US Hispanic Chamber conference being held in Kansas City this week

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The national convention for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is being held in Kansas City, Missouri, October 6-8.

“We are a national association. The USHCC is based in Washington, D.C., our number one goal is to create and build an ecosystem across America that supports and grows more success within the Latino business community,” President of the USHCC, Ramiro Cavazos said.

“Kansas City is the hometown of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and it’s wonderful to come back here. Forty-five years ago, a group of business leaders got together to exercise their voice for business advocacy,” Jackie Puente, chair of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce shared. “We are back here. It’s a great place.”

Nearly half a century of economic progress for the USHCC.

“It’s our annual convention. The largest convening of Hispanic business in the nation. We are excited to be in Kansas City because, it’s the hometown,” Puente shared.

“I am hoping to build relationships with other chamber members, as well as potential customers. It has really proven to be a great event for that,” an attendee of the event,” Elizabeth Gomez said. “This provides me an opportunity to continue to grow.”

Cavazos says the national convention, held in Kansas City this week, is focused on three items:

• Capital
• Connections
• Capacity building

“That (capital) is still the number one need for small businesses. Hispanic-owned businesses sadly get turned down 40% higher percentage when they apply for a loan at a big or medium-sized size,” Cavazos said.

He adds, that the Hispanic business community is starting more businesses than any other community in America.

“One thing people will learn is the power of the Hispanic business community. We often talk about Hispanic business leaders as driving growth in their local economies. Latinas start businesses faster than anybody else in our country. When they get together, when they band together, and leverage their power collectively, there’s nothing they can’t accomplish,” Puente added.

Adriana Suarez, is a Latina business owner. She’s the founder and artist of Xotu Jewerly. Her businesses had a booth within the Mujeres Mercado section of the Expo Hall at the Convention Center Monday.

“Of course, I want to sell my jewelry and spread the word to other Latinas that’s there’s jewelry that meets in the middle of artisanal and fine jewelry and that’s the mission of my businesses,” Suarez shared.

“I grew up here in the United States, with roots in Mexico. My dad, he made jewelry, and that’s how I learned to make jewelry. I started when I was 14 and to have my own business, it makes my family proud to be able to share something that they might have lost,” Suares said. “Two generations, Latinas can lose their language, their culture, and so part of my business structure is to share that. You shouldn’t be afraid to share your culture or your language anywhere in the community.”

Puente says that it’s important to be involved in your local chamber.

“We know that many small businesses and medium-size businesses are struggling, and they have to really consider why they would spend money to pay dues to be member of a chamber of commerce, but we can see year after year, the folks that are involved that come together in these events, they do get great access, not to just new relationships and new businesses, but we focus on bringing them contracts, procurement opportunities, and advocacy,” Puente added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.