Empowerment Tour Looks to Provide Latinas the Tools to Succeed
Inspired by its “5 BY 20” commitment to enable the economic empowerment of five million women entrepreneurs in its system by 2020, Coca-Cola has created the Coca-Cola Tour: Adelante, a digital community and series of forums intended to empower Hispanic women by providing them with the tools and information to reach their goals. The community launches on Facebook in mid-November and to kick off the Tour, Coca-Cola is hosting a day-long forum for Latinas in Los Angeles on Saturday December 3.
The inaugural Coca-Cola Tour: Adelante is a partnership between Coca-Cola, Latina inspirational speaker and media entrepreneur Nely Galán and Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence (CMI). The Forum – which is free of charge – will take place in Santa Monica. Latinas must apply online at www.CocaColaTourAdelante.com. 300 women will be invited to attend.
“The Coca-Cola Tour: Adelante is meant to create a movement that informs, mentors and inspires Latinas to take action by providing them with the right tools to make their dreams come true,” said Nely Galán.
Women are the cornerstones of any family, so it’s important that they are offered options to help ensure their success. The Coca-Cola Tour: Adelante is intended for Latinas who want to reach their goals of obtaining a college degree, opening their own business and/or becoming active leaders in their community. The Forum will offer specific curricula that will help Latinas achieve their American dream.
The Tour kicks off in Los Angeles, the nation’s largest Latino market, where nearly 50% of the population is Hispanic, and in a state where 49% of all births in the last decade were attributed to Latinas according to the 2010 U.S. Census. The Tour will partner with media, businesses, women’s and Latino(a) organizations so that they can engage by nominating their top Latina officers, executives and employees to attend the Forum.
“Women, especially Latinas, are an integral part of The Coca-Cola Company’s 2020 Vision. As we embark on this journey, we want to provide Latinas with the necessary tools to succeed by triggering their entrepreneurial spirit” said Reinaldo Padua, Assistant Vice President, Hispanic Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “Coca-Cola looks to inspire Latinas to pursue their dreams—whether these dreams are about getting physically active, going back to school or opening your own business. Stronger women will create stronger families and communities.”
The Coca-Cola Tour: Adelante digital community on Facebook will serve as a meeting place for media-savvy and community-minded women. The digital community will allow interested participants to join a network of influencers and leaders that can provide tools and tips on how to open a business, achieve a degree in higher education and empower themselves.
“We are proud to partner with Coca-Cola in developing the tour,” said Nell Merlino, Founder and President of CMI. “This innovative Forum will provide Latina professional moms with the right tools to articulate their goals and live their dreams.”
The event’s curriculum emphasizes:
- Taking care of myself and my family: Latinas are nurturers of a healthy America;
- Getting my kids to college or pursuing it myself: Latinas are builders of intellectual capital;
- Strengthening my financing and helping my family financially: Latinas are drivers of the entrepreneurial spirit;
- Becoming more active in my community: Latinas are pillars of their community and
- Becoming more involved in governance of my community: Latinas shape the political future of the U.S.
Inaugural Forum Speakers
- Sandra Cisneros, acclaimed novelist, poet, educator and Latina advocate who has been awarded the MacArthur Genius Award, will lead the Begin (Empieza) segment of the Program.
- Nely Galán first generation Latina and self-made media mogul, who was the first Latina president of a U.S. TV network (Telemundo), Emmy Award-winning producer of over 600 episodes of television in Spanish and English, including the hit reality series “The Swan” and the only Latina to appear on Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump. She will lead the Continue (Sigue) segment of the program. www.nelygalan.com.
- Nell Merlino, Founder and President of Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence and the creative force behind Take Our Daughters to Work Day, will lead the Arrive (Llega) portion of the Forum. Merlino’s mantra is: “Before you grow your business, you need to grow yourself.” This segment will focus on building financial strength and discovering what you really want. http://www.makemineamillion.org/