BY María González Amarillo
Today, Friday September 25th, 2015, the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber Of Commerce (SDCHCC) hosts its “Iluminada 2015 Gala”. Its goal is to raise funds for the organization, and to award its most outstanding members of the year.
“It got the name almost ten years ago, and it simply meant to illuminate the community, to provide light and knowledge”, shared Chamber President Albert Clark-Castaneda with La Prensa. “This time, however, it will somewhat different, as we celebrate our 25 years. In addition to the normal process, we will be honoring about 20-25 former members of the Board of Directors. There will be music, orchestra and all, and entertainment.”
Ticket sales have been a resounding success: they sold out in advance, and we expect an attendance of about 400 people, including members of the Chamber, community residents, political leaders, mayors, and other personalities.
“This year, we will have Ruben Barrales, who served as President of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce until approximately 4 years ago, and who has an organization that supports Latino leaders in politics; and Frank Montes, the new Chairman of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce”, said Clark-Castaneda.
The SDCHCC started in 1989 for the purpose of helping Hispanic business network and expand, as well as facilitate access to capital. The idea was, originally, to promote for small business to help each other out. Currently, chambers of commerce often focus on digital marketing.
“Today, we host two events per month: a networking event, in which we meet with a business – around 150 of us – and give that business a chance to talk about what they do; the second is different workshops. During tax time, for example, we have an information session. We also organize access-to-capital events, in which we invite 12 or 13 banks or other organizations that can help these businesses”, explains Chairman Clark-Castaneda.
The type of membership varies based on the size of the business, its capacity and industry. The Chamber is made up of small businesses, contractor members, marketing firms, businesses with offices in Tijuana who do their distribution in San Diego, and thus are interested in becoming members in order to move their product, etc.
“What we like to do is survey our members to ask them what they want: what events and what programs they need. Today, many Chambers seek out technical services to help members get their license, since many times they only speak Spanish. In short, we launch many different initiatives”, said the S.D. Chamber President.
“We also look to collaborate with other chambers and organizations that support Latinos. Our doors are not just open to our members, but also to other organizations. We often offer them event discounts, and they later decide to apply for their membership”, he added.
The cost to become a member is $150/year for a Small Business. In the 90s, according to Clark-Castaneda, there were not as many chambers of commerce as there are today, and being a member of more than one is difficult, so they offer an affordable fee. The Cost for Corporate Membership varies, and the benefit from being able to advertise to the Hispanic market, to a greater or lesser extent based on the fee they pay. “We have nearly 425 members throughout San Diego County”, stated Clark-Castaneda. “We expect to reach 600 by 2016”.
The SDCHCC is also planning to help the political integration of the Latino population through information sessions in which people will get the chance to meet the candidates and ask them how they will support the Latino community.
“These will be informal panels”, said Clark-Castaneda. “We are creating a statewide campaign with the state and local Hispanic chambers, and we will have a volunteer at our events to register Latinos who have not registered themselves to vote. In fact, we are working on an event slated for April, in which we will focus solely on the importance of voting. We will not side with any particular ideology, but rather will help Latinos learn how important their voice is”.
In addition to this event, the President of the SDCHCC sees a great need in the Latino population as far as presence and unity. “Many Hispanic businesses need more of a digital presence, or lack the resources to expand. We want to be that resource that can advise them and directs them to the person who can solve their problem, many times free of charge. I have personally benefitted greatly from my membership when I have needed something ”, assured Clark-Castaneda.
“Once, when my son was hit by a brick on the head, a surgeon I know stitched him up, scar-free and free of charge. In return, I send him business”, he recalled. “I think our community likes doing business the Latino way: get to know each other, sit down, drink some coffee; that is the environment we create for our members”.
Our Chamber works in both English and Spanish whenever possible, and we organize smaller events so that people truly have a chance to mingle without them becoming closed groups. The aim, in the words of Clark-Castaneda, is to support each other, for no one to feel left out, to understand that it is better to work together.
“We must find a way to use the economic power and the voice we have as the country’s – an particularly California’s – largest demographic. That is what we are trying to do at the Hispanic chambers, from the largest to the smallest, at a crucial time in our community’s history: to foster mutual support and unite because, if you look at how many Hispanics businesses there are, we are the future of the U.S. economy.”