Latina Entrepreneur Academy

The Latina Entrepreneur Academy is a part of LULAC’s Women’s Empowerment (WE) Initiative designed to train, motivate, and inspire women, especially those of Hispanic descent, to build their own businesses or enhance their existing ones. Studies show that since 2013, 1 out of every 10 women-owned businesses are Latina. The Latino community has an entrepreneurial spirit that we see largely in local immigrant communities. Immigrant communities bring much of their culture through food, artisanal items such as clothing and art, and much more. Many individuals turn their passion and culture into businesses that provide many with comforts from home. Through this initiative, we hope to nurture this entrepreneurial spirit and provide support to driven Latinas who seek to launch and/or expand business endeavors.

The academy will provide a series of informational sessions on various topics that will better prepare women entering the world of entrepreneurship. Through this initiative, we hope to nurture this entrepreneurial spirit and provide support to driven Latinas who seek to launch and/or expand business endeavors.

Thanks to three generous funders, the Coca-Cola Foundation, the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation, and the National Disability Institute powered by the SBA, LULAC is able to host three different cohorts for the 2022-2023 cycle.

In partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation for the fourth year in a row, LULAC launched the Summer 2022 LEA cohort running from June 2022 to November 2022. Eleven sites throughout the United States and Puerto Rico were awarded and are helping Latina entrepreneurs in their community. To learn more about these sites sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation, please click HERE or visit lulac.org/academy/cocacola.

LULAC, together with Herbalife Nutrition and the Herbalife Foundation, have partnered to launch the Winter 2022 Latina Entrepreneur Academy. Applications will open January 2023 and the Cycle will run from March 2023 to May 2023. To learn more and apply, please click HERE or visit lulac.org/academy/herbalife.

LULAC and the National Disability Institute, funded in part by the Small Business Administration, partnered together to bring the Fall 2022 LEA cohort running from August 2022 to November 2022. This cycle of the 2022 Latina Entrepreneur Academy was aimed specifically at those communities with disabilities or those in their networks. Two sites were selected to be a part of this pilot cycle in the D.C., Maryland, and Virgina area. To learn more about what these sites are doing, please click HERE or visit LULAC.org/ndi_lea.

Additional Resources

To access additional resources for entrepreneurs or entrepreneurs with disabilities please click HERE.