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🎥 Community Spotlight: Bella Creación Latina
In Denver's Westwood neighborhood, four Latina women are weaving together entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, and economic democracy through their worker-owned sewing cooperative, Bella Creación Latina. What began as community sewing classes at La Casita has grown into a thriving enterprise creating unique, personalized garments while building community wealth.
"We saw that we could be part of a better economy for our families," shares Norma Brambila, a founding member. "By forming a cooperative, we're providing both financial and emotional support because we can both work and take home a portion of the profits."
Working closely with CCWB throughout their journey, Bella Creación Latina has accessed cooperative training, technical assistance, and ongoing support to strengthen their business. Their success demonstrates how cooperatives can create sustainable livelihoods while preserving cultural traditions, inspiring others in the Latino community to believe in their entrepreneurial dreams.
"As a Latina woman, I invite them to believe in themselves, in their dreams, and achieve them," Norma emphasizes. "Look for ways to create your own business now. Yes, it's possible."
📰 Community Spotlight: Rocky Mountain Steel
In Olathe, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Steel's transition to 100% employee ownership demonstrates how the right support can help business owners create lasting impact. When Dylan Wiman, with his background in construction and private equity, saw an opportunity to preserve this vital local business through employee ownership, he knew it could transform lives.
"Selling to private equity, you never know what you're going to get. You never know who the new owners are or what their intentions will be," Wiman explains. "So for the control of the company to now be in the employees' hands, it means a lot to people."
The transition exemplifies how employee ownership can "correct a distribution of wealth that I think is a little out of whack," as Wiman notes. This successful conversion was made possible through Colorado's innovative support programs, including the Cash Collateral Support program and dual employee ownership tax credits: 1) to Establish or Expand and 2) to Strengthen and to Thrive.
Wherever you are in your employee ownership journey, CCWB provides comprehensive support:
For Those Exploring
- Free consultations to understand your options
- Educational resources and case studies
- Connection to peer networks and successful employee-owned businesses
Ready to Convert
- Technical assistance throughout the conversion process
- Support accessing state tax credits and financing programs
- Guidance on governance and culture change
Post-Conversion Support
- Ongoing technical assistance
- Worker-owner training and development
- Connection to the broader cooperative ecosystem
Ready to explore how employee ownership could work for your business? Schedule a consultation with Michaela Holmes, our Employee Ownership Conversion Director:
Want to learn more about the basics of Employee Ownership Conversion? Read our FAQ interview with Michaela here!
During Latina Breastfeeding Week (September 3-9), we're highlighting Cuenta Conmigo, a worker-owned cooperative addressing crucial maternal and child health issues in our community.
Research by the Institute for Innovation in Community Health shows lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding among Hispanic women due to cultural and linguistic barriers. Cuenta Conmigo's work in Colorado confirms this, revealing many local Latina mothers combine breast milk and formula instead of exclusively breastfeeding, often due to language difficulties, fears related to lack of health insurance, and the absence of support networks.
As a cooperative, Cuenta Conmigo is uniquely positioned to tackle these challenges. Their member-owners, deeply rooted in the community, understand the nuanced obstacles Latina mothers face. This connection allows them to provide culturally sensitive support and education.
In just six months, Cuenta Conmigo has assisted over 370 families with free breastfeeding consultations. Their team of nationally certified lactation consultants, who are also cooperative members, provide personalized assistance in person, by phone, or virtually.
For Latina Breastfeeding Week, Cuenta Conmigo is raising awareness about breastfeeding rights and resources. Esther Caldera, their President, states: "Our goal is for families to know they can receive completely free breastfeeding consultations and even request a breast pump, even if they don't have health insurance."
To learn more about Cuenta Conmigo's impactful work and how to access their services, click here.
Learn more about Cuenta Conmigo
School of Breaking, an Aurora-based Hip-Hop education hub, is embarking on an exciting journey with CCWB's Community Owned Real Estate (CORE) Academy. Under the transformative leadership of co-owner Le'Toya Garland, this vibrant institution has been nurturing students aged 3 to 60+ for over a decade, providing a safe space for self-expression and personal growth that resonates deeply with its diverse community.
Through the CORE Academy, Le'Toya is exploring innovative approaches to community-owned real estate. "It's been a big learning curve," she shares. "We're learning that there are so many ways that you can structure a purchase and collaborate with community that's mutually beneficial." This education has inspired a vision beyond securing their own space; Le'Toya now aims to create a hub that is not only home to the School of Breaking but also supports other artists and community initiatives through an ecosystem of collective care.
By embracing community-owned real estate, School of Breaking is strengthening its roots in Aurora as well as expanding its positive impact on the community. This journey embodies the cooperative spirit, challenging traditional notions of property ownership while advancing racial equity and community wealth building. It's a powerful example of how arts organizations can lead the way in creating more just and inclusive economic systems.
Interested in learning more about community-owned real estate? Schedule a meeting with us!