Dignifying Dreams and Multiplying Opportunities

For the past 19 years, women with a dream seeking knowledge, inspiration, and empowerment have walked through the door at the Calvary Baptist Multipurpose Room in McAllen and discovered a community of shared growth.

Jorge Sanchez, McAllen Chamber of Commerce senior vice president of small business and innovation:  “At its core, Latina Hope is about more than just business education; it’s about dignifying the dreams of women who are often overlooked by traditional economic development programs, women who may be navigating language barriers, family obligations, and limited access to capital.”

 

LATINA HOPE HISTORY AND FRAMEWORK

• • The McAllen Chamber of Commerce founded Latina Hope in 2008, and it has been sponsored by United Way and Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen since its inception.

• • United Way took Latina Hope to Roma, Texas, in 2024 and is responsible for its operation.

• • More than 1,000 women have gone through the program, and over 150 have launched their own businesses.

• • The program is free and open to women with a dream and the desire to grow.

• • Meetings are held the first Wednesday of the month (February through November, except June and July) from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Calvary Baptist Multipurpose Room.

• • The first hour of each program focuses on financial literacy, building a brand, marketing, scaling your business, and other crucial business skills. Guest speakers are meticulously curated based on their experience, expertise, and delivery.

• • During the second hour, participants dive into a hands-on workshop, allowing them to learn a new skill and, in the process, refine their own.

• • Every year in November, Latina Hope participants have the opportunity to “speed pitch” their product to win a grant from the Latina Hope Ignite Fund. Third-place winners earn $250, second-place winners earn $500, and first-place winners take home $956 (an homage to McAllen’s area code). Winners invest their prize money directly into their business. They also serve as workshop instructors the following year.

• • Once a member of the Latina Hope Community, always a member, and many return year after year.

• • Latina Hope offers original programming each year.

Jorge Sanchez: “Latina Hope is a model rooted in the belief that when one woman rises, she doesn’t take opportunity away from others; she multiplies it.”