My board is comprised of a diverse, strong, committed and powerful group of individuals that keep me grounded, provide support and guide the work we do. A community that is well educated, engaged and economically powerful.Īny shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role? I am most proud that our funds are seeded by over 200 local donors dedicated to build a long-lasting legacy in the state. We provide scholarships, seed capital to micro-entrepreneurs and assistance for DACA renewals and naturalization through our member organizations and partners. Our work, simply put, is to build a strong, influential and self-sufficient network of organizations led by our community, serving our community. LCF Georgia is the only public charity in the state dedicated to supporting Latinx-led community organizations with advocacy, capacity building, and grant making. Tell us about Latino Community Fund (LCF Georgia) – what should we know? It is an ongoing journey and I am enjoying it.Īlright – so let’s talk business. I think most importantly, I have had to struggle with myself and what I thought was “my place” and my role in the world as an immigrant, as a woman. Sometimes, people have confused me with a maid, etc. When moving to leadership positions, or rather creating space for your own leadership, I have found people making interesting comments to me, for example when I was a Director at a local nonprofit, I was once asked if the Director should not be taller, older and perhaps men in order to be successful.Īlso recently, I was told that most people in Georgia are not used to listen to and take advice from people that look like me and talk like me. Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?Įverything in life helps us grow and learn, so yes, I remember times when growing we literally had nothing to eat other than some vegetable my mom grew in our backyard, but we survived and so now I eat pretty much everything. I successfully ran 3 businesses in the last 12 years, and now I am applying my business acumen and the love and firm belief I have in the importance of an effective and efficient nonprofit industry to the growth of the Latino Community Fund in Georgia. I paired my experience and education to needs and gaps I saw in the state. When I moved to the US, to marry my husband, I quickly realized the importance of entrepreneurship as a wealth-building strategy but also as a tool for community development. Create opportunities for families, entrepreneurs, students to move forward and attain their aspirations of education, economic self-sufficiency, representation, etc. And that is the work we are doing through the Latino Community Fund (LCF Georgia). Talent is distributed equally, but the opportunity is not. ![]() I don’t think I am particularly special but I truly believe that everybody deserves the opportunities I had. Through scholarships and grants, I was able to get my higher education, it was really people that believed in my potential and invested in me. I have worked at fast food restaurants, have waited tables, poured cocktails, sold time-shares during the weekends, and sold crafts among other experiences. ![]() I sold stickers in Elementary School so I could have money for candy. ![]() I have been working since I was probably around 8 years old. We were always involved in volunteering, sharing food or resources. She always instilled in us that giving back to the community was not something we did when we had money or time, it was how we lived our lives. My mother worked all kinds of jobs and made sure we did homework, helped in the house, learned that there was a world outside waiting of our home and that we had an important role to play. ![]() Gigi, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.īorn into a family full of strong women, I grew up with lots of financial challenges yet I always felt loved and supported. Today we’d like to introduce you to Gigi Pedraza.
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