FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán and Vice President Kamala Harris sat down with five Latina small business owners to celebrate and honor their positive impact on the economy and their communities.
The discussion took place during Hispanic Heritage Month as an opportunity to highlight and uplift the stories and challenges of Latina entrepreneurs. The event also focused on the steps that need to be taken to help small businesses build back better post-COVID and how the Biden-Harris Administration’s physical and social infrastructure bills can help address long-standing systemic issues that impact minority-owned-and-run-businesses.
“Vice President Harris showed her commitment to the Latino community by bringing these Latina business leaders to the table so we could learn from them,” Congresswoman Barragan said after the meeting. “We must do all we can to support Latina entrepreneurs, the fastest growing group of small business owners in the United States. These women, and so many others like them around the country, do much more than just provide good-paying jobs, they are all role models and leaders in their communities. We must provide the right tools and create opportunities for success – success for their families, their employees, and for their communities.”
Despite their growing numbers, a recent study shows Latina-owned businesses only receive only 0.4 percent of all venture capital funding.
“We heard about struggles with access to capital, child-care, difficulties in obtaining state and federal contracts, and more specifically the unique challenges that Latinas and other women of color face when running their own businesses. That’s one of the reasons I support the President and Vice President’s Build Back Better Act, which would invest in making sure capital is available for all small and minority-owned businesses. The Build Back Better Act would also lower the cost of childcare for working parents—which would have a significant impact on so many small business owners, especially women. Additionally, it would make pre-school affordable, establish a national paid family leave program, and subsidizes childcare costs for low- and middle-income families. And the infrastructure bill will improve the roads, bridges and transit options important to all businesses,” Barragan added.
Congresswoman Barragán and Vice President Harris were joined by:
- Rosa Caldas, President & CEO, ZemiTek
- Paola Moya, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Moya Design Partners
- Myrna Yvette Peralta, President and CEO of CentroNía
- Daniella Senior, Founder of Colada Shop and Serenata, AND
- Maria Hicks, Founder, Meridien Group
Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington. She serves as chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Border Security.