Somos Mission
The mission of the Somos Foundation is to provide financial support through scholarships for post-secondary education, mentoring workshops, and networking resources to Utah Latino students and adults who have demonstrated a strong commitment to education and our community. In turn, the students will contribute to the economic development and well-being of all communities in Utah. The Utah Hispanic Business Leadership Foundation, d.b.a. Somos Foundation, is a501 (c) (3) non-profit governed by a Board of Directors selected from local business, education and community leaders. The Somos Foundation is in partnership with the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in this endeavor.
Background
The Utah Hispanic Business Leadership Foundation was established in 2002 by seven Board Members of the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in an effort to create a sustainable financial/scholarship resources for Utah Latino students and adults who have demonstrated a strong commitment to education and the Latino community. The founding members realized an education/mentoring investment in Utah’s Latino community was the key to opening opportunities for Latinos to participate in the American Dream of social justice.
The long range goal of the Somos Foundation is to develop and sustain a cadre of skilled, educated and diverse business leaders to assist in the future social and economic development of the Utah Latino community.
The Foundation will seek to accomplish this mission by:
- Improving business education, scholarship, recruiting and training opportunities for Latino students and professionals.
- Initiating or supporting leadership development programs for Hispanics in collaboration with private and public sector organizations.
- Facilitating entrepreneurial and small business growth opportunities for Latinos in Utah.
- Providing recruiting, retention and promotion assistance for Latinos with corporate human resource programs.
- Promoting throughout communities in Utah a better understanding and appreciation of the value added to communities by Latino businesspersons and their concerns.
- Encouraging the development of corporate and education policies that promote ethnic diversity and business opportunities for Latinos in the community and in the workplace.
- Facilitating Latino economic and community development by enhancing programs and services designed to diversify and grow Latino-owned businesses in Utah.
- Collaborating with programs of a civic, social and cultural nature that help improve and promote recognition of the functional and aesthetic values of the Latino community.
