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SBA Empowers Hispanic Entrepreneurs in Colorado

DISCUSSION TABLE | Isabella Guzman alongside Yadira Caraveo while talking with María González, Rossy Aburto, Mike Ferrufino, and Rudy González. (Photos/El Comercio Colorado)

ISABELLA GUZMÁN MEETS WITH BUSINESS OWNERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Isabella Guzmán led a roundtable discussion with business owners and community leaders at the headquarters of Adelante Community Development (ACD) in Commerce City, Colorado. The Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) emphasized that her organization de ella works to facilitate access to capital for Hispanic entrepreneurs to ensure investments in minority communities.

“We see significant disparities in the dollars allocated to infrastructure, technical assistance, and support for the Hispanic business community. The SBA aims to fill some of those gaps. But it is a significant task,” Guzmán said. The high-ranking official stated that to reduce these disparities, the SBA is strengthening its ties with nonprofit organizations in different localities.

Collaboration with Local Organizations

Guzmán is convinced that the collaborative work of the SBA with local leadership will help build better paths to business success. María González, President of ACD, had the opportunity to present ACD’s initiative to bridge the digital divide in the Hispanic community. Meanwhile, Mike Ferrufino, President of the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (CHCC), highlighted how the organization leads a successful business navigator program.

Rudy González, President of Servicios de la Raza (SDLR), stated that their organization has provided support to over 400 small businesses, many of them located in Pueblo County, southern Colorado. Guzmán assures that the SBA will support the initiatives of these local organizations and seek to empower local entrepreneurs with additional training programs and equitable access to government contracts.

In the District 8

Representative Yadira Caraveo shared her goal of promoting prosperity among the Hispanic community in the district she represents in Congress. Caraveo emphasized the need for government programs and initiatives to be culturally competent and accessible to the Hispanic community. “It is important for these entrepreneur support programs to be offered in the language that best serves the community and take place in welcoming environments where trust and connection can be built,” said the congresswoman.

Benefits of Empowerment

Latino entrepreneurs currently contribute over $2.7 trillion to the economy. According to Isabella Guzmán, empowering and investing in the Hispanic business community could generate an additional $900 billion and create around 4 million additional jobs in the United States.