Group gathered. smiling.
 
On February 29, Hostos Welcomed High-Ranking Dominican-American U.S. Government Appointed Officials, Community Leaders, And Other Special Guests For An Event That Celebrated Both Dominican Heritage Month And The Entrepreneurship Spirit At A Breakfast Meeting Titled, “Creating And Expanding Opportunities For Small Business.”
 
Ana García Reyes, Associate Dean For Community Relations, Hosted And Also Served As Co-MC, Along With The Manhattan Deputy Borough President, Aldrin Bonilla. Hostos Vice President For Continuing Education & Workforce Development, Carlos Molina Greeted The Audience With Warm Remarks.
 
Special Guests Took Turns Speaking About Governmental Issues Related To Business Opportunities For Minorities And Much More. Participants In This First-Time Event Were: 
  • Alejandra Y. Castillo, National Deputy Director, The National Director Of The Minority Business Development Agency U.S. Department Of Commerce.
  • Elizabeth De Leon Bhargava, Esq. Deputy Secretary For Labor & Workforce/ Office Of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.  
  • Lisette Camilo, Commissioner Of The Department Of Citywide Administrative Services
  • Feniosky Peña-Mora, Commissioner Of City’s Department Of Design And Construction
  • Wendy Garcia, Deputy Chief Diversity Officer/ Office Of New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer
  • Aldrin R. Bonilla, Manhattan Deputy Borough President
  • Juan Guillen Latintrends Founder & CEO
  • Quenía Abreu, President & CEO Of The Women’s Chamber
Hostos Student, Ely Beriguette Recited Beautiful Poetry In Honor Of The Dominican Heritage Celebration And Distinguished Lecturer From The Business And Accounting Unit, Jorge Silva-Puras, Brought Closing Remarks On Behalf Of The Business Department.
 
Leo V. Martinez, Foundation For Healthy Hispanic Families President Said, “The Caliber Of Panelists Made A Difference. Each Panelist Demonstrated An Uncompromising Expertise In Their Respective Areas Of Professional Engagement, And The Information Offered Was Up-To-Date, Practical And Tangible. Everyone Could Relate To The Important Issues Presented And We Understood How We Could Benefit As Members Of New York's Small Business Community.  Thank You For Another Great Event.”  Bronx Family Court Judge Llinet Rosado Stated She Was Thrilled To Be Part Of Such An Educational And Cultural Event.
 
Special Thanks Were Given To Alejandra Y. Castillo, Esq. National Director Of The Minority Business Development Agency At The U.S. Department Of Commerce;  Elizabeth De León Bhargava, Esq., Deputy Secretary For Labor; Feniosky Peña-Mora, Commissioner Of City’s Department Of Design And Construction; Lisette Camilo, Commissioner Of The Department Of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS); Manhattan Deputy Borough President Aldrin Bonilla; Juan Guillen, Latintrends Founder & CEO; Quenía Abreu, President & CEO Of The Women’s Chamber Of Commerce.  Additional Thanks Were Given To Inca Kola, The Hostos Conference Center’s Nelson Ortiz, Hostos Alumni Relations Director Nydia Edgecombe, Cope Program Director Maria Cano, And Victor Santana From The President’s Office.

About Hostos Community College
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College is an educational agent for change that has been transforming and improving the quality of life in the South Bronx and neighboring communities since 1968. It serves as a gateway to intellectual growth and socioeconomic mobility, as well as a point of departure for lifelong learning, success in professional careers, and transfer to advanced higher education programs. The College’s unique Student Success Coaching Unit provides students with individualized guidance and exemplifies its emphasis on student support services.

Named one of the top 10 finalists for the 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Hostos offers 27 associate degree programs and two certificate programs that facilitate easy transfer to The City University of New York’s (CUNY) four-year colleges or baccalaureate studies at other institutions. The College has an award-winning Division of Continuing Education & Workforce Development that offers professional development courses and certificate-bearing workforce training programs. Hostos is part of CUNY, the nation’s leading urban public university, which serves more than 500,000 students at 24 colleges.