Capital Resources & Products for Indigenous Small Business Owners

Access to capital is essential to the survival of all small businesses no matter their stage. Whether you’re a startup or an established business of 20 years, you’re always on the lookout for capital that will help to sustain and grow your operations. Unfortunately, traditional lending institutions have intentionally created barriers for BIPOC communities in accessing their loans, particularly among Indigenous small businesses. Layer in banking deserts and the barriers are exacerbated.

Thankfully, organizations across our state have made significant strides in addressing these gaps through innovative approaches aimed at supporting New Mexico’s Indigenous small business owners.

We invite you to an important in-person event where you’ll learn about products and resources that will support you in navigating capital access. Join Change Labs, New Mexico Community Capital, Nusenda and Small Business Majority for this free event.

Register now. Seats are limited and lunch will be provided!

Henry Jake Foreman

MCRP Program Director, New Mexico Community Capital

Henry Jake Foreman MCRP is a specialist in facilitation, development, and implementation of engaging learning experiences for students of all ages and has created a variety of curricula around education, health, and entrepreneurship. He is also the Program Director of New Mexico Community Capital and manages the Business & Marketing Essentials course for Native entrepreneurs and farmers that is designed to help build a solid foundation to form and grow business ideas with a personal financial plan for success. Since 2019, Jake has been a part of the Indian Country Digital Trainers program with the National Congress of American Indians and has recently become the first Grow With Google Digital Coach for Indigenous Communities.

Kristine Laughter

Kinship Lending, Change Labs

Kristine has many years of banking experience on the Navajo Nation and in Arizona and is part of our Kinship Lending team. She was part of the team that opened up the Navajo Tech Innovation Center-Navajo Technical University's Business Incubator in 2016, where she was responsible for providing assistance to entrepreneurs who utilized the space. Kristine is Naakai dine' born for Nooda'i dine' Tachii'nii. Kristine is from Kayenta, AZ.

June Quintana

Program Manager, Nusenda Credit Union

Manning is a native of Cerrillos, New Mexico. Upon joining the credit union movement. June was immediately drawn to financial advocacy. Two decades later, June continues this work with an education is in Organizational Leadership and Business Management. In her current role, June is the Program Manager for Nusenda Credit Union’s relationship-based Microloan Program. June is a Credit Union Development Educator, a CDFI Practitioner, and a Certified Financial Counselor and serves on various local and national committees to include: The State Small Business Credit Initiative Advisory Council, the National Asset Funders Network National Committee and the Family Caregiver Center of New Mexico board of directors. June’s passions include helping to bridge gaps in financial services and family and community advocacy. In her free time, June enjoys cooking traditional New Mexican dishes, and spending quality time with her three children and Japanese Akita.

Awesta Sarkash

Public Policy Director, Small Business Majority

Awesta Sarkash directs Small Business Majority's policy and education work in Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virgina. In coordination with our state and federal policy teams, Awesta also leads the organization's policy work on access to capital, criminal justice reform and auto-IRA retirement savings programs by tracking legislative and regulatory developments, and serving as a subject-matter expert on these issues. Additionally, Awesta serves as the Vice Chair of the Responsible Business Lending Coalition.

Prior to joining Small Business Majority, Awesta served as the Director of Advocacy and Communications at the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED), a nonprofit membership association that supports the community development sector in DC. She was responsible for facilitating the development and execution of CNHED’s budget and policy advocacy strategies across a broad range of community development issues, including workforce development, small business entrepreneurship and neighborhood-based commercial corridors. Prior to joining CNHED, Awesta served as the grassroots and advocacy manager for the American Land Title Association. She also served as assistant director for the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies’ Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute at American University and in Brussels for the European Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute.

Originally from Afghanistan, Awesta grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and received her Master’s in Political Science from American University in Washington, D.C. with a focus on American politics and advocacy. In 2022, Awesta was awarded the Top 20 in 2022 Advocacy Professional Award by the Advocacy Association.

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