Federal Funding Will Support Bilingual, Culturally Relevant & Intensive Strategic Business Coaching To Latinx Entrepreneurs

Video (YouTube) | Photos (Dropbox)

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) visited Brighton to celebrate $400,000 in federal community project funding she secured for Amplify LatinX’s ALX Small Business Program. The federal dollars will support bilingual, culturally relevant, and intensive strategic business coaching to Latinx small businesses, and invest in the economic stability and vitality of the Latinx community – one of the fastest growing communities across the Commonwealth and one that was disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

Rep. Pressley was joined at a roundtable at Peka Restaurant, a beneficiary of the Small Business Program, by Amplify LatinX President and CEO Eneida Román, Boston City Councilor At Large Julia Mejia, Boston City Councilor Liz Breadon, State Representative Kevin Moran, small business owners and community leaders.

“Our Latinx small businesses are vital to the health and wealth of our communities but are still recovering from the disproportionate impact of the pandemic,” said Rep. Pressley. “Amplify LatinX’s programming and commitment to supporting Latinx neighborhood businesses is essential to the economic vitality and stability of the Commonwealth. I am grateful to Eneida Román and the entire ALX team for their partnership, and I am so proud to have secured this well-deserved federal investment. Our work toward a just and equitable economic recovery is ongoing, and I look forward to our continued partnership to help our ever-growing Latinx communities flourish.”

“With this award from the FY23 Community Project Funding, Amplify LatinX will continue to expand our small business program that provides strategic business direction to entrepreneurs focused on growing their enterprises. Our team of advisors deliver culturally affirming guidance that strengthens equitable economic development to a growing population of entrepreneurs in Massachusetts,” said Amplify LatinX President & CEO Eneida Román. “We are incredibly grateful for the support of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley for championing our critical work that invigorates our overall economy.”

“The award from the FY23 Community Project Funding allows us to continue serving our clients and focus on helping them develop essential skills and strategic decision-making while we pair them with the resources they need to create wealth-generating jobs in our communities,” said Liday Rengifo, Small Business Program Director for Amplify LatinX.

Amplify LatinX’s Small Business Initiative supports bilingual, culturally relevant and intensive strategic business coaching to Latinx small businesses in “Latinx heavy” industries with a focus on underserved populations–immigrants and non-native English-speaking populations, low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs, minority and women owned business owners. 

Footage from the roundtable can be found here, and photos are here.

Rep. Pressley secured the federal funding for Amplify LatinX in the FY23 federal budget that was signed into law by President Biden last December. Rep. Pressley secured millions for 15 community projects across the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District in this major Congressional appropriations bill, capping off nearly a year of advocacy by Rep. Pressley and local leaders.

• In November, Rep. Pressley visited Roxbury Community College (RCC) to celebrate $1 million in federal community project funding she secured for Northeastern University’s Roxbury Associate’s to Master’s Workforce Accelerator (RA2MWA).
• In June, Rep. Pressley visited Chelsea to celebrate $2,000,000 in federal community project funding she secured to improve the Broadway Corridor—home to an array of BIPOC-owned small businesses, vibrant public spaces, high frequency public transit routes, and dense residential housing.
• In April, Rep. Pressley visited Randolph to celebrate $524,000 she secured for Randolph Public Schools to support a mobile library and STEM programming.
• In March, Rep. Pressley visited Dorchester to celebrate $250,000 in new Community Project Funding she secured for Big Sister Association of Greater Boston’s one-to-one mentoring and enrichment programs for girls.
• In February, Rep. Pressley visited the African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE) to celebrate the $643,003 in community project funding she secured for ACEDONE to support small businesses in predominately Black, brown and African immigrant communities. 

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