MWBC Hosted Its Inaugural Metro Women's Business Leadership Summit Last March 28th

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - The Metro Women's Business Center (MWBC), a program of the non-profit organization Friends of Puerto Rico, in collaboration with the Small Business Administration, hosted its Inaugural Metro Women's Business Leadership Summit on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Washington, DC. This sold-out event brought together a distinguished panel of speakers, including members of Congress, to join in a discussion on key economic issues surrounding women of color. 100 individuals were in attendance, and over 60 individuals joined the event virtually.
This initiative marked the expansion of the MWBC to provide services in Spanish to budding Latina entrepreneurs in the Washington DC metro area. "We are excited to impact more women entrepreneurs through the Metro Women's Business Center in Washington, DC, the place where we originated. In expanding the Metro Women’s Business Center, we will be able to fulfill our mission of empowering women entrepreneurs, especially Spanish-speaking women. This event was a unique opportunity to learn from influential leaders and connect with other women entrepreneurs,” said Angelique Sina, President of Friends of Puerto Rico.

Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Adrianne Todman, delivered the keynote address. 

“As part of HUD’s mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities for all, we are proud to catalyze economic equity through actions that support and fund small businesses, including women-owned businesses”, said Adrianne Todman in her speech.

Among the event's featured speakers were renowned experts and business leaders, including Angelique Sina, president of Friends of Puerto Rico; Carmen G. Cantor, Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs and former U.S. Ambassador of Micronesia; Mark Madrid, Associate Administrator, Small Business Administration (SBA); Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; Celeste Carrasco, director of Federal Public Affairs for AT&T; Lorraine Carrasco, Vice-President of Community Relations and Market Manager for Citi; and Maria Cristina Gonzalez Noguera, Executive Vice President and Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Popular. For a complete list of speakers, visit www.womensbusinessleadership.org/our-speakers.

"We opened a Metro Women’s Business Center in Puerto Rico, and we have the largest number of Metro Women's Business Centers in history in the US. Talk about action! That is what we’ve been doing", said Mark Madrid, Associate Administrator, Small Business Administration (SBA).

The event concluded with a reception, celebrating Latina entrepreneurs, and honoring Elda Devarie, founder of EMD Sales and Bags of Love, for her extraordinary achievements as an entrepreneur, and in her community.