25 On the Rise

The Meaning

Three years ago, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Minnesota launched an effort to honor young Latinos’ achievements in the state through a program called 25 On the Rise. Its mission is to shine a spotlight on the accomplishments of Latinos under the age of 40, and to create role models for young Latinos and others to emulate.

“For the Latino community, it lets the Latino know that it can be done. It is possible,” says Juan Palomo, a business consultant for McDonald’s who has served as a 25 On the Rise judge for the past two years. “They can see if you put your mind to it, you can do anything.”

The program’s goal to create local role models for young Latinos is of critical importance, notes Heladio Zavala, CEO of the Midwest Association of Farmworker Organizations (MAFO). The Latino community needs strong examples of its successful members, who then can inspire other young Latinos to finish high school and continue on to college.

That is one way to tackle an elevated Latino high school dropout rate. “Hopefully by having programs like this, we can show Hispanic kids that the American dream is in reach if they just apply themselves,” says program judge Uri Camarena, a business consultant for the Metropolitan Economic Development Association, which assists ethnic minority entrepreneurs in Minnesota. “We view 25 On the Rise as being an ideal program for role modeling and empowering Latinos to do the best that they can.”

And it’s not just young people who can benefit from hearing about these strong Latino role models. Reading about the award winners and their accomplishments at work, in their personal lives, and in the community might inspire older Latinos to set their own sights higher, Palomo says.

The Metrics

The program starts out each year asking nominees to submit an application that details their accomplishments. Then a panel of judges evaluates them based on their professional achievements, community service, leadership, ethics, and integrity. To qualify, recipients must be under the age of 40 and at least 25 percent Hispanic (from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Central or South America). This year, the chamber received nominations for 54 people, 49 of whom were qualified.

This year’s award recipients are native-born Minnesotans, American citizens from other parts of the United States, and immigrants from across Latin America, including Mexico, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Argentina. Winners are living examples of the breadth of Latinos’ contributions to many sectors, from corporate America to entrepreneurial businesses, as well as at nonprofits, in professional services, and community outreach.

Palomo has been impressed with the depth of talent and professional success among the nominees. “The quality of individuals keeps getting better and better. The talent on the résumés and nomination forms are incredible,” he says. “These candidates are self-driven, they are ambitious, they are hungry, and they are representing the Latino community. It’s outstanding.”

The Message

The 25 On the Rise program also plays an important role in the community at large. It serves as notice to corporate America and other employers that there is a wealth of talented Latinos available for hire, Camarena says. Additionally it gives voice to explaining what Latinos are about, from their contributions to the economy and local businesses, to their leadership roles at work and in the communities where they live.

The Hispanic Chamber created 25 On the Rise in hopes that publicity about award recipients would spark more opportunities for Latinos throughout the state’s workforce. “People are realizing the talent that we have within our community,” says Zavala. “Then it becomes a responsibility for them to utilize these people who are up and coming in our society to contribute to the overall economic scope of America.”

As 25 On the Rise becomes more established, its effects will continue to spread, both among Latinos and in the wider community. The 50 people who received the award in the past two years already have become more involved with the Hispanic Chamber, serving as mentors to other Latinos. In addition, the program presents promising Latino leaders with opportunities to network and serves as a way to open doors to Latinos across Minnesota.

“It helps for the business community at large to realize there is tremendous talent out there in the Hispanic community and they can provide opportunities for young people who are really excellent candidates. We want to show them that Latinos are in places of leadership and that we have promising leaders coming up the ranks and talented professionals,” says Camarena. “We hope the business community will tap into the talent that is out there.”