Zach Banks: driven by Cuban, Syrian, Lebanese, Irish heritage Cuba Syria Lebanon Ireland This is the story of a Cuban, Cuban-American 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 It all started in Cienfuegos, Cuba, when Nelson Calderín and Miriam Ashkar met. 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. Diverse Influences: Aric Almirola, Steve Kerr, Jose Fernandez, Jeff Bezos 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 Cubans, Latinos, Immigrants 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 Cuban/Latino-owned businesses. Unity Through Charity Offer donations and volunteer support for Cuban/Latino causes and charities.
