UHD’s Center for Latino Studies Hosts LULAC Latina Entrepreneurship Academy
By Sheryl E. Taylor
The largest and oldest Hispanic organization in the country and its local Houston council are collaborating on providing women with the resources and skills necessary to become successful entrepreneurs.
Recently, the League of United Latin American Citizens (more commonly known as LULAC) Institute and the Coca-Cola Foundation selected Houston’s LULAC Council 60 as a recipient of the LULAC Latina Entrepreneur Academy grant. As an awardee of this $7,000 grant, LULAC Council 60 will host a Latina Entrepreneur Academy at the University of Houston-Downtown.
Hosted at UHD’s Center for Latino Studies, the Academy (along with LULAC and Council 60) will foster successful Latina entrepreneurs by training, motivating and inspiring Latinas to build their own businesses or enhance existing ones. The in-person LULAC Latina Entrepreneurship Academy began mid-February and runs through March 25.
“Through this program, we hope to pave the path for these women to become business leaders in their communities and create positive change,” said Sindy Benavides, LULAC National Chief Executive Officer.
LULAC is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to advancing the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, housing, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 1,000 LULAC Councils nationwide. In Texas alone, there are more than 190 LULAC Councils. Across the nation, Councils are represented in 37 states with 135,000 members, including 12 Councils in Greater Houston.
“We at the University of Houston-Downtown Center for Latino Studies are proud to partner with LULAC Council 60 to bring the Latina Entrepreneurship Academy to Houston," said Dr. Bonnie Lucero, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Center for Latino Studies. “Research shows that investing in women exerts the highest positive impact on the overall wellbeing of the community. In this light, we view the Latina Entrepreneurship Academy as a vital part of empowering Latina women to establish and grow successful businesses, but also advancing the economic potential of the broader Latino community.”
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The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.
