GIRLS WITH IMPACT AND U.S. BANK LAUNCH “NEXTGEN DENVER” TO TRAIN 10,000 UNDER-SERVED DENVER GIRLS IN BUSINESS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2022
EDITORS: SEE PHOTOS & SCHOLARSHIP FLYER HERE. Captions below
Rockies Co-Owner Linda Alvarado Says “Defying Convention” is Key to Women's Success
Denver, CO – Over 100 local leaders gathered this morning to kick off a new initiative – NextGen Denver 10K -- to train 10,000 young women from Colorado as tomorrow’s business leaders and entrepreneurs.
Girls With Impact operates a live, online business program that is now being brought to under-resourced young women 14-24 in the greater Denver area thanks to the support of U.S. Bank’s Foundation
The event featured four teen girl CEOs from Denver who – just this week – are graduating the Girls With Impact 10-week Business Academy with new skills, confidence and business ventures that will give them a leg-up for college and career success.
The young women went through the program on full scholarships, available at Girls With Impact’s website (www.girlswithimpact.org/nextgen-denver) through the support of U.S. Bank. A full 1,000 scholarships are available to low-to-moderate income families right now.
Naomi Tesfaldet, 17, was one of the Girls With Impact graduates. Now CEO of Fit & Fab, she created her venture because, "I realized, especially right now, that childhood obesity is such a big issue. We all love junk food but why not make it better, make it healthier?”
Katheryn Robinson, 16 of North Denver High and now CEO of Vitamin K Water, said the program taught her that business isn’t as difficult as it seems.
“People think business is really closed off and challenging,” Robinson told the audience. “But with the knowledge Girls With Impact has given us, it can be a lot easier than I thought.”
Asked about how the early business training changed her, Jazmine Alvarez, 14 of North High School and CEO of Gear for Soccer, said "It impacted my confidence a lot. I was able to tell myself that I could do it. I could really make something happen if I worked hard. Having my family's support, they have really helped me."
Girls With Impact CEO Jennifer Openshaw shared data from Girls With Impact’s annual report – What’s Inside the Minds of GenZ? -- on the rapid rise of women who want to be their own bosses and run their own companies.
“We’re closing the gap,” said Openshaw. “Today, more women see themselves as leaders and over 50% want to become their own boss. That’s why Girls With Impact is launching in Denver – to tap the powerful talent and prepare these young women to be our job creators and leaders of tomorrow.”
Dressed in a purple pant suit, Linda Alvarado, CEO of Alvarado Construction and Co-Owner of the Denver Rockies, closed-out the breakfast talking about how the power of sports played a key role in her ascent.
She recalled her childhood days as the youngest of six -- and the only girl. Her mother was adamant she not be assigned to traditional women’s duties. Instead, Alvarado was expected to play sports with her brothers. “You got six kids, you got a team,’’ her father would say.
"I didn't understand growing up how sports really does influence how we view the world," she told crowd. "Learning and understanding something like sports allows you to connect with men. Bringing up sports in conversation is something that men can relate to and it opens doors."
Alvarado continued to enter traditionally male dominated industries like construction, wearing a hard hat and fending off comments by others who didn’t expect a woman in that role. But it was her firm mindset to persevere that enabled her to defy conventional norms and build a reputation as a risk-taker.
She said it was that reputation that led then-Governor of Colorado Roy Romer to invite her – not her husband – to invest in the Rockies,.
"I think the mindset of not being tied to conventional things goes very far,” she added. “That’s why Girls With Impact’s program is so important.”
Asked about her investing advice, Alvarado said that risk taking has been key to building wealth. Her “small stake” in the Rockies was just 1% -- a risk that paid off.
But her belief in investing back into the community is unwavering.
"The money that my siblings and I earned growing up was not to go in our piggy banks, but to go towards helping other people. It was an investment in our community."
Girls With Impact, a 501c3, operates nation’s only live, online business program for young women. In live, online classes powered by Docebo, young women turn their passion into a business plan and, along the way, learn fundamentals of business – from problem solving and critical thinking to technology, finances and public speaking. Many graduates have gone on to receive large college scholarships. Nearly 90% report increased confidence.
For scholarships, families can visit www.girlswithimpact.org
Photo captions:
Photo #1: U.S. Bank’s Andy Ahn, Market Leader for Denver, welcomes one of the guests.
Photo #2: Student Nicole Mwakamui, 17 of Montview High School, shares her venture – Fit Market -- Shark Tank style.
Photo #3: Naomi Tesfaldet, 17, admitted she loves junk food and, as a result, created a receipe book to reinvent recipes for greater health.
Photo #4: Jazmine Alvarado, 14, said she can “now really make something happen.”
Photo #5: MC Marissa Armas interviews the Girls With Impact graduates about their experience and new-found confidence
Photo #6: Linda Alvarado in talks up risk taking with CEO Jennifer Openshaw and girls
Photo #7: Crowd shot
Photo #8: Crowd shot
Photo #9: Breakfast items – all provided by local female entrepreneurs
Photo #10: CEO Jennifer Openshaw points to data showing that more women see themselves as leaders from the prior year – and more than half (53%) see themselves as entrepreneurs.
Contact: Jennifer Openshaw
310-980-9252