Diversity

Driven by heritage

Cuba

Syria

Lebanon

Ireland

This is the story of a family's journey to America

Florinda y Simón Ashkar

My great-grandparents were forced to emigrate from Syria after religious persecution in the early 20th century.

Miriam Ashkar

After Florinda and Simón moved to Cuba, my grandmother Miriam was born.

My Cuban Roots

In Cienfuegos, Cuba, Nelson Calderín and Miriam Ashkar met. My mom and her sister were born in Cuba.

Cuba to Miami - 1967

Castro’s dictatorship forced my grandparents and to take a daring journey to the land of opportunity.

Making The Most Of It

After having 2 children at a very young age, my single mother Jacqueline paid her own way through law school to support her children.

Cuban/Arabic Influences:

Aric Almirola

Cuban roots run deep for Aric Almirola, who has competed in over 350 NASCAR Cup races.

Steve Kerr

Steve Kerr, 9-time NBA champion and Golden State Warriors coach, has Lebanese and Syrian ancestry.

Jose Fernandez

Cuban-born Jose Fernandez played for the Miami Marlins. Fernandez was a 2x All-Star before his untimely death in 2016.

Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994. Bezos transformed Amazon from an online bookstore into a retail giant.

Bridging the Gap Between and NASCAR.

Connection Is Key

Establish a feedback loop to understand the needs and desires of the Latino community.

Bilingual Impact

Produce bilingual social media content to expand NASCAR’s reach into Latino communities.

Bridging Communities

Create social media campaigns to promote inclusivity and diversity.

Diverse Partnerships

Develop partnerships with diversity-empowering businesses.

Unity Through Charity

Offer donations and volunteer support for Cuban/Latino causes and charities.

My Family's Values

Resiliency

Our family came to this country with nothing - and my goal is to carry that legacy forward - inspiring other immigrant families that their children will one day prosper in America.

Gratitude

My upbringing was with a single mother and two older sisters who struggled. They instilled in me the immigrant spirit - never taking anything you have for granted and working to honor your grandparents by achieving your goals and dreams.

Financial Wisdom

Having come from a socialist country - and losing everything - being intelligent with your money, earning as much as possible and saving when possible was instilled in me from a young age.