Each year, Mexican Independence Day, which commemorates Mexico’s independence from Spain, is celebrated on September 16. This year, L&P employees at Sponge Cushion celebrated the holiday together for the first time with many employees enjoying conchas (Mexican sweet bread) and marking their roots on a map of Mexico. Information on the Mexican War of Independence and famous people from Mexico was displayed for employees to read at their leisure.

Barbara Bushey, Human Resource and Safety Manager, coordinated the event after a colleague suggested celebrating Mexican Independence Day. After doing some research, she began to understand why September 16 is important: “The Mexican people have much to celebrate. I wanted to honor their strength, perseverance, and contribution to Leggett & Platt.”

“A sense of pride”

We asked a few of our employees who celebrated at Sponge Cushion to share their impressions:

“I like to celebrate the independence of my country, and I am proud of my roots and my country.”
Manuel Aguilera

“I was so happy to see the board with the map and the banner. In my 30 years of working, I have never seen an employer recognize my country. It made me feel good.”
Gregoria Guerrero

“I enjoy celebrating this day with my family and friends at Sponge Cushion. I like the map so I can see where my coworkers are from, and having my name listed on the map gave me a sense of pride.”
Adrian Aguilera

“I enjoyed the Mexican sweet bread, and having my picture taken with my coworkers was fun, too.”
Rick DeVore