Lisa Henschol, Hyperion Academics

Lisa Henschol is the director of Hyperion Academics, a Kindergarten through 8th grade full curriculum, educational platform. Hyperion engages students with cognitive learning and gamification strategies. The teaching construct that Hyperion Academics utilizes around their platform aids in relieving overcrowded classrooms, especially in special education classes. Hyperion Academics is WCAG compliant.

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Reem Assil, Reem’s California

In 2010, the dream of Reem’s was born at the doorstep of a street corner bakery in Beirut, Lebanon. Founder Reem Assil says, “The scent of za’atar, yeasted bread, and sweet orange blossom syrup right out of the oven and the sounds of laughter and chatter in Arabic all around me conjured up memories of my childhood and my yearning to create home and community in the US."

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Ahriana Edwards, Vaila Shoes

When Ahriana Edwards landed her first corporate internship, she was thrilled—until it came time to shop for shoes. For Ahriana, the limited shoe options available to women with larger feet had been a source of frustration and insecurity since middle school.

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Ana Guerrero, FirstGen_Resilience

Ana Yessica Guerrero is a social entrepreneur who dedicates her life to empowering first-generation Latinx students to reach their full potential. She is a proud immigrant from Mexico City and grew up on a ranch in Goleta, Calif. As a first-generation student herself, she had numerous aspirations and goals.  Ana was an eager and determined scholar, yet she received little academic guidance and a lack of resources. 

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Elfie Weiss, Hotcakes Bakes

Elfie’s father used to work as a pastry chef when he was a young man in order to pay for his dancing lessons at the Paris Opera. Elfie’s father shared with her his love for preparing the essential bread and “sweets of life.” Elfie trained primarily with her father as well as in Paris’ renowned bakery Gerard Mulot and Laduree.

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Ke’Anna Dodds, RUE Kitchen

Ke’Anna Dodds is a classically trained private chef from Vista, California, who has worked for world-renowned chefs such as Wolfgang Puck and many others. Her business was thriving, and she was working with a growing number of regular clients.

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Bosko and Maya Kante, ElectroSpit

Pioneering music technology company ElectroSpit makes the world’s only lightweight, fully-portable, tubeless talkbox. This technology allows musicians to play various instrumental sounds and voices through their mouth. This creates a unique ability to “sing” with limitless range and creativity. Every device is hand-crafted at the company’s headquarters in West Oakland, California, a historically Black community.

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Bernadette Aguirre, INA Botanicals & Tea

Bernadette Aguirre is a first-generation Filipina American from San Francisco, California. She is the founder of INA Botanicals & Tea, an herbal and specialty tea company that is dedicated to supporting personal growth and wellness. 

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Milagros Escuela, MamaArepas

Milagros Escuela is the owner of MamaArepas, along with her husband, Fidel Lozada. They have worked tirelessly to bring Venezuelan Arepas to every dining table in South Florida since 2015. Made out of corn dough, Arepa is a typical food in several Latin American countries. It is different in each region and is very important in the traditional Venezuelan cuisine.

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Jose Mendoza, FiestaBowls

FiestaBowls, located between 18th and 19th streets, is an example of the tenacity of the Mission’s business community. In challenging times, this community found ways to carry on in the pursuit of their dreams. This year, the Mexican snack business was one of the initial recipients of a loan from the Racial Equity Lens (REL) fund. 

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