Latino Game Changers in Maryland - An article series

November 9, 11:00 PMBaltimore Hispanic Business ExaminerElianne Ramos

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For the next couple of weeks, we’re talking Vision. Pride. Unrelenting passion. In a series of articles, we will celebrate Latino innovators and leaders in the Maryland area who are harnessing the power of their convictions and reshaping their fields, thus changing their immediate surroundings and by extension, our whole world.

The individuals featured are at the forefront of change as they work to improve the quality of life for the Latino community. They reach beyond the status quo, challenging the typical, forging new alliances to produce results. They’re engineers, educators and lawyers. They’re scientists, business-owners and artists. They’re the thought-leaders, policymakers and status-quo-shatterers who are blazing trails for the local community.

They’re visionaries who, through passion, hard work, determination and the power of their convinctions, are changing the way that things are done in the state. And although most haven’t reached stardom by the standard definition (yet!), they’re the ones who are reinventing the way the game is played in Maryland. And did I mention they’re all Latinos?

We are talking about everyday Latino folks, the ‘great unknowns’, the ones who seldom get the spotlight. These are the wise Latinos and Latinas of Maryland, people who demonstrate – through actions big and small – that ideas, like faith, can truly move mountains. We recognize them not simply because we want to celebrate and remember their past victories – but because their everyday actions inspire us again and again.

LATINO GAME-CHANGERS OF MARYLAND

GAME CHANGER: Luis Borunda

DESCENT: Mexican-American

HIS MISSION: To help reduce Latino high school dropout rates by providing teenagers with an entrepreneurial mindset and consistent guidance through the high school to college continuum.

LIVES HE HAS TOUCHED [SO FAR]: Approximately 500 students a year through USHYEE’s programs, workshops and speaking engagements here in Maryland and across the United States year since 2005.

WHAT HE’S DOING: Together with Sharon, his wife of 25 years, Luis has dedicated his life to turning kid’s lives around. Back in 2004, after many years of in business and service in the public arena, Mr. Borunda initiated an effort to help at risk 10th and 11th grade minority students begin to think about business and the high school to college continuum as a way to combat high school dropout rates. The result: his non-profit organization, U.S. Hispanic Youth Entrepreneurship and Education (USHYEE), the only program of its kind in the area.

USHYEE is currently focused on its program, the Achieve Forum held at Johns Hopkins University and Towson University, respectively. This effort has gained the attention and support of Maryland State Department of Education and the White House Office of Excellence in Hispanic Education and the U.S. Department of Education. USHYEE also initiated the Hispanic Youth Symposium, a program of the Hispanic College Fund, here in Maryland in 2005.

HIS PHILOSOPHY: “People always say ‘it is lonely at the top’.  I don’t want to make that trip alone.  I want to take a whole bunch of people with me.”

HIS BACKGROUND: A former member of the Board of Education in Baltimore County, Mr. Borunda has served as member of the Maryland Economic Development Commission and was a member of the Minority Business Sub-Committee. He is also a former Maryland Deputy Secretary of State with a proven background that reflects leadership in varied business enterprises, non-profit entities and political organizations.

In 2004, he was appointed by the Maryland Governor to the Baltimore County Board of Education. He also served on the Governor’s Commission on Minority Business Enterprise Reform and in this position he was able to offer advice and recommendations to the Governor and to the Secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development. As Chair of the Certification Committee, many of the recommendations his Committee made were implemented and have since become Maryland law, including the Small Business Reserve Program (SB 904). In 2005, Luis was appointed by the Governor to serve as the Maryland Deputy Secretary of State.

UP NEXT: He wants to take the USHYEE program to the national level.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP: Support USHYEE’s efforts by volunteering. Donate to the program. Share this information with a family who may need it. Refer a child.

SEE CHANGE AT WORK: www.ushyee.com


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Don't miss Part II of this series. Next week on Hispanic Business Examiner!

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All text and images [except where noted] © 2009 Elianne Ramos. All Rights Reserved.

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