Unreserved

Learn about the unique experiences and diverse stories from the SF Fed.

  • My Black Resilience: Fighting Through Challenges to Realize Our Parents’ Dreams for Us

    SF Fed Risk Specialist, Al Morris shares his story of Black resilience as he reflects on his parents hopes and dreams for their family as well as his own perseverance.

  • Celebrating the Stories of First-Generation College Graduates

    To mark First-Generation College Celebration Day, we’re featuring those who came to the SF Fed as the first people in their families to graduate from college.

  • A Sacrifice Worth Making

    SF Fed Talent Acquisition Specialist, Angel Medrano is a first-generation Mexican American and the eldest of six siblings. In this unreserved, he shares the values instilled in him through the resilience and sacrifice of his parents.

  • My Family’s Immigrant Experience

    Selvyn Barrios and his family immigrated to Phoenix, Arizona when he was five. In this unreserved, he shares their experience pursuing their dreams, adapting to new cultural norms, and preserving their Guatemalan heritage.

  • Navigating Passions and Pathways

    From self-taught programmer to majoring in computer science at UC Merced, Faith Blue shares her experiences applying for internships, interning for the SF Fed, and her plans for the future.

  • Life Lessons from a Mixed-Race American

    Applying the lessons of perseverance and hard work she learned from her father, Vivienne Ayala landed a role on the Data Insights + Analytics team at the SF Fed, where she also joined the Latino Employee Resource Group, Unidos. Now, she’s using her position to help others maximize their own potential while strengthening her connection with her culture.

  • Hijo Nativo de Nuevo Mexico

    Growing up with a father in the Air Force, Jon Garcia spent his formative years in Panama traveling throughout Central and South America, where he learned about the impact of economic stability. Read more as he details his experience growing up in Latin America and the influence it’s had throughout his career.

  • ‘Homegrown Examiner’ Returns to Her Roots as Community and Regional Banking SVP

    Mongkha Pavlick, who started her SF Fed journey as a community banking intern more than 20 years ago, stepped into her “dream job” this September as Senior Vice President of Community and Regional Banking at the SF Fed. Check out the latest #unreserved as Mongkha shares her career highlights, leadership thoughts, and vision for moving supervision forward.

  • My Family’s Story of the Mexican American Dream

    For Kylie Garcia, an event producer at the SF Fed, opportunity is a pathway paved by hard work and resilience. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, she shares her family’s story of the Mexican American Dream.

  • I am Different and It is Okay

    From visiting his grandmother deep in the mountains of Guatemala to earning a degree in business with support from his family, Richard Argueta-Xiloj trailblazes a new path in California as a Latino first-generation college graduate and current senior business analyst at the SF Fed.