In-Depth
Voices of Diversity: Luis "Lou" Garate
Vice President, Partnership Marketing NASCAR
Courtesy of NASCAR
Your opportunities in sports: From very early on in my career, my mindset was to earn everything on the quality of my work, and it’s afforded me a long career in sports. My background as a Cuban-American opened the door to unique opportunities, such as relaunching our NASCAR Peak Mexico Series and helping grow football and the Punt, Pass & Kick program in Venezuela during my time at the NFL.
HR’s role on diversity & inclusion: The responsibility to ensure that diverse candidates are being targeted as future leaders within the company isn’t an HR function; it is a NASCAR function. The responsibility rests with employees at all levels. Building a diverse pipeline. Being proactive in the search. Creating professional development opportunities.
Champion of diversity: From an athletic standpoint, I have always been an admirer of the early Cuban-born all-stars like Minnie Minoso and Tony Perez. They helped pave the way and supported Latin players on their path to become professional athletes. Additionally, I also admire Brian France, who has made diversity a core component to our organization’s mission here at NASCAR through programs like Drive for Diversity and our Diversity Internship Program, which both have shown positive results on and off the track.
