Mexican groups in Atlanta are gearing up for local events celebrating the country’s bicentennial independence day on Sept. 16.
El Club de Comerciantes, which provides online training for Hispanic entrepreneurs and helps companies reach the Latino market in the U.S., is hosting an event at the World Trade Center Atlanta.
The club, translated as “The Merchants Club,” sees the free Sept. 14 event as a networking platform that will help bridge the gap between U.S. companies and Hispanic businesses, said Hugo Hernandez, the club’s founder.
“This year is especially important because it is Mexico’s 200th birthday,” Mr. Hernandez said. “At this event, we will be recognizing the contribution of Hispanic businesses to the U.S. as we celebrate 200 years of trade relations between the U.S. and Mexico.”
Many mainstream U.S. firms overlook the buying power of the Hispanic populations within their own cities, he said. Immigrant-owned businesses – night clubs, restaurants, supermarkets, auto repair shops and clothing stores – are succeeding in tapping this market, especially in Atlanta, Mr. Hernandez said.
Atlanta’s Mexican-American Business Chamber, which also provides an array of services for Hispanic firms, is partnering with the Mexican Consulate General and the Institute of Mexico to host a reception and dinner Sept. 18 at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead. Click to find out more
Attendees will enjoy Mexican fare and a performance by the Ballet Folklorico de Veracruz.
“It’s a great opportunity for businesses and people who are not necessarily Mexicans to come and celebrate this important occasion,” said Alejandro Coss, the president of the chamber, which has 700 individual members.
The uprising that sparked the war for Mexico’s independence from Spain began in the waning hours of Sept. 15, 1810, when priest and independence leader Miguel Hidalgo rang church bells as a call to arms. The initial battle lasted into the next day. Now, Mexicans all over the world begin their celebrations on the evening of Sept. 15 and continue into Sept. 16, Mr. Coss told GlobalAtlanta.
The Mexican Consulate will host its free annual celebration on Sept. 12 at the Plaza Fiesta shopping center on Buford Highway. Click here to contact the consulate for more information.
For more information and to find out how to register for the El Club de Comerciantes event on Sept. 14, click here.
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