On June 12, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Los Angeles (LISC LA) hosted “The Art of Resilience,” an exclusive power lunch and networking event at Hotel Indigo in downtown Los Angeles. The event was attended by 60 guests who came out for an inspiring afternoon celebrating the resilience of entrepreneurs and the transformative impact of LISC LA’s Asset Building for Communities of Color (ABC) program.
Attendees included local small business owners and several prominent community and economic development leaders, including Mario Holten (Wells Fargo), Jason Foster (Destination Crenshaw), Rudy Espinoza (Inclusive Action for the City), Delphine Pruitt (US Bank), Delmy Martinez (City First Bank), Matthew Gates (In The Building Media), and Austin Curry (Curry Impact Fund).
The program began with a warm welcome from emcee and tech exec/entrepreneur Safiya Jihan Adams, who set the stage by highlighting the importance of resilience in entrepreneurship. Attendees were then greeted by LISC LA Executive Director Nicole Williams and Deputy Director Krista Phipps, who expressed their gratitude to sponsors and partners.
The highlight of the event was a panel discussion featuring two extraordinary entrepreneurs: Rosario Calatayud-Serna, founder of Art Space Huntington Park, and Ariell Ilunga, founder of Carla’s Fresh Market.
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Moderated by LISC LA Program Officers Sabin Kim and Diana Reyes, the panel delved into the challenges and triumphs of these resilient business owners. Rosario and Ariell shared their journeys, the barriers they faced in accessing flexible capital before the ABC program, and how the program’s support helped them achieve significant milestones.
Rosario, whose consulting agency and creative space use the arts to inspire community creativity, spoke about overcoming obstacles as an emerging business owner in Southeast Los Angeles and how the ABC program’s flexible capital enabled her to sustain and grow her business. Ariell, a former NYC fashion publicist turned food entrepreneur, shared how her passion for local, BIPOC food markers led to the creation of Carla’s Fresh Market and how the program helped her establish a brick-and-mortar presence, which recently opened in Highland Park.
Following the panel and lunch, attendees were treated to a special fireside chat between Nicole Williams and Christina Elmore, an entrepreneur and actor who starred in “Insecure” and HBO’s “Girls on the Bus.” During the chat, she reflected on her life’s trajectory, the challenges of pursuing a career in acting and running a business while raising a family, the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone, and taking risks in life.
The event concluded with inspiring words from Jason Foster, CEO of Destination Crenshaw.
L.A. County small businesses can learn more about LISC eligibility requirements at https://www.lisc.org/los-angeles/abc-fund/.
