CHICAGO – On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman visited Chicago, Ill., to meet with local entrepreneurs, participate in a roundtable discussion as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Latino Prosperity Tour, and deliver the keynote address at the Opportunity Finance Network’s (OFN) 2023 Small Business Finance Forum.
In the morning, Administrator Guzman and Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03) visited El Artesanal, a family-owned coffee shop and Mexican goods market in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. They received a tour of the store and met with the owners to learn more about their operations. Administrator Guzman and Congresswoman Ramirez then participated in a roundtable discussion at Crecer Business Incubator, also in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood, featuring Latinx small business owners. This was the latest stop as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Latino Prosperity Tour, a multi-city tour to engage communities on the micro- and macro-economic issues that directly impact Latinos. The Administrator mentioned Agency resources available to both new and current small business owners, heard their stories firsthand, and reaffirmed the SBA’s commitment to America’s Latino entrepreneurs.
To end the day, Administrator Guzman participated in a fireside chat at the 2023 Small Business Finance Forum (SBFF). This is an annual gathering hosted by the Opportunity Finance Network and focused on how to improve access to capital and better meet the needs of small business owners across the country. Specifically, Administrator Guzman highlighted recent actions by the Biden-Harris Administration to expand access to capital for historically underserved communities. In 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration and the SBA delivered nearly 900 loans through its flagship 504 loan program to Hispanic-owned small businesses to a total of $747.6 million, along with 4,822 loans through its 7(a) Program totaling $1.84 billion, and 99 Community Advantage loans totaling nearly $18 million.
For follow-up interview requests for Administrator Guzman, please contact Mila Myles at mila.myles@sba.gov.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
>The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.