“Each time I facilitate a Prospera program with a new group of participants I ask myself, who are these women? What are their stories? What are their challenges and their gifts? It’s about going deeper than the basic biographical outline of a person by making an effort to situate ourselves in their cultural context and lived reality.”
Claudia Arroyo, Co-Executive Director
At Prospera, when we’re facing a new challenge the first thing we do is listen. Our members are the experts on their own lives and they know best what they need. That’s the philosophy all our programs are anchored in and it’s how we embody our cooperative values every day.
The Latina Entrepreneur Resiliency Fund is the direct result of that listening. We launched it after conducting an in-depth survey with Prospera members that demonstrated the urgent need for financial support to cope with the shutdown and cover emergency expenses like food, healthcare, and other basic needs. On top of the inequities our entrepreneurs already face, from language barriers to anti-immigrant policies, our survey showed that 78% have no savings, or only enough savings to cover less than two month’s expenses and 34% are at high risk of losing their family home.
We aren’t keeping those results a secret either. This past Thursday, April 16th, in collaboration with the Latino Community Foundation, we hosted a Virtual Forum with over 90 participants and more than 5,000 viewers on our Facebook Live stream to share our findings about our community’s financial and emotional well-being, hear from Prospera entrepreneurs about how they are navigating the crisis in their personal and professional lives, and collectively strategize a path forward
As Latinas, we know we are strongest when we tap into our rich collective wisdom. That’s why the Latina Entrepreneur Resiliency Fund will be governed and administered by a committee of Prospera members. No hoops. No red tape. Just critical relief.
JOIN US!
Consider donating your stimulus check to the Latina Entrepreneur Resiliency Fund or donate whatever amount feels doable for you.
Rest assured that no matter what you’re able to give, every dollar will go toward ensuring the future of the Latina business owners and leaders in our community.