by Marvin Ramírez
MUSIC IS MOURNING: Friends of Guillermo Guillén who saw him arrive to San Francisco sevaral decades ago, today they say good-bye. From left to right: Marvin Ramírez, editor de El Reportero; los congueros Emilio Pérez, Humberto López; singers Manuel Ernesto Guadamuz, Edgar ‘Gato’ Aguilar; percussionist and bassist Jaime Vanegas, (raw below) percussionist Donaldo Mantilla, bassist Danilo Murillo, persucionist Bayardo Rocha, and singerTomás Gutiérrez.
The current economic crisis affecting the U.S. and the rest of the world was not an impediment for approximately 40 Bay Area women from building hope for themselves by creating the business of their dream. They all graduated on May 4 amid a grand fiesta at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. Some had their own exhibition booth on display for business.
Armed with a business card, a business plan, and the energy and skills they learned, they were ready to conquest the world of commerce.
It took them months to achieve their effort. From setting up a restaurant to many other type of business plans, the women worked hard and with dedication, determined not to let their family daily obligations to interfere in their goal.
Every year, the non-profit organization, ALAS or Women’s Initiative graduates dozens of new students, and helps build the entrepreneurial capacity of women to overcome economic and social barriers and achieve self-sufficiency.
Through out the years, the Mission District-based organization has help hundreds of women create jobs for themselves, access the mainstream economy, and increase their economic self-sufficiency when they are given business planning and financing support, according to their program description.
Many of them never had the opportunity to attend school or improve their working skills over their lifetime, either because they were busy raising a family or simply because they were unaware of their potentials and did not know from where to start.
However, as many women lose their life partners or the bread-maker in the home, they fi nd themselves unable to survive on their own, or because of lack of work skills fi nd it hard to fi nd jobs.
But ALAS (Alternativas para Latinas en Autosuficiencia) program, which boasts culturally competent services and extensive networks that propel Latina entrepreneurs into business success, has become the perfect solution for these women.
The program targets low-income women of traditionally underserved groups including minorities, immigrants, and welfare recipients. Over half of the Women’s Initiative community participates in our classes offered in Spanish through ALAS.
