08/21/2026
This morning, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held to welcome 24 new Hispanic-owned businesses!
The 24 new businesses are part of the Mercadito Raíces program—a Spanish-language business development initiative led by Catholic Social Services in collaboration with key partners, including the SBDC, SBA, and other community organizations.
This is the largest cohort of the program, which offers bilingual classes, coaching, and mentorship to help aspiring entrepreneurs overcome barriers to launching and growing their businesses.
Speakers at the ribbon cutting included:
🔸 Ramona Reyes, Vice President, Catholic Social Services
🔸 Michael Bowers, Director, Ohio Small Business Development Center at Columbus State
🔸 Terry Bolden, District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration
🔸 Ariana Ulloa Olavarrieta, Small Business Coord., Columbus Department of Development
🔸 Chad Whittington, President & CEO, (CAPA)
🔸 Lourdes Barroso de Padilla, Columbus City Council Member
In addition to this year’s class, nine graduates of the Mercadito program will participate as full vendors at Festival Latino.
Be sure to support these new business owners during Festival Latino this weekend!
