Meetings of the Minds host, Andrea Giraldo sits down with Quenia Abreu, President and Founder, New York Women’s Chamber of Commerce, to highlight the nonprofit organization’s mission in creating and implementing Diversity Equity and Inclusion initiatives that economically elevate women and BIPOC individuals.

On this month’s episode of Meetings of the Minds, host Andrea Giraldo is joined by Anthony Peterson, Executive Director of Crescent Consulting Associates, Inc., as they highlight the services offered by Crescent Consulting to their clients and showcase the projects that they’ve been involved with throughout New York City.

Meetings of the Minds host Andrea Giraldo sits down with Elena Calderon Barcenes, Owner, Rincon Salvadoreño Restaurant, to speaks about how her business has thrived for over four decades and much more.

Meetings of the Minds featuring Jose Perez, CEO, Founder, WiFi Spotlight, who joins the program to speak about the services his technology service company offers to various businesses throughout New York City.

On this week’s episode of Meetings of the Minds, host Andrea Giraldo is joined by Maria Rivera, M.A.Ed., CSM, Director of Continuing Education, School of Professional Studies, Berkeley College, to highlight the various professional degrees and certificate programs that are offered at Berkeley College, sheds light on professional development workshop opportunities and speaks about how some students can bridge the skill gap to obtain the careers they want.

On this week’s episode of Meetings of the Minds, host Andrea Giraldo is joined by Daniel Garcia, Owner and Founder of Sasa Caterers & Special Events Inc., to speak about how his organization has continued to provide an authentically unique latino cultural experience through catering and planning for over thirty years in the greater New York City metropolitan area.

Meetings of the Minds host Andrea Giraldo sits down with Nathaniel Conan, Vice President, Branch Manager – Commercial Lending at EastWest Bank, who joined the program to speak about his role with East West Bank, highlighting small business aid programs, and mortgage programs for potential homeowners.

Meetings of the Minds host Andrea Giraldo sits down with Zenaida Rodriguez, Executive Director for the Regional Alliance for Small Contractors, to speak about the type of contracting opportunities that are available for minority small businesses throughout New York State, and highlights the training programs and financing options that are provided through the Regional Alliance. 

Meetings of the Minds host Andrea Giraldo, Small Business Development Chair of the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, sits down with Yesenia Quinones, VP Community Manager, JP Morgan Chase, as they discuss the importance of financial literacy workshops, creating financial equity in black and brown communities, and highlight upcoming events.

Meetings of the Minds Host Andrea Giraldo speaks to Adan Morales, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Moravilla LLC, who joins the show to speak about the work Moravilla does to raise awareness on the importance of real estate in the Bronx, family wealth building, and much more. 

Meetings of the Minds returns as its show host Andrea Giraldo, Small Business Development Chair of the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, sits down with Yesenia Quinones, VP Community Manager, JP Morgan Chase, as they discuss the importance of financial literacy workshops, creating financial equity in black and brown communities, and highlight upcoming events. After that, we hear from Adan Morales, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, Moravilla LLC, who joins the show to speak about the work Moravilla does to raise awareness on the importance of real estate in the Bronx, family wealth building, and much more.

On this episode of Meetings of the Minds, Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with President/Founder of Bronx School For Music, Phillip Kwoka, to discuss the impact of musical education on kids, his reasoning for choosing the Bronx to start a music school, and his history in music.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with Franchise Owner of Pillar To Post, and Licensed Home Inspector, Jacqueline Gathers to talk about her Franchise and the success she’s had as a woman of color in business in a field dominated by men. She explains what got her into the business of Home Inspection, tips for buyers, and her legacy.

On the next episode of meetings of the minds, Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with President, and CEO of Donnelly and Moore, Eileen Guzzo to discuss her corporation, and being a Latina business woman in a field dominated by men. She also mentions about serving on the board and being apart of the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with Development manager of the Division of Institutional Advancement, at Hostos Community College, Idelsa Mendez, to talk about an upcoming 15th annual Scholarship fund Golf Outing Classic. She will expand on the event’s purpose and her role in it, in addition to the initiatives Hostos provides to support many students.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with Director at Business Outreach Center Network, Damaris Bergas, to discuss the impact of her center, and to expound on the business resources available for women in business.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with Founder of Polanco Wealth Strategies, Jonathan Polanco to discuss his business and the purpose behind it, and what his financial advising entails. He will speak about helping those in his community to expand their wealth, and learn the basic fundamentals of building on their finances.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with CEO of Metropolitan Hospital, Cristina Contreras to discuss exploring the demands for more women as CEO and the positive advantages it has on the company.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown will be joined by the members of intersection, Nancy Santiago, multicultural advertising and Ross Krentzman, VP East Region, intersection, to discuss their company intersection. They will also speak on the importance of bridging the gap between the digital and physical world, in addition to helping smaller businesses and improving life in cities.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with with owner of One Shot Pest Control, Angel Quinones to talk about his business, and becoming MWBE certified. He will also discuss his connection with the NYCHCC and their assistance towards his business.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with two special guests with their own Business. Founder and President of CEO Think Tank®, Cheryl Beth Kuchler, and Founder/President of Lernia Training Solutions, Jill Huentelman will discuss what CEO Think Tank® is and the purpose behind launching this business. They will go in depth on how individuals benefited from their resources, mindsets, and their affiliation with the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with NYIT Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Junius J. Gonzalez to discuss his journey, along with his passion for supporting future leaders through education. In addition, he will talk about his efforts to financially cover students, and NYIT’s ACE program and what that entails.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with RN from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Elizabeth Cruz to discuss the importance of vaccines and promoting health resources to hispanic communities and communities of color during this time. In addition to the valuable information presented to the public, she also speaks on MSK outreach work and an upcoming panel to discuss COVID-19 vaccination and Digestive and Colorectal Cancer.

Host, Sulma Arzu-Brown meets with Vice President, Senior Branch Manager for Wealth and Personal Banking at HSBC Bank, Julio Reyes to discuss HSBC efforts to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on its resources and technology. They will also discuss COVID’s impact on communities and what can be done as a result, to recover from it.

Host Sulma Arzu-Brown sits with John Horton, Head of Public Engagement at DoorDash to discuss how they are assisting restaurants in the era of COVID-19, grant programs to help NYC restaurants and their partnership with the Bronx chamber of commerce.

Sulma Arzu-Brown, Host and Director of Operations for the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by Mayoral Candidate Dianne Morales to discuss her work, her goals, and more.

Sulma Arzu-Brown, Host and Director of Operations for the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by Elizabeth Agosto of BNY Mellon to discuss diversity and inclusion in the corporate workplace.

Sulma Arzu-Brown, Host and Director of Operations for the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr, of New York City’s 17th District for a discussion on health disparities, discretionary funding, community efforts, issues impacting small businesses and more.

Sulma Arzu-Brown, Host and Director of Operations for the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by Reverend Jacques Andre DeGraff of the historic Canaan Church and social activist, to discuss race, inclusion, unity and more.

Sulma Arzu-Brown, Host and Director of Operations for the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by Attorney Carlos Cuevas for a discussion on bankruptcy and what it means, restructuring business and more.

Sulma Arzu-Brown, Host and Director of Operations for the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by Elizabeth Figueroa from The New York Botanical Garden, Cristina Contreras from NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, and Melissa Cebollero from Montefiore Health Systems to discuss how The New York Botanical Garden has stepped in amid the COVID-19 pandemic to distribute flowers to Bronx Hospitals.

Host Sulma Arzu-Brown, Director of Operations at the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by John Kelly, Branch Manager at Cross CountyMortgage for a discussion on the ins and outs of mortgages and the things to know such as interest rates, refinancing, and forgiveness vs deferrals.

Host Sulma Arzu-Brown, Director of Operations at the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by Carlos Naudon, President of Ponce Bank for a discussion on programs and to share information for businesses amid the COVID-19 Pandemic and their work overall in the community.

Host Sulma Arzu-Brown,Director of Operations at the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is joined by Wendy Garcia, Chief Diversity Officer for Office of NYC comptroller Scott Stringer, for a discussion on minority and/or women-owned business enterprises and resources and information for them admid the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Meetings of the Minds Host Sulma Arzu-Brown of the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce talks with BronxNet Executive Director Michael Max Knobbe about navigating crisis and uncharted waters in our transformed world.