Gary Acosta is an entrepreneur, public policy advocate, investor, and thought leader passionate about advancing prosperity for Latinos and other underserved communities. As an industry leader, he protects and improves the business environment required to close the wealth gap, particularly via homeownership. Amongst other endeavors, he is Co-Founder & CEO of NAHREP, the country’s leading Hispanic business organization, and Co-Founder of L’ATTITUDE, the preeminent platform for Latino economic empowerment. Acosta is also a general partner of L’ATTITUDE Ventures, the nation’s largest venture capital fund exclusively focused on Latino-led start-ups. Join Gary as he dives into today’s issues through many creative formats.
Director Robert Rodriguez’ El Rey entertainment company is partnering with Vice Media to launch La Reyna, a new company that will focus on helping brands connect with the U.S. Hispanic market. I had the chance to interview Robert at L’ATTITUDE on the partnership with Vice. Robert has always felt that companies don’t understand the diversity…
Recently we have seen the term Latinx emerge in our collective lexicon. For those unfamiliar with the term, it is a gender-neutral term for Latinos and Latinas. In Spanish, the word Latino is used for men of Latin origin, and Latina is used for women of Latin origin; however, when referring to all people of…
Los Angeles went 20 years without an NFL football team. Last year, they didn’t get one but two teams, the Rams and the Chargers. In their second season in LA, the Rams and the Chargers have a combined win-loss record of 14-3 and are both in the top five of the power rankings. I think…
If you haven’t seen the Modelo beer commercials that highlight the achievements of some notable Hispanic-Americans, you should. They smartly connect with Hispanic consumers without being patronizing, stereotypical, or condescending. My favorite one is about the first Latina fighter pilot, Olga Custodio. There are others including one with NFL great, Anthony Muñoz. Companies who have struggled…
For all the talk that our political system is broken, I think it’s actually pretty solid. That is not to say it shouldn’t evolve. Along with a few other things, I think there is too much money in politics, gerrymandering should be illegal, and it should be a lot easier for eligible citizens to vote.…
The euphoria of LeBron James coming to Los Angeles is starting to wear off as the Lakers muster only three wins against five losses to open the season. As a longtime fan of the game, I can tell you that LeBron is everything he is made out to be on the court and even more…
Soccer superstar, Ronaldo and singer/actress, Selena Gomez top the list of Instagram followers with 144.6M and 144.4M followers respectively. Granted Insta followers is only one metric, but it further demonstrates how Latinos and stars from the Iberian Peninsula are continuing to exert their influence on the mainstream sports and entertainment world. Many music experts are…
I read a good article in the NY Times about how the Democrats keep underestimating Trump’s political gifts. I won’t comment further except to say that the Dems should be dominating the midterms and the fact that they are not says a lot about Trump and a lot about the lack of real leadership within…
Many people are calling the upcoming midterm elections the most important in recent memory. For nearly two years, the Trump administration has pushed their agenda with the benefit of a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate. This advantage has helped the President get two of his nominees on the Supreme Court, pass…
Vanity Fair Magazine once again published its list of the 100 leaders of the New Establishment, a list of the movers and shakers in tech, media, and culture. Robert Mueller oddly appears as number one on the list followed by stalwarts like Jeff Bezos, Reed Hastings, and Bob Iger. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared the 94th slot…
My favorite young actress Allegra Acosta returns for season two of the Runaways on Hulu. The show is about a group of teenagers from diverse backgrounds who unite to fight against their criminal parents. Allegra stars as Molly Hernandez, the youngest member of the crew who discovers in season one that she has superhuman strength.…
This past week, interest rates on mortgages broke past the 5% barrier, the highest in almost ten years. The stock market had its biggest two-day drop since the collapse in 2008, and the projected deficit for 2018 was adjusted upward to nearly $1 trillion. Additionally, gas prices are spiking and Ford announced major job cuts.…
Last week I was flying back from NY to San Diego. It was the day of the Ford/Kavanaugh hearings and you could watch live television from the Direct TV feed on the plane. An older gentleman sitting across the aisle from me was watching the hearings and literally screaming at the television as senators questioned…
For whatever reason, I have never felt like I have learned all that I need to know. Learning is a constant in my life, and I think it has made me a happier person. I can’t think of anything more depressing than the thought of there being nothing left to achieve and nothing more to…
Last week I was in New York. I was in town for a meeting with CNBC, and Armando Tam was in town to meet with our local NAHREP chapters in the area. On Tuesday, we were having breakfast at the Soho Grand Hotel and were seated next to a young white couple who seemed annoyed.…
This past week, NAHREP launched the NAHREP 10 Certified Trainer Program. The goal is to certify 50 to 100 trainers who will deliver workshops to real estate agents, students, churches, and small business associations. For those of you who are not familiar with the NAHREP 10, you can read about them here. They are the principles…
For those of you who follow NAHREP or myself on social media, you probably know that the L’ATTITUDE event took place two weeks ago in San Diego. I have been contemplating an event like L’ATTITUDE for about three years. It’s my passion project and my “moon shot”, so when the event finally came and went it was…
Last weekend, boxing fans were treated to another great fight between Gennady Golovkin II and Canelo Álvarez. The two middleweights fought to a controversial draw last year and fight fans from around the globe were eagerly awaiting the rematch. The fighters are interesting in that Álvarez is from Mexico, who some say fights less like…
Last week I was in Mexico for the first time in almost two decades. The reason I haven’t been in Mexico is a long story. My parents are both U.S.-born so my only experience with Mexico was visiting resort cities like Cancún and Mazatlán. I didn’t love those places and always felt that the party…
As I am writing this blog, I am watching the memorial service in Washington, DC for Senator John McCain. McCain’s daughter Meghan gave one of the most heartfelt eulogies you’ll ever see punctuating the principles that guided her father’s life. Listening to the speeches, both today and earlier in the week, made me appreciate the…
