YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC November 8, 2007
Hispanic entrepreneur tells students of opportunities
Rubicela Acosta knew there were more ways to survive in the U.S. than picking grapes, onions and pomegranates or trimming clothing in stuffy California factories, as she did when she was 10 years old, working alongside her mother.
"There had to be better ways to live than what my mother had to do," the 31-year-old Olympia resident said. "There are a lot of opportunities here in the U.S. for Latinos." Acosta knew there were more ways to survive in the U.S. than picking grapes, onions and pomegranates or trimming clothing in stuffy California factories, as she did when she was 10 years old, working alongside her mother. Acosta, founder of Olympia-based LATCareers.com, a headhunting company that's recruited thousands of bilingual Hispanics for hundreds of U.S. business giants, found opportunities through a school job-training program and her entrepreneurial spirit. On Wednesday, she shared her experiences with more than 1,500 Yakima students, visiting four schools to offer a message of inspiration and hope. She encouraged them to open the doors to higher-paying jobs. But she also acknowledged the challenges that many people may feel. "As immigrants, we're tainted. There's such a negative stereotype of Latinos and we feel that," Acosta said, adding, "Instead of looking at it as an advantage, we look at it as a disadvantage." Being Hispanic has its perks, Acosta pointed out. As Hispanic buying power continues to grow, many companies throughout the U.S. are scouring for bilingual workers. Which means workers have an opportunity to market their culture and bilingual skills for higher-ranking jobs that can pay up to $90,000 annually, she said. Acosta, who moved to the U.S. from Acapulco, Mexico, after her parents divorced, started her first business a year later, translating English-language mail for migrant workers who could only read Spanish. She said she only charged a nickel per letter, but she knew she could eventually make more money than her farm worker mother. Her company, LATCareers.com, held a small job fair Wednesday afternoon at Yakima Valley Community College to link students to large companies nationwide. Chris Dugan, president of LATCareers, said five businesses -- Alaska Airlines, the Seattle Fire Department, Swift Transportation, Weyerhaeuser and LATForce -- sent recruiters to Yakima to search for talented, bilingual Hispanics, while nearly two dozen other employers provided informational packets. Dugan said he hoped the public job fair would attract about 400 people and inform them about the online job board available for free at LATCareers.com. Dugan said LATCareers also would be targeting youth, providing information about college and scholarship applications. He said the Web site, which gets about 100,000 hits a month, receives many inquires from Hispanic students who are interested in going to college, but don't know how. Many were looking for role models like Acosta to set the path, he added. Bobby Lopez, a seventh-grader at Washington Middle School, attended the assembly hoping to take a few tips from Acosta. The 14-year-old said he'd like to be a professional basketball or football player when he gets older. As a backup, though, he's looking into law school. Lopez said he believes "most of the good jobs are taken," but held by few Hispanics. He sees most of Yakima's Hispanics stuck "in the fields." "We can learn from her," he said of Acosta and her offer for alternative options. "(We) can follow the same footsteps." During her speech at the school assembly, which was organized to honor students who passed the WASL and to promote academic success, Acosta reminded the mostly Hispanic audience to pursue better employment -- away from fruit orchards and fast-food restaurants. "You're no different than me, you're just younger," Acosta assured the nearly 700 students who applauded, whistled and listened from the bleachers. "The one reason I was able to do that (start LATCareers) was that I didn't let anybody put me down. I didn't let any challenge get in my way." Principal Lorenzo Alvarado expected Hispanic students would feel a stronger connection to Acosta but was also sure the successful businesswoman would inspire all of his students -- regardless of ethnicity. "Her story should impact any kid," he said, adding that she could "help them realize the importance of education in any career." "It doesn't happen by luck," Alvarado said. "It requires some forethought and planning. Education is the key."
|