MexNet Alliance celebrates its first Anniversary
Featured news/eventsPublished June 16, 2010 at 6:18 pm No Comments
Good Afternoon, Buenas Tardes Amigos y Amigas:
Many of you have heard the expression “Mi casa es su casa”, what some of you might not have yet experienced is that when you are a guest at a home in Mexico, no matter how long your visit, it can be 10 minutes or 10 days, you will always be offered something to drink and something to eat. I remember how my grandmother used to deal with sales people or even bill collectors, she will offer them fresh made tortillas, or sweet Mexican bread, and drown them in the fragrance of what was being prepared at the kitchen. That smell, the unspoken promise of a warm homemade meal, could make her get whatever she wanted…. Love comes through the stomach they say or as we say in Mexico “por la boca cae el pez”.
You see, food is the way we express the warmth of friendship, our dedication to relationships, the respect for the past, and the joy for our culture. So it’s quite fitting for tonight’s event to be at a place where, not only we will have delicious food, but a place that for MexNet Alliance feels just like home: Fonda San Miguel.
It is a pleasure as well to be surrounded by very special people:
The Honorable Rosalba Ojeda, Consul of Mexico
Tom Gilliland
David Garrido
Junior Merino
LATINWORKS
HEB
UNIVISION
We are honored to have them here, for as you will hear today, they all play such an important role in the motivation and the future of what MexNet Alliance is today and hopes to be tomorrow.
A year ago, we started this journey with MexNet Alliance. As many of you might already be aware, MexNet Alliance was born out of the interest and commitment of Consul Rosalba Ojeda for serving her community and creating and having a substantial impact in the lives of the Mexican and Mexican-American community. With this in mind, she called on a group of entrepreneurs, business people, and key players in this community to become organized and identify the pressing needs and most relevant initiatives for a long range plan that would help integrate and facilitate the success of the Hispanic population in central Texas.
MexNet Alliance was created as a non-profit organization composed of business professionals and entrepreneurs whose main aspiration is to serve and provide a model for accelerating the success of present and future Hispanic leaders in the US.
In June 2009, MexNet Alliance gave me the opportunity to head this organization and along with our executive board and members we began to seek opportunities and programs that will have the greatest possibilities for change and sustainability.
From that date on, much has been done and we are here to celebrate those accomplishments and prepare you for what’s coming next.
One of our first goals was to engage with other entrepreneurs and find the resources that will help them develop, grow, and establish mutually beneficial business and professional relationships. As such, MexNet Allliance participated in the 4thedition of the prestigious event RISE Austin with three workshops and co-hosting the Multicultural Series Reception.
Along with the Mexican Government’s arm in charge of strengthening Mexico’s participation in the international economy, PROMEXICO, we gathered a group of 20 entrepreneurs to inaugurate one of the first chapters in Texas of “Empresarios por Mexico” and will continue to grow that network to make it one of the most effective in the system worldwide.
Our relationship with the community, and in particular with educational institutions, has been a priority for our organization. This semester we have 3 interns working along our professional volunteers, and we seek to increase this number to 7 by the end of the summer. We believe that students and recent graduates bring a new perspective and fresh energy to the work we do in the community and giving them an opportunity for direct mentorship and real world experience will prove fundamental in their professional success.
Along with LLILAS we have had the wonderful opportunity to present our members and guests to two very interesting speakers, Dr. Francisco E. Thoumi and Professor Roberto Brena that spoke about current topics in Latin America.
As I mentioned before, food is such a central part of our culture and tradition, that many of our activities this year have had a culinary emphasis. We have worked with Maria Maria, Garridos and of course Fonda San Miguel in a series of culinary tasting events for the dinning and restaurant guide published by Sabores Autenticos de Mexico. Most recently we have had the honor to host along Tom Gilliland, the Mexican Cuisine Authority and Author Diana Kennedy; who in a very intimate setting chatted with us and answered many of our questions about her life, her work, and of course! Her new book.
Now, I believe we have accomplished much in one year and with an all volunteer group. However, much remains to be done. As I mentioned before, we are seeking substantial, measurable changes. This can only be achieved if we are able to tap into the human potential.
If you believe, as I do, that the strength and character, the skills and know-how of people like you and me are the key drivers to progress and productivity, then you’ll agree with me, I hope, that the Hispanic community in Texas needs better opportunities, and more than anything needs the education and know-how to take their passion and strong work ethic, Sus GANAS, to a true path of success.
Estimates suggest that the Hispanic population represents the fastest-growing segment of the nation’s economy. According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, Hispanics open new businesses at a rate three times faster than the national average. Their income and efficiency levels, however, are still below national average and even under other minorities’ figures.
MexNet Alliance is committed to promoting high impact strategies that will facilitate the access of Hispanic entrepreneurs to the resources and technological innovations for starting-up, operating and growing their businesses to leverage virtues like creativity, hard work and professionalism, and eliminating cultural barriers.
We are working with our growing network of members, partners, and other stakeholders to identify, promote and pilot promising innovations.
Our fundraising efforts go toward convening a working group that will implement a successful and sophisticated educational model for the Central Texas Hispanic Entrepreneur Initiative that will be replicated in the future in other communities. We will actually launch our first business course in Spanish next July as a pilot to test in a minimal scale what our education program will be.
Whit this goal in mind, is that I want to talk to you about the future of Mexnet Alliance.
The year 2010 marks the Bicentennial of the Mexican Independence from Spain and the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution. In celebration of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and in recognition of the strong family and friendship bonds that join Texas and México, it is an honor for me to announce, along with Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long and Rosalba Ojeda, Consul General of México in Austin, Tom Gilliland, and David Garrido the
SABORES AUTENTICOS DE MEXICO DINNER GALA
Monday, September 13, 6:00 p.m. at the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Center for the Performing Arts
This extraordinary Gala will be the only stop of the Authentic Flavors of México tour in the Southwestern United States. Events will also be held throughout the year in New York, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles.
Authentic Flavors of México will replicate the magnificent experience of dining in one of the best restaurants in México. A select group of guests will have the opportunity to taste delectable and authentic Mexican dishes inspired and created especially for this event by world-renowned expert chefs in Mexican gastronomy. The evening will be an elegant and delightful explosion of colors, music, scents, and flavors that will create a truly authentic Mexican atmosphere for years to remember.
The stars of the event will be:
- from New York, as culinary curator. Roberto Santibanez, as Mixologist and our special guest for this evening: Junior Merino “the Liquid chef”
and leading the team in Texas
- Tom Gilliland, Miguel Ravago, and David Garrido
They, along with the best culinary talent from San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Austin, will prepare a four course dinner to be served on Stage at the Long Center and following the theme of the Mexican Independence.
Wouldn’t that be enough? But this gala is more than just amazing food.
Sabores Autenticos de Mexico in Austin, or as we call it SABORES, is a long overdue celebration of – and tribute to the ingenuity and creativity of the people who have dedicated their careers to preserving and sharing our most treasured cultural possession, our food.
professional and amateur chefs will be honored with the distinctive “Authentic Mexican Restaurant” emblem and included in the official dinning and food guide published by the Government of Mexico. This recognition will assure their costumers that the establishment has preserved the tradition, original ingredients, and overall quality of a true Mexican restaurant.
Because, one of the most important goals of MexNet Alliance is to provide those entrepreneurs who might not have the opportunities to receive a formal education with the opportunities to advance and further their careers, Sabores Autenticos de Mexico is providing 2 full scholarships to the Claustro de Sor Juana to those nominated and qualified members in order to become certified Mexican Chefs.
As you can see, this will be a special night to
CELEBRATE the friendship and historic ties between Texas and México.
SHARE our unique gastronomical heritage and culture with the world.
RECOGNIZE the best talent in Mexican Culinary achievement in Texas.
EDUCATE about authentic Mexican cuisine.
We hope you will be able to join us.
In turning this idea into a reality I have received a great deal of help and guidance, suggestions, comments and constructive criticism from some of the most respected and knowledgeable people
We are extremely honored to have in our Sabores Autenticos de Mexico, Austin committee the following extraordinary people:
Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long
Mort and Bobbi Topfer
Armando Zambrano
John Hogg
David Garza
And the development of this idea, from the vision stage to the fully-developed concept that we are announcing tonight, could not have happened without the help of Victoria Hentrich, Mandarin Flowers, and LatinWorks.
And of course, the MexNet Alliance board that has spent innumerable hours making all this possible.
Thank you to each of you.
