Latina women from around Sussex County gathered June 14, to network and learn from other entrepreneurs at the Latina Business Summit held at Avenue United Methodist Church in Milford.
Organized by La Plaza Delaware and the Delaware Alliance of Latino Entrepreneurs, the summit featured speakers, guest panels and workshops.
Mary Dupont, executive director of La Plaza Delaware, said the goal was to bring together women from all types of businesses – food service, retail, construction, personal services – and allow them to learn from each other, connect and possibly do business together. More than 100 business owners attended the event.
“We wanted to do something that celebrates women. We decided we would give them a day, kind of a spa day, for their businesses; something special where they can indulge themselves and be together without having the guys around. [It’s] for them to really think about who they are and what their accomplishments are,” Dupont said.
She said particularly in the Latino community, many of the women in business are in it with family members, so one panel was devoted to the challenges and rewards of being in family business. Other panels were devoted to food service, establishing roles and responsibilities in family businesses and creating a vision for a business. Food was provided by My Sister’s Fault and El Nopal Restaurant of Dover.
Angie Robles, co-owner of Milford favorite My Sister’s Fault, said, “What really stood out to me was how often we assume other businesswomen are just out here killing it, and we all do a pretty good job of hiding our struggles. But when you’re in a space where women are being honest, you start to hear stories that remind you that our struggles might look different, but every single one of us has been through something. We’ve all had to push through tough moments to get where we are. And despite it all, we still show up, keep going, and somehow figure out how to survive and even thrive through it. I definitely hope to see more events like this in the future. These kinds of spaces are so important for our community and for small business owners like us.”
Laneyscha Echevarria, founder of L. Echevarria Attorneys at Law, was one of the featured speakers at the event. She said, “For me, the highlight was hearing from the women who often work behind the scenes – mothers, wives and partners who manage day-to-day operations yet rarely receive recognition. Their stories of resilience, partnership and perseverance – balancing family obligations with business ambitions – were profoundly moving. They reminded us that success isn’t just about profit, but about the freedom and fulfillment that entrepreneurship can bring: the ability to care for loved ones while pursuing professional goals. It means working after hours and making sacrifices beyond a standard 9-to-5 schedule, yet with the right team – and, in these cases, a supportive life partner – freedom is redefined and attainable.”
Dupont said she hopes Latina business owners felt empowered by the experience and were able to get familiar with fellow entrepreneurs.
“We want everyone in the community to be proud of who they are and what they do,” she said.
Of the experience, Echevarria said, “I would love to see more summits like this. La Plaza Delaware has set a high bar, and the seeds of empowerment planted here will benefit the entire Delaware community. Continued investment – in the form of funding, grants and programmatic support – for nonprofits like La Plaza is essential to ensure these talented, driven women and Latino businesses overall continue to grow and thrive.”
