Want to buy a home in Mexico? Start a small business in San Diego? Learn the basics of banking in the United States?
These are some of the areas that will be covered this Saturday at a free Spanish-language financial education summit in National City.
The Mexican Consulate in San Diego and Southwestern College are co-hosting the event at the community college's campus in National City. Scheduled speakers, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., are Javier Díaz de León, director of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, National City Mayor Ron Morrison and San Diego's Mexican Consul General Remedios Gómez Arnau.
The summit is at the Southwestern College Higher Education Center, 880 National City Blvd. The event will feature 42 classes in six areas from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., including financial literacy for children, tax preparation and small business development.
Jose Santoyo of BBVA Compass Bank will discuss how people living in the United States can purchase a home in Mexico.
"It's different because many times the people who are buying don't see the home and rely on family members who live there," he said.
The bank has helped thousands of Mexicans who live here purchase homes in Mexico. Many are Mexicans who have settled in the United States but have families in Mexico that they want to help out. Others plan to retire in Mexico.
Valery Santacruz, ACCION San Diego, loan program coordinator, will discuss how to get a small business loan. The nonprofit lender provides loans ranging from $300 to $35,000 for small businesses, she said. Many of its clients are entrepreneurial Latinos, she said. (ACCION San Diego will also offer a community workshop on the same topics on March 15 at Jacobs Center, 404 Euclid Ave., in San Diego. Additional information is at www.accionsandiego.org)
"We look at very small micro businesses, anywhere from home day care, swap meet vendors to larger operations like restaurants and beauty salons," she said. "My presentation will be a basic overview for anyone looking to start a business. How to prepare for a loan. Many people aren't aware of what's going to be requested. They're not familiar with how credit works."
Chayo Moreno, a Junior Achievement education manager, said the nonprofit youth organization, will focus on teaching some basics about the free enterprise system to elementary and middle school age children. "How money moves in a community, the beginning of economics," she said.
For more information contact the Mexican consulate at (619) 308-9925. Other sponsors are the San Diego County Office of Education, Sweetwater Union High School District, National City Chamber of Commerce, city of National City, and radio stations La Nueva 106.5 and Recuerdo 102.9 FM.
