketing and advertising spheres, and carried him to be Comcast’s Vice President of Multicultural Marketing and Communications, a position he’s held for the last six years.

It also led him on Sept. 23, 2022 to be recognized by AL DÍA as its Corporate Archetype at its 2022 Hispanic Heritage Archetypes Gala.

In his acceptance speech, he looked back to that love, which is deeply embedded at his core.

“The power of telling our stories inspired me to dedicate my career in telling the beautiful tapestry of all the diverse stories of our Latinos here in the United States,” Vélez-Silva told the crowd at the gala.

At Comcast, that storytelling is now at a national level, and he was sure to shout out his work family in his speech.

“Being able to work for and hold a leadership role at one of the most amazing and diverse global technology and entertainment companies in the U.S… is what fuels my passion everyday,” said Vélez-Silva. “I’m so blessed to be able to work for a company that celebrates and embraces my true authentic self every day.”

But at the heart of Vélez-Silva’s storytelling journey is his family — his mom who instilled in him his passion and discipline for business, and his father, where he got his kind heart, sensibility and devotion to family and “everyone else.”

The best advice, however, came from his grandmother, Antonia Quiñones San Miguel, and it’s something he’s carried with him throughout his personal and professional life.

“Jose, always be like the stars in the sky as they guide, but don’t dazzle and blind you,” she told him.

“That’s what I try to carry in the way that I do business,” Vélez-Silva said in his acceptance speech. “I try to inspire people on my team to be the best they can be on their own pace and on their own terms.”

When it comes to Latino storytelling, Vélez-Silva’s mission now is to pass those values on to the next generation and continue to drive home its importance.

“We have a shared professional story that we have built together and that we carry with pride,” he said. “The reality is that the power of Latino storytelling is why we’re here and why we must continue to instill into the new generations the pride of where they come from and what they aspire to be.”

The message is a clear one.

“Never, ever forgetting the stories, the hopes, and the dreams of those who came before us. We are united in one heartbeat of culture and hope.”