Raza Development Fund Intends to Invest $1 Million for Loans Within Charter’s California Footprint  Commitment Increases Spectrum Community Investment Loan Fund Investments to $27 million Including Committed Loan Capital, Capacity Grant Donations, and In-kind Contributions STAMFORD, CT – March 16, 2022 – Charter Communications, Inc., which operates the Spectrum brand, and Raza Development Fund (RDF), the largest Latino focused Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), today announced a $3.2 million capital commitment by Charter’s Spectrum Community Investment Loan Fund to provide loans to Latino-owned local businesses in financially underserved areas of California, Texas, Ohio, and Florida. RDF intends to use at …

By Don Pearson, Wells Fargo Regional Banking Executive Sometimes you have to spend money to make money and although that may feel like a risky proposition for a small business owner, there are areas where you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Here are three investments you should consider to give your small business a boost: Technology Upgrading or investing in technology can be an area that will enhance your business and create efficiencies. This category can be broad so consider what makes the most sense for your business. Whether it’s adding logistics software to help manage …

In 2021, Raza Development Fund kicked off an Affiliate Support Program (ASP) aimed at helping UnidosUS affiliate non-profit organizations navigate pandemic challenges and increase their capacity for growth. This program was led by Eric Salazar, RDF’s late Familia member who served as our Director of UnidosUS Affiliated Investments. After he passed away unexpectedly in June of 2022, RDF’s partners at the San Juan Diego Institute (SJDI), who had worked closely with Eric providing technical assistance, stepped up to ensure ASP’s impactful work continued. In this capacity, Dr. Ryan Hanning, SJDI Fellow and ASP technical assistance provider, attended last month’s UnidosUS …

“It is important for all of us to appreciate where we come from and how that history has really shaped us in ways that we might not understand.” – Sonia Sotomayor  The long table is always filled with food from tortillas and chicken from the Ranch Market around the corner to share, to homemade sweet empanadas, chilis from a personal garden and other buffet style lunches in our cocina just like we would at home. We embrace and connect around the table in mixtures of Spanish, English and Spanglish. This is Raza Development Fund! We call ourselves a Familia, not …

Count On Us! For over 20 years, Raza Development Fund has proudly provided financial capital to a Latino-serving organizations and Latino-owned small businesses because we know Latinos are a great investment. As we partner with UnidosUS on the Count On Us AZ campaign to share the contributions of Latinos in Arizona, we are highlighting four of RDF’s emerging Latino servant leaders. While we all share a passion for creating better opportunities and equitable access for our Latino and low-income communities across the country, these four are prime examples of the talent and dedication that make up our Familia.     Amanda …

Count On Us! This month and through October, we not only celebrate our heritage and Latino leaders for Hispanic Heritage Month, but we also have a special message: Arizona counts on Latinos!   As a support corporation of UnidosUS, Raza Development Fund is proud to partner in the Count On Us AZ campaign. Together, along with Arizona’s UnidosUS affiliate nonprofit organizations, we’ll raise awareness of Latinos’ contributions to Arizona’s economy and culture while inspiring action to remove barriers that Latinos and others face—in employment, education, housing, and health care.  For RDF, this campaign is a perfect alignment with our work …

What did you want to be when you grew up? How were you first introduced to that idea?   When we were children, most of us dreamed of careers we saw in movies and books. Those dreams tend to shift as we approach young adulthood. We gather information from our families, schools, mentors and local communities to determine paths that may seem more attainable for us. Unfortunately, for low-income and underserved communities what may seem “attainable” can be very limiting. That’s why it’s critical to create opportunities to expose our youth to a variety of options for their futures.   In a …

Hello Familia! My name is Natalya Merida-Brito, and I am a Senior at Moon Valley High School in Arizona. I am currently working with the Communications department. I have been a part of RDF for the past three years, and overall, my experience has been excellent.  I always feel included and loved by RDF’s family, and I am happy to be part of la Familia I am an Arizona native with strong Hispanic roots that lead to Mexico City and Guerrero, Mexico. I am interested in pursuing a career in the medical field to help my Latino community because I …