"As a Latina immigrant, it has been a quest for me to understand the  differences between the American and Latino cultures in a way that is  unifying rather than conflicting,” says Mari Gonzales, a local business owner and graduate of a business training program at AnewAmerica. The unity that Mari speaks of was evident last week at a graduation ceremony in Oakland where a group of 35 entrepreneurs graduated from AnewAmerica’s Business Plan Basics for Micro-Entrepreneurs Course. The diverse group of Americans – immigrants, refugees, and new citizens - celebrated the completion of their many hours of training, education, and counseling by the non-profit organization’s dedicated staff.

Gloria Roman is an immigrant from Mexico who runs a professional housecleaning company in San Jose. "AnewAmerica motivates me to set and achieve goals,” she says. “It's so easy to say 'I'll do it tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow...' but AnewAmerica tells me I have to start now!"

Founded in 1999 by Sylvia Rosales-Fike and other community leaders, AnewAmerica has a unique strategy in their mission of fighting poverty by linking business incubation with asset building and social responsibility. It’s a holistic approach designed to address the complex needs of new American women, men and their families in gaining their economic independence and achieving a better standard of living. The business training and ongoing support helps graduates launch their business and the focus on social responsibility deepens their connection to the community and gives their businesses a higher purpose. The purpose of making money is also extended with financial literacy training to help graduates build real assets for their business and for their families.

AnewAmerica’s client base is primarily Latino and Asian, but they provide services for all immigrant communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since its founding, AnewAmerica has served more than 1,165 people from more than 55 countries.

"AnewAmerica's training is not just about taking classes,” says Yan Liu, an immigrant from China and another past graduate of AnewAmerica’s program. “To be a successful entrepreneur, one has to be successful as an individual by building leadership and learning how to work with others."

AnewAmerica recently announced a new campaign designed to reach two of the lowest income areas of Oakland: the Fruitvale and San Antonio districts with the purpose of serving them with their innovative small business incubator
program. “The "Doorway to Self-Sufficiency" campaign will directly help families who work hard to put food on the table every day with the development of their small businesses and bring tangible new incomes to meet their needs,” said Sylvia Rosales-Fike, President and CEO of AnewAmerica.

AnewAmerica’s mission is to empower immigrant families, both socially and financially. Successful entrepreneurs like Lourdes Rodriguez know the feeling of being empowered.
"I came to AnewAmerica three years ago with only a dream,” she says. “Today, my family has a business with six employees. I am a powerful woman."

For more information about AnewAmerica, call 510.540.7785 or visit www.anewamerica.org.