Richfield, MN — Henry Jiménez is the proud son of immigrants who worked hard but faced systemic barriers to economic opportunity. As a child, he often was thrust into the role of negotiator and advocate for his Spanish-speaking parents. He learned early about the economic disparities people of color face and was driven to address the arbitrary barriers that lead to generational poverty. He sees a deep need for greater investment in cultural corridors and for communities of color to have more access to capital to purchase a home or start and expand businesses. As chief executive officer of the Latino Economic Development Center, he has led successful efforts to build generational wealth. He wants to reimagine how financial products can build wealth, particularly for Latino, immigrant, and undocumented communities. With his Fellowship, he will seek mentorship from Latinx executives, enhance his Spanish language skills, and take time for rest and rejuvenation.
What has informed your approach to leading change in your community?
My approach is informed by my parents. I am the proud son of two undocumented immigrants. I’ve seen everything they did to support me and my family. Despite working multiple jobs to the point of exhaustion, we remained very, very poor and I never understood why. I realized there were other efforts, systems, that were keeping us poor. As a result, I developed a desire to understand how communities gain access to capital to grow generation wealth.
Share the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you.
One thing I was always told is working hard will bring you what you want. I personally know this to be untrue because of what I saw in my family and parents who worked tirelessly. I then wanted to learn how to work smarter, not harder, and how to create the change needed to allow others to do the same.
What is your favorite quote or expression?
Food is a creative necessity. It fuels, heals and reminds people of their heritage.
