“Inspiring Youth to Succeed”

By Dama Gonzales

Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation Latino BizFest

On May 12th to the 15th 2010 youth in Tucson had the opportunity to get inspired, motivated and encouraged to reach another level of success in their lives through an entrepreneurship program that includes self-esteem building, establishing a foundation for success, business etiquette and business plan concepts. Program concluded with a competition where all participants presented business ideas and competed for cash awards.

This program has been offered in Tucson for the past three consecutive years. THCCF Latino BizFest is based on a former youth entrepreneurship program offered in Tucson back in 2003 by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Since then the THCC Foundation has committed to offer a youth entrepreneurship program in the Tucson community. Throughout the years this program has trained 150 youth ages 16 to 20. The goal is to reach 100 participants during 2010. Among the youth, many where considered high risk and/or disadvantaged. However, BizFest gave them the opportunity to explore other possibilities for their future and in many cases returned to their schools and homes with a different outlook in life. “I realized I didn’t need all the piercings I was wearing to stand out. I could stand out and be different with a positive attitude and how I acted,” Said Michael Babuca, a senior at ACE Charter School who attended BizFest in 2009. Michael returned to BizFest in 2010 as a mentor to this year’s participants and shared his inspiring personal story of the challenges he faced growing up and how BizFest helped him set new goals and see himself as a successful business person in the future.

Dama Gonzalez, owner of Bilingual Executive Strategic Training (BEST) who was contracted by the THCC Foundation to coordinate this program said, “BizFest goes beyond just teaching basic business concepts. It’s a program that reaches down to the very core of the participants and brings out that inner passion to grow, dream, thrive and reach for something bigger than one-self. That is the spirit of BizFest.”

The 2010 program included Raul Aguirre, REA Communications as the motivational speaker. Other guest speakers included: Janus Gallego, Atty. Mesh Clark & Rothschild; Jerry Bustamante, Canyon Community Bank; Ernesto Portillo, La Estrella de Tucson and Alvaro Leon, Dairy Queen. Mario Contreras from CGM Consultants trained the fundamentals of success and self esteem components of the program while Dama Gonzalez, BEST trained the business plan components. The BizFest judges for 2010 where Carlos Rosa, Carlos’ Photo Expressions who served as a preliminary judge and the final judges included Bill Holmes, Wells Fargo; Lupita Valencia and Deb Turner, Take Shape for Life Health Coach.

2010 Winners

1st Place – Lee Smyth $500.00

2nd Place – Christopher Nogales $300.00

3rd Place – Susan Hall ` $200.00


“Inspiring Youth to Succeed” By Dama Gonzales Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation Latino BizFest On May 12th to the 15th 2010 youth in Tucson had the opportunity to get inspired, motivated and encouraged to reach another level of success in their lives through an entrepreneurship program that includes self-esteem building, establishing a foundation for success, business etiquette and business plan concepts. Program concluded with a competition where all participants presented business ideas and competed for cash awards. This program has been offered in Tucson for the past three consecutive years. THCCF Latino BizFest is based on a former youth entrepreneurship program offered in Tucson back in 2003 by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Since then the THCC Foundation has committed to offer a youth entrepreneurship program in the Tucson community. Throughout the years this program has trained 150 youth ages 16 to 20. The goal is to reach 100 participants during 2010. Among the youth, many where considered high risk and/or disadvantaged. However, BizFest gave them the opportunity to explore other possibilities for their future and in many cases returned to their schools and homes with a different outlook in life. “I realized I didn’t need all the piercings I was wearing to stand out. I could stand out and be different with a positive attitude and how I acted,” Said Michael Babuca, a senior at ACE Charter School who attended BizFest in 2009. Michael returned to BizFest in 2010 as a mentor to this year’s participants and shared his inspiring personal story of the challenges he faced growing up and how BizFest helped him set new goals and see himself as a successful business person in the future. Dama Gonzalez, owner of Bilingual Executive Strategic Training (BEST) who was contracted by the THCC Foundation to coordinate this program said, “BizFest goes beyond just teaching basic business concepts. It’s a program that reaches down to the very core of the participants and brings out that inner passion to grow, dream, thrive and reach for something bigger than one-self. That is the spirit of BizFest.” The 2010 program included Raul Aguirre, REA Communications as the motivational speaker. Other guest speakers included: Janus Gallego, Atty. Mesh Clark & Rothschild; Jerry Bustamante, Canyon Community Bank; Ernesto Portillo, La Estrella de Tucson and Alvaro Leon, Dairy Queen. Mario Contreras from CGM Consultants trained the fundamentals of success and self esteem components of the program while Dama Gonzalez, BEST trained the business plan components. The BizFest judges for 2010 where Carlos Rosa, Carlos’ Photo Expressions who served as a preliminary judge and the final judges included Bill Holmes, Wells Fargo; Lupita Valencia and Deb Turner, Take Shape for Life Health Coach. 2010 Winners 1st Place – Lee Smyth $500.00 2nd Place – Christopher Nogales $300.00 3rd Place – Susan Hall ` $200.00
El Informe Newletter - JULY 2010