August 2020 Hansy Better Barraza, Co-owner of Studio Luz Architects

As a small business owner, I immediately started to seek support and resources to just survive when the pandemic hit, and all work abruptly stopped.  When I learned about BECEF, the funding portion sounded promising.  Little did I know how extraordinary not only the funding, but the advisory support would be during these trying times.   I was skeptical when I learned that a business consultant would also be aligned to work with me in addition to receiving the funds.

Crystal, my FBE business coordinator, reached out to me during the same period that the racial justice protests were happening in response to George Floyd’s murder.  This just brought to the forefront again the systemic racism that our Black and Indigenous communities have experienced daily.  This was another toll on our fatigued mental and health capacity.  Yet, it made me reflect on the support that was being given through BECEF and that I had a rare opportunity to give time and space to work on my business during this period.  It is the first time in 18 years as a business owner that I have this type of outside business development consultant support. This is an extraordinary resource to have again.  It was more than the just the loan that I had acquired. 

They are is very little Latinx representation in the architecture field.  Recently a local group of minority-owned design owners and professional leaders came together to spearhead and advocate for more equity in this field. 

On a personal note, everything that we have experienced from the pandemic, to the racial justice protests, to our BECEF loan and advisory support, has made me reflect on my personal commitment to connect and support other Latinx and Black business owners.  At the end of the day, we all need to work together to address the systemic inequities that have resulted with our businesses being the most impacted during this pandemic.