Meet the LA Native Who Created a Unique Marketplace for Latino Entrepreneurs

'Shop Latinx' journey began 3 years ago when Chavez was working as a nanny and Uber driver. In 2016 she created a "Shop Latinx" database after she noticed how hard it was to find Latino owned businesses online.

In honor of Latina Equal Pay Day and as a way to support Latino owned businesses one 28-year-old Latina launched an online marketplace for Latinos by Latinos.

What originally started as a way to reconnect and support her Latino community blossomed into what she said is one of the first Latino online markets out there.

Think Etsy but with all shops being Latino owned.

Shop Latinx founder Brittany Chavez said the online marketplace is curated with quality items that are made by Latinos.

"With Shop Latinx people are putting money in the pockets of marginalized folks that put great emphasis on their work," said Chavez.

The Shop Latinx database began in 2016 when Chavez noticed how hard it was to find Latino owned businesses online.

She began to use her job as an Uber driver to get Shop Latinx known.

"I was like, 'Well, let me use Uber driving to network with people,' and I started pitching it to people who were willing to hear about my idea," said Chavez.

After growing Shop Latinx's Instagram following to over 38,000 followers Chavez was ready to launch her website.

For her it was important to do the launch on Latina Equal Pay Day considering the website is 100% Latina founded and 85% of the 900 businesses involved are Latina owned.

"Providing that central platform for Latinas to have their work highlighted is very crucial to me and very much a part of Shop Latinx mission," said Chavez.

Latinas are among the lowest paid female group in the nation, making 54 cents to every dollar their white male counterparts earn.

"Latina Equal Pay Day is proof of how devalued the work of Latinas is in this country," said Daisy Romero, owner of El Cholo's Kid. "So it is up to us to be our own advocates."

Romero, 35, is one of the many Latina shop owners that are part of Shop Latinx. Her shop, El Cholo's Kid, was founded in 2009 and features environmentally friendly handwoven bags made out of recycled plastic.

For Romero Shop Latinx is much more than extra exposure and goes well beyond Latina Equal Pay Day.

"See when people support a Latinx business they support families, people who help their parents, mothers raising children, it's much more than just a purchase, it's a path toward independence and self sufficiency," Said Romero.

Shop owners like Leah Guerrero, 31, who owns Brujita Skincare and is also featured in Shop Latinx agrees with Romero.

With 10 years as an aesthetician under her belt Guerrero used her craft to create a Latina operated business that provides an organic based skin care line. She said what Chavez has created has sparked the conversation of where people's money goes when they shop.

"Shop Latinx is giving Latinx consumers a hub to go to for merchandise and a purposeful transaction, it's also helping small businesses like mine get the customers we deserve," said Guerrero.

Chavez is excited to see how well Shop Latinx will do and dedicates this launch to her mother and to the community that supported her idea from the beginning.

To check out the shops featured in Shop Latinx click here.

 

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