2025 Diversity and Entrepreneurship Undergraduate Research Symposium

In Spring of 2021, the Institute of Governmental Studies (IGS) at the University of California, Berkeley, was awarded a grant of more than $333,000 from the Wells Fargo Foundation to launch a two-year Diversity and Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program. The new initiative expands Berkeley undergraduate research, advocacy and internship experiences that focus on how small businesses, especially those that are POC (People of Color)- and women-owned, are faring across California and what can be done to strengthen them. IGS’s Diversity and Entrepreneurship initiative brings resources and attention to the political and economic challenges faced by diverse entrepreneurs and the need to ensure an equitable recovery in the post-COVID-19 commercial landscape.

The Diversity and Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program includes hands-on research and summer internship experiences for Cal undergraduates focused on diverse entrepreneurship and small businesses, along with academic instruction in diversity, entrepreneurship, and California policy. Read more here.

This year's Diversity and Entrepreneurship (D&E) Research Symposium features two panels of original research presentations by 2025 D&E Fellows and responses from experts in the field.

This event is sponsored by the Institute of Governmental Studies and the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service, with generous support from the Wells Fargo Foundation.

EVENT SCHEDULE

9:30am | Continental Breakfast

10:00am | Welcome and Opening Remarks

G. Cristina Mora, Professor of Sociology, Co-Director of the Institute of Governmental Studies

Christine Trost, Executive Director of IGS, Director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service

10:15-11:30am | PANEL 1: Overcoming Barriers and Building Power: Strategies for increasing women and immigrant entrepreneurs’ access to capital, information and mentorship, and the difference this makes

Presenters:

Shakti Manoj Rajwani and Joshua De Miguel, “Identifying Access-to-Capital Issues Amongst Immigrant Small Business Owners”

Jishan Jiang, “Navigating Barriers: Struggles and Strategies of Immigrant Women Entrepreneurs in the Bay Area”

Lara Zangana, “Launching Forward: Startup Realities for Women of Color from UC Berkeley”

Emily Chamale, “Beyond Capital: How CDFIs and Mentorship Fuel Civic Engagement Among Latinx-Owned Small Businesses in LA”

Respondent: Jenny Flores, Co-Founder and CEO, AMH Catalyst Center

Moderator: Christine Trost, Director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service

11:30am-12:15pm | Lunch

12:15-1:30pm | PANEL 2: Seeking Relief from Fires and ICE: Emergency response and long-term recovery for entrepreneurs in crisis

Presenters:

Yecenia Perez, “Five Years After COVID‐19: How Policy Failures and Rising Rents Continue to Threaten Latino Businesses in L.A.’s Fashion District"

Karla De La Cruz, “Entrepreneurship Under Threat: Latinx Vendors in California’s Flea Markets”

Rona Marie Lasam and Naydelin Chimil Tico, “The Untold Stories of Self-Employed Immigrant Latina Housekeepers During the LA Wildfire”

Cristal Amezcua, " Equity in Emergency Response: Addressing Multilingual Communication Barriers "

Respondent: Rocio Rosales, Associate Professor of Sociology, UC Irvine

Moderator: Adriana Ramirez, Ph.D. Candidate, Sociology, and Cal in Sac Graduate Student Researcher, UC Berkeley

1:30-2:00pm | Reception in the Philosophy Hall Courtyard

Food provided by Café Colucci & Cupcakin Bake Shop (two local, women of color-owned small businesses!)

Info: Food provided by Abe's Cafe (a local, person of color-owned small businesses)

Info: G. Cristina Mora, Professor of Sociology, Co-Director of the Institute of Governmental Studies
Christine Trost, Executive Director of IGS, Director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service

Info: PANEL 1: Overcoming Barriers and Building Power: Strategies for increasing women and immigrant entrepreneurs’ access to capital, information and mentorship, and the difference this makes

Info: Food provided by Café Colucci (a local, women of color-owned small businesses)

Info: PANEL 2: Seeking Relief from Fires and ICE: Emergency response and long-term recovery for entrepreneurs in crisis

Info: Food provided by Café Colucci & Cupcakin Bake Shop (two local, women of color-owned small businesses)

Info: Respondent: Jenny Flores, Co-Founder and CEO, AMH Catalyst Center

Info: Moderator: Christine Trost, Director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service

Info: “Five Years After COVID‐19: How Policy Failures and Rising Rents Continue to Threaten Latino Businesses in L.A.’s Fashion District"

Info: “The Untold Stories of Self-Employed Immigrant Latina Housekeepers During the LA Wildfire”

Info: Respondent: Rocio Rosales, Associate Professor of Sociology, UC Irvine

Info: Moderator: Adriana Ramirez, Ph.D. Candidate, Sociology, and Cal in Sac Graduate Student Researcher, UC Berkeley

Host or Publisher Institute of Governmental Studies