TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa has a large Hispanic population and today more than 50 Spanish-speaking businesses got the chance to mingle, advertise and get to know one another in the first-ever, Hispanic Small Business Expo. Hundreds of people came out Saturday to spread Hispanic pride and show the community, they’re doing big things in Tulsa.
“Immigrants are entrepreneurs by nature. We are building businesses left and right, we are contributing to the economy and to communities,” said Lorena Rivas of Rivas and Associates.
Lorena Rivas is one of 60 Hispanic-owned businesses at Saturday’s inaugural Hispanic Small Business Expo. As an immigration lawyer, she said she sees the struggles immigrants face every day. But she said events like this make the community feel seen, heard and celebrated.
“Every business that has maybe a Spanish name for us, it’s like yes, that person is living their dream, is working hard. It’s making jobs, it’s helping so much,” said Rivas.
Every business at the expo started small. And with the help of Uma Tulsa and the Hispanic Business Association, Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs have the resources needed to achieve the American dream. And that dream has been achieved for Jaime Guerre and his business London Boots.
Guerre said thanks to the resources for Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs, London Boots now has its first brick and mortar store. And another Spanish-speaking business at the expo is actually the first of its kind in town, a Spanish-speaking aesthetics clinic.
“Being able to answer questions in their own native language, I think that’s just one of the biggest things that we actually heard people are excited about. They can express what they need, I can talk to, and we speak their language and we’re licensed professionals,” said Blanca Charles of Casa Blanca Esthetics.
Organizers and vendors said the inaugural small business expo was a hit and they’ll definitely be coming back next year.
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