September 15th marks the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month. This national holiday honors Latin American culture and celebrates the contributions of every American with Hispanic heritage.
The History of Hispanic Heritage Month
In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson first recognized a week-long celebration of Hispanic Americans. It was expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan 20 years later. Ever since, the United States has held September 15 through October 15 as a time to uplift Latinx voices and recognize the contributions of hispanic culture in America.
Why does Hispanic Heritage Month span from mid-September to mid-October? There are several Latin American countries which celebrate their independence days during this period:
- Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua – September 15
- Mexico – September 16
- Chile – September 18
- Belize – September 21
This month offers many opportunities to honor Latin culture and its enduring contributions to American society. Yet, Hispanic and Black founders continue to be overlooked in venture capital—receiving just 2.5% of U.S. funding in 2022. Since 2016, Elevate Capital has worked to change that. Today, 40% of our portfolio companies are led by Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, and we’re proud to celebrate their achievements.
Spotlighting Hispanic Founders
This Hispanic Heritage Month, Elevate Capital is shining a light on our brilliant Latinx founders who are leaders in their industries and contributors to their communities.
JourneyTrack’s Ania Rodriguez
Founded in 2021, JourneyTrack has quickly become a leader in customer journey management software, helping organizations optimize and personalize the customer experience.
CEO and founder Ania Rodriguez brings a deep passion for putting customers first. Before launching JourneyTrack, she spent nearly 15 years as CEO of Key Lime Interactive, where she established herself as a recognized expert in customer experience. She now channels that expertise into building innovative solutions and guiding JourneyTrack’s growth.
Beyond her work as a founder, Ania is a committed advocate for women in business. She serves as Chairwoman of the Board at Key Lime Interactive and is an active member of Women’s Edge, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women in leadership.
Elevate Capital is proud to back Ania and the JourneyTrack team as they redefine the customer experience and champion women-led innovation.
Photon Marine’s Marcelino Alvarez
Marcelino Alvarez has more than 15 years of experience as an entrepreneur and founder. Photon Marine, which he co-founded with Tara Russell in 2021, develops electric propulsion technology and fleet management software for small boat vessels.
As a life-long boater, Marcelino is passionate about improving the boating industry. That’s why his company optimizes workboat engines and fleet software for demanding marine environments, helping marine workers complete their jobs more efficiently.
Central to Photon’s mission is preserving Earth’s waterways and oceans through electric technology. Elevate Capital is honored to support Marcelino in his goals of environmental health and better electric marine vehicles.
HOLO Footwear’s Rommel Vega
Rommel Vega co-founded HOLO Footwear in 2020 with a mission to create footwear that is stylish, comfortable, sustainable, and attainable. He channeled his years of experience as a designer for Puma, Columbia Sportswear, Keen, and Merrel into a company that is helping drive the sneaker industry to sustainability.
Today, HOLO Footwear can be seen on WNBA star Jacy Sheldon–one of the few WNBA players with a signature shoe. Rommel’s passion for footwear and a healthy Earth blends perfectly in HOLO to create a business model that is both successful and ethical. Elevate Capital excited to see how HOLO will continue to innovate with Rommel at the head.
Ideas for Celebrating Hispanic Heritage
This month, Elevate Capital encourages you to appreciate the contributions of Hispanic culture. Here are three easy ways to highlight the Latinx community:
- Eat Hispanic food! There are a variety of delicious dishes to try from all over the Hispanic world. Whether you are sampling a new restaurant or returning to your favorite, supporting Latinx-run businesses is a fantastic way to show your appreciation.
- Listen to Latinx music! Open your Spotify or Apple Music to find a selection of talented and creative artists to uplift just by listening.
- Read books by Latinx authors! Dive into a classic like One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez or enjoy a contemporary novel such as The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.
To our amazing Latinx founders and the entire Hispanic community: Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
