1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: We've taken quite a hit. Obviously, we're still trying to 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: maintain busy and bring in business. So yeah, we've taken 3 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: we've taken ahead. 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: From Futuro Media. It's Latino USA. I'm Maria ino Josa. 5 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 2: One thing is certain. The COVID nineteen shutdown here in 6 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 2: the epicenter of it all in New York City, continues 7 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 2: to save lives and it has kept hospitals here from 8 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 2: being overwhelmed with new patients. But here in New York 9 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 2: City and all across the country, the corners shops and 10 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 2: family run businesses and bodegas that are at the center 11 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: of many communities are facing an existential threat. Many Latino 12 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: business owners are struggling to pay their rent, to meet 13 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 2: their payrolls, and stay afloat, and some are wondering if 14 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: this might be the end of the road. To alleviate this, 15 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 2: by the end of March, Congress had come up with 16 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 2: a massive relief bill that set aside three hundred and 17 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 2: forty nine billion dollars to help small businesses and to 18 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 2: protect the paychecks of their employees. The funds were meant 19 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 2: to be distributed in the form of low interest business loans, 20 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 2: but in less than two weeks, all of that money 21 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 2: was gone and thousands of applications were left up in 22 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: the air. The rollout of this program was played by 23 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 2: accusations of unfairness in a process that shut out many 24 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 2: Latino small. 25 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 3: Businesses, and these are folks that will fight to make 26 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 3: what they want and fight to make their businesses successful. 27 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 2: Texas Public Radio entrepreneurship reporter Paul Flab has been covering 28 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: this story across Texas, which is one of the highest 29 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: rates of Latino owned businesses in the country. Paul's reporting 30 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 2: has highlighted the stories of people in the Latino business 31 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 2: community who have been trying to access those relief funds 32 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 2: and have mostly come up short in a very crucial 33 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 2: moment for their businesses and in full transparency. Futuro Media 34 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: runs Latino USA and we are a small Latino and 35 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: woman of color run business that is also a nonprofit. 36 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 2: We did apply for a payment protection loan, which is 37 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 2: a central part of the conversation Paul and I will 38 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,359 Speaker 2: have today. And because Fuduro Media has an active board 39 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 2: of directors and a full time support staff, we were 40 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 2: able to submit our application in the first few hours 41 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 2: of the process and we were actually approved. Paul flav 42 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 2: thank you so much for joining me on Latino USA. 43 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 3: Thank you. 44 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: Everybody is thinking about the long term impact of COVID 45 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 2: nineteen and this crisis on the economy. I mean, probably 46 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: second only to people's health. It's just the sheer concern 47 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: learn about how this economic devastation is going to be 48 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 2: felt by all of us. So in general, like, this 49 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 2: is a big, big topic. What have you found when 50 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 2: you're speaking to Latino or Latina business owners, Like, what 51 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 2: is the thing that they're talking about that they're facing 52 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 2: right now? 53 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 3: I think Latino business owners, like a lot of business 54 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 3: owners are worried about being able to stay open in Texas. 55 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 3: We're going on two months of no revenue coming in 56 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 3: for many of them. And they're a segment of the 57 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 3: economy that's really the most likely to be in this 58 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 3: smallest of small businesses or micro businesses where they have 59 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 3: a lot fewer employees and a lot less access to credit. 60 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 3: One of the businesses that I talked to, Claudia and 61 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 3: Rick Garza, they run a production company called Bright and 62 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 3: Early Production. It's a photography and videography company targeting the 63 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 3: real estate industry. All Right, so it's a beautiful day, 64 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 3: suns in this house. Beautiful list. The videos are they're 65 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 3: pretty slick, they make the properties look really good, and 66 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 3: they are kind of what you might expect to see 67 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: as an interstitial cut from the old MTV show Cribs. 68 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 3: But they'refore like residential listings. The real estate industry is 69 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: still open here in Texas. You're still able to buy houses. 70 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 3: Housing is considered essential, and they've decided to limit themselves 71 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 3: to only houses that are unoccupied, which means they've lost 72 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 3: a lot of business as a result. 73 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: We've taken quite a hit. I would say probably this 74 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: is our busiest season, the spring. The summer is when 75 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: we get the busiest. Fifty sixty percent drop. 76 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 3: That's Claudia Garza. She's one half of Bright and Early Productions. She, 77 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 3: like just a number of the business owners I've talked 78 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 3: to over the last month and a half, are very, 79 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 3: very worried. 80 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: It's going to be huge. Obviously, we've had to cut 81 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: hours all of our people. You know, the majority of 82 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: them are locals here from San Antonio. 83 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:00,080 Speaker 3: When you're at this level of a business, you know 84 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 3: their names, you know their family story, you know, and 85 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 3: so it's it's a very hard thing for businesses to do, 86 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 3: and unfortunately, right now it's unavoidable in a lot of cases. 87 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, it's hard because when you work in these small, 88 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 2: you know, small run companies, you become like a close 89 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 2: knit family and it's really hard to let people go. 90 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 2: So what's it like for the other small businesses? 91 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 3: So the guars is are are still able to work 92 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 3: because they're not working directly with people, But there are 93 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 3: thousands of businesses and Texans and millions across the country 94 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 3: where it's impossible to not interact with customers. And I 95 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 3: saw that firsthand when I interviewed Juan Riosa Taylor in 96 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 3: San Antonio, who'd been doing it for basically his entire life. 97 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 3: You'd done it in Chicago for ten years, and then 98 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 3: finally he decided to make the jump and start his 99 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 3: own business in San Antonio. 100 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 4: You know, I mean in these business in San Antonio 101 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 4: for twenty four years. I moved from Chicago through here, 102 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 4: and I have a little bit of a savings we say, 103 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 4: I spent all my savings playing the rent the whole year. 104 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 3: He works out of this small building. It's about three rooms. 105 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 4: And most of them what we do his alterations and 106 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 4: we do anything you need on a closs. 107 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 3: It's crammed with machines that are for alterations and tacking machines, 108 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 3: sewing machines every which way. You know, all of the 109 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 3: employees I saw, I only saw him and two others. 110 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 3: All of them were over sixty easily, and you could 111 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 3: tell that they were, you know, very skilled craftsmen who 112 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 3: really took their job seriously and really enjoyed what they did. 113 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 3: But there was a sense of pessimism that was weighing 114 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,479 Speaker 3: on the entire operation. Is he gonna be tough? 115 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 4: It was being a small business like me. I mean, 116 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:53,159 Speaker 4: it's nothing coming in already, so you gotta pay the bills. 117 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 2: Anyway, I'm thinking about the fact that you know, he 118 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 2: was based once in the city that I grew up 119 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 2: in Chicago, and he makes a strategic decision for all 120 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 2: kinds of reasons to relocate to Texas, probably one of 121 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 2: which is weather. I mean, this is a person who 122 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 2: you can tell is like making strategic decisions as a 123 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: business person, and in his voice there's a sound a 124 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 2: little bit of like defeat. 125 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 3: Yeah. This pandemic, these shutdowns, I think it came upon 126 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 3: every small business unexpectedly Most of the small businesses I've 127 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 3: talked to in the last two months have talked about 128 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 3: how amazing their year was supposed to be, and Wan's 129 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 3: no different they I mean, he's a small business, he's 130 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 3: been around for twenty four years, but this was supposed 131 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 3: to be a great year for him, and then all 132 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 3: of a sudden, they're not allowed to operate for two months, 133 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 3: and so with these mandatory shutdown orders, he can't take 134 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 3: new customers. Him and his three employees have slowly been 135 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 3: working through the orders that they already have, but he's 136 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 3: really starting to worry about what happens when they out 137 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:00,640 Speaker 3: of work. 138 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 2: So I'm thinking back to the Great Recession, great recession 139 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 2: of course of two thousand and eight, and how in 140 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 2: particular Latino Latina businesses were hard hit. I'm just wondering, now, 141 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 2: is there anything that you've found, Paul, that business owners 142 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 2: are telling you that is different about the way this 143 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: new economic shock is hitting businesses because of the pandemic 144 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 2: right right. 145 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 3: Well, you know, for a lot of businesses in the 146 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 3: Great Recession, it was a question of well, people aren't 147 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 3: going out to buy because there have been, you know, 148 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 3: this collapse, and they've lost their jobs, but in this situation, 149 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 3: it's even worse because they're not even allowed to go 150 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 3: into these businesses. So it's really a completely different paradigm 151 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 3: for these businesses. And you know Latino business owners in particular, 152 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 3: they are people that have bills to pay, like a 153 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 3: lot of small businesses, they have small reserves on hand already, 154 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 3: and they don't generally have relationships or strong relationships with banks. 155 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 3: So that's why we're seeing so many advocates for Latino 156 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 3: businesses raising the alarm for this sector of the economy, 157 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 3: asking for more to be done. 158 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 5: We are going to see a lot of bankruptcies. We're 159 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 5: going to see a lot of businesses just shut down. 160 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 3: That's Noel Boyle. He's the executive director of the National 161 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 3: Association of Latino Community Asset Builders, and he's talking about 162 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 3: what he expects in the next few months. 163 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 5: I'll just speak to Latino businesses who we work with 164 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,319 Speaker 5: a great deal, are incredibly resilient, and so I would 165 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 5: expect lots of businesses to go under, lots of people 166 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 5: to suffer, and then lots of people to fight back. 167 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 2: So when we're talking about micro businesses, like I'm going 168 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 2: to paint a picture of some of the ones that 169 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 2: I'm imagining right here in Harlem in New York City. 170 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 2: So like the Doco truck that is usually parked there 171 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 2: is the guy who has a shoe repair. He's actually 172 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,079 Speaker 2: got a storefront, but you know, he's a small business, 173 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 2: he's a one person kind of business. So are those 174 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 2: the kinds of categories of businesses that we're talking about 175 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 2: that may just get swept away and may have a 176 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 2: hard time getting any official recognition. 177 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 3: Absolutely, you're targeting sole proprietorships, you know, one person operations, 178 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:17,959 Speaker 3: and that's definitely falling into this category. And yeah, there 179 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 3: have been advocates, there have been reports showing that this 180 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 3: is a group that we don't have the numbers yet, 181 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 3: but we expect to see evaporating right now before economic 182 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 3: aid can actually reach them. 183 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 2: We've heard a lot about these aid packages, about stimulus checks. 184 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 2: This is of course being met with, you know, massive 185 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 2: unemployment numbers. So the federal government is trying to stimulate 186 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 2: the economy, what is it exactly trying to do in 187 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 2: terms of mitigating the damage, And how is this touching 188 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 2: or not Latino and Latina business owners. 189 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 3: Like you said, the unemployment numbers are shocking, all right, 190 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 3: the breaking news a record shattering six point six million, 191 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 3: point two full million. 192 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 6: Three million, eight hundred and thirty nine thousand people filed 193 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 6: for unemployment benefits for the very first time. That brings 194 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 6: the six week total over the past six weeks to 195 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:17,839 Speaker 6: about thirty million people out of work. 196 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 3: So the federal government rushed to pass a two trillion 197 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 3: dollar Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Actor. The CARES 198 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 3: Act was signed on March twenty seven, and part of 199 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 3: that was three hundred and forty nine billion dollars for 200 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,760 Speaker 3: banks to offer to small business as loans through what 201 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 3: was called the Paycheck Protection Program. So the idea was 202 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 3: that we'll go through banks they have established relationships, and 203 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 3: we'll push this money through and they'll be able to 204 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 3: go quicker than the federal government, and they'll get this 205 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:50,199 Speaker 3: money out and those businesses with this two and a 206 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:52,960 Speaker 3: half month's worth of payroll will be able to keep 207 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 3: their people on payroll. 208 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 2: So the business owners that you've spoken to, are any 209 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 2: of them getting access to these lows? 210 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 3: Yes, some people are. I mean, that's an incredible amount 211 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 3: of money to push out in a short amount of time. 212 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 3: But the problem is if you don't have a good 213 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 3: relationship with a bank, or you don't actually use banks, 214 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 3: which a lot of small businesses don't, and even more 215 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 3: Latino businesses don't. So for instance, just a brief statistic 216 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 3: about how this compares. According to the Federal Reserve, White 217 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 3: business owners, around forty six percent can access bank financing, 218 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 3: and that drops pretty significantly amongst Latino business owners to 219 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:30,199 Speaker 3: about thirty four percent or a third of those business owners. 220 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 4: If he want to make a dollar, you had to 221 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 4: work for the dollar. 222 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 3: So here's jan Rios we heard from him before, talking 223 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 3: about his own reluctance to approach a bank, even after 224 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 3: twenty four years in business. 225 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 4: If you want to spend three hours waiting for somebody 226 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 4: to otege you something in the bank, you're losing money. 227 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 3: As he said, he spent the entire first year of 228 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 3: his business paying the rent out of his own savings 229 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 3: because he just didn't think he could get a loan. 230 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 3: So he is indicative of a whole group of business 231 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 3: owners that are often self funding, often using credit cards 232 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 3: with like interest rates of eighteen percent to fund their businesses, 233 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 3: which is just an astronomical rate. And he's not unique 234 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 3: bank loans to small businesses under one hundred thousand dollars 235 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 3: have dropped across the board by some statistics fifty percent 236 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 3: between twenty seven and twenty eighteen. That's according to some 237 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,079 Speaker 3: federal data, and it shows small minority owned businesses struggle 238 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 3: to access that at all. 239 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 4: I do not know exactly what it is. We are 240 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 4: too small and they afraid we're not going to pay 241 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,559 Speaker 4: That's what I think. But it's part of discrimination probably. 242 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 3: So despite his reservations after twenty four years in business, 243 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 3: he is going to try and get one of these 244 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 3: PPP loans, one of these paycheck protection loans, and he's 245 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 3: looking for about twenty thousand dollars to keep them afloat. 246 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 2: Coming up on Latino usay, what Latino business owners can 247 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 2: expect from a new round of relief the government stay 248 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 2: with us, not by us. Hey, we're back. And in 249 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 2: the first part of our conversation with Texas Public Radio 250 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 2: reporter Paul flav he was talking about the experiences of 251 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 2: Latino micro businesses as they struggle to survive during the 252 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 2: current economic crisis. We're going to return to our conversation 253 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 2: now and Paul is going to lay out why some 254 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 2: Latino business owners were shut out from the government relief 255 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 2: funds that were made available through a program called the 256 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 2: Paycheck Protection Program or PPP. So, Paul, what I get 257 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 2: from what you were saying earlier is that in this 258 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 2: first round of relief for small businesses, the federal government 259 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 2: used banks to get those funds into the pockets of 260 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 2: small business owners. But it turns out that banks are 261 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 2: not necessarily the right way to get that money too 262 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 2: many Latino business owners. So if that's not the right 263 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 2: channel to use, is there a better way to do it. 264 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 3: It's not clear that the federal government needed the banks, 265 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 3: but it's also not clear they could have done it 266 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 3: on their own. So this is an ongoing debate amongst 267 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 3: academics of whether not to use banks exclusively. And with 268 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 3: that first round that did tend to be almost completely banks. 269 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 3: I mean, there were some credit unions and there were 270 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 3: some what are called community development financial institutions. That's what 271 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 3: advocates would like to see used more. They'd like to 272 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 3: see money a lotted specifically for this group of organizations. 273 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 3: These CDFI's, as they're called. They were developed in the 274 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 3: seventies to address the long standing problems of getting credit 275 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 3: and loans into underserved communities, African American, Latinos, other people 276 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 3: of color, women owned businesses, and they are to address 277 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 3: those shortcomings of the financial sector and get money into 278 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 3: the hands of businesses that could be thriving if they 279 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 3: were to be given the opportunity. So, for example, the 280 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 3: guars is that we met at the beginning of our conversation, 281 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 3: they tried to go through Wells Fargo, one of the 282 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 3: largest lenders in the country. 283 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: It sounds like I'm a small fish co two. I 284 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: don't know the people who have larger accounts or maybe 285 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: contact within the bank. You know, I don't have a 286 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: contact that Wells Fargo. I never have. 287 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 3: The clock was ticking. A loan started being offered in 288 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 3: early April, so after weeks of struggling to get any 289 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 3: information from her bank about paycheck Protection Program loans, they 290 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 3: finally just had to go someplace else and they ended 291 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 3: up going to the local CDFI the Lift Fund to 292 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 3: ask for their loan, which is, you know, under one 293 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 3: hundred thousand dollars. 294 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:31,360 Speaker 1: And they called me back immediately, probably within a day 295 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: if not less, and then they kind of walked me 296 00:17:33,600 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: through the process of what was coming. 297 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 3: So the guards were able to put in their application 298 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:40,360 Speaker 3: through lyft fund and but only a small fraction were 299 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 3: routed through those kinds of institutions. Last I saw, I 300 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 3: think in the first round of PPP funding it was 301 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 3: something like three percent. 302 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 2: So the relief wasn't being distributed through the right channels. 303 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 2: It sounds, you know, pretty confusing. On top of that, 304 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 2: you know, there wasn't really enough to go around, and 305 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 2: it seems like the money then ran out pretty quickly, 306 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 2: so it wasn't just a matter of how to get it, 307 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,239 Speaker 2: but then did it even exist for you to get it? 308 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 3: Absolutely? I mean, three hundred and forty nine billion dollars 309 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 3: was pushed out in thirteen days. 310 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:16,119 Speaker 7: Small business owners still trying to apply for forgivable loans 311 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 7: are being turned away because the government's paycheck Protection program 312 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 7: is out. 313 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 3: Of money, and there was all kinds of problems associated 314 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:25,160 Speaker 3: with the launch. 315 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 7: The first time around. Some companies in much better financial 316 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 7: positions were some of the first to get these loans. 317 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 7: One restaurant change Recognize this shakescheck, announcing it will return 318 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 7: the entire ten million dollar loan it received. 319 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 3: There was all kinds of problems in the process, and 320 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 3: so there were hundreds of thousands of people like the 321 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 3: Garzas that were left weighting. 322 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 2: So what does that mean for business owners in the 323 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 2: Latino Latino community. I mean, we've already heard how strapped 324 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 2: they are for cash, So what does this look like. 325 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, the first round of funding is not looking like 326 00:18:56,480 --> 00:19:00,480 Speaker 3: it helped Latino business owners that much. As a result, 327 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:04,960 Speaker 3: we're looking at possible widescale layoffs businesses closing. A recent 328 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 3: survey put out by the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 329 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 3: and the League of United Latin American Citizens found about 330 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 3: seventy percent of the Latino owned businesses that completed their 331 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:17,399 Speaker 3: PPP application did not receive funding. Here's president of the 332 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,200 Speaker 3: US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from Miraka Vasas. The data 333 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 3: shows that Latinos and Latinas have. 334 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 7: Not received their fair share of the program, the protection 335 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 7: money the PPP. 336 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 3: As a result, those organizations are calling for fifty billion 337 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 3: dollars to be set aside just for these kinds of organizations. 338 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 2: We know that Congress has tried again. There has been 339 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 2: a new round of financing. A lot of questions around, 340 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 2: you know, whether or not this is going to reach immigrants, 341 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,239 Speaker 2: for example, So how did that go in terms of 342 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 2: the Latino and Latina small business and micro businesses. 343 00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, so it's really not clear. Congress passed another round 344 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,119 Speaker 3: of funding on April twenty fourth, so a month after 345 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 3: the first round. That's a month where many businesses still 346 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,400 Speaker 3: don't have revenue coming in and they're struggling to survive, 347 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 3: and it's really just not clear that the fixes that 348 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 3: they say they built in will do much, if anything. 349 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 3: In fact, advocates are saying it just didn't go far enough. 350 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 5: We were very disappointed because there was real clarity coming 351 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 5: out of round one of the paycheck protection program that 352 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 5: it had missed sort of main Street America. 353 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 3: That was Nouel Poyo. He's the executive director of the 354 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 3: National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders. Here's what he 355 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 3: pointed out. 356 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 5: To me, and this was broadly agreed to that, yes, 357 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 5: we need to get to the little guy in round two, 358 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 5: but when you get into what happened in the legislation 359 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 5: itself and in the implementation, we don't expect there to 360 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 5: be really much of a difference between round one and 361 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 5: round two in terms of how it was deployed. 362 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 3: We're going to see more of the same as what 363 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 3: he's saying. 364 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 2: Wow, all right, can you tell us how are the 365 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 2: Rios and the Garzas doing. 366 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 3: Now, Yeah, it's a bit of a mixed picture. But 367 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 3: Juan Rios ended up being declined for his loan application, 368 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 3: so he's reapplied with a different bank for round two 369 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,399 Speaker 3: and he's waiting to hear back. But it's not clear 370 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 3: what that's going to mean. 371 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 8: I'm going to be open anyway because I have the 372 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 8: money to pay the rent for a couple of months. 373 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 3: And here's how he feels about his future. 374 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 8: But after that, my own my landlord, that I said, 375 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:37,439 Speaker 8: And then I don't know if I when I have 376 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 8: to close, I don't know what to do. 377 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,679 Speaker 3: In the interim, Like if he doesn't get any of 378 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,719 Speaker 3: this funding, which he I think doesn't expect to at 379 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 3: this point, he can really only stay in business, he says, 380 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 3: for another couple of months, and even if he were 381 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 3: to let go people, which I think he will have 382 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 3: to do. Y. 383 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm more about them. 384 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 8: They depend on me, I mean, and I won about 385 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 8: myself too. What am I going to do? You got 386 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 8: to remember, I'm. 387 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 3: So Rio's, like you said, He's not a spring chicken, 388 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 3: as he put it later, in the interview, and he's 389 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 3: not sure what the future is gonna hold for him. 390 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,080 Speaker 3: For the Garzas, Claudia and her husband Rick, they finally 391 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 3: heard back that they had been approved for round two 392 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 3: and they're waiting for the funds. So that's two and 393 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 3: a half months of payroll. They can pay people for 394 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 3: a couple more months. 395 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:31,919 Speaker 9: It is a huge relief. We're excited and it's definitely 396 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 9: obviously not complete laid off, but it's definitely, you know, 397 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 9: let's breathe a little bit at least for the next 398 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 9: few months. 399 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 3: But after that, if it continues like this where they're 400 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 3: forced to work in only unoccupied houses, they're going to 401 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 3: have to lay people off. 402 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:50,119 Speaker 2: She said, this really is it's just complicated. It begins 403 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 2: to feel very, very, very tenuous. I guess, just finally, Paul, 404 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 2: it's hard to find anything silver in this very huge cloud. 405 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,479 Speaker 2: But was there anything that you came away with in 406 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 2: terms of a sense of resiliency or thinking about other 407 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 2: businesses that maybe you thought something good by come of this. 408 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 3: You're talking about a group of entrepreneurs who are used 409 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 3: to being on their own. I mean, I think that's 410 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 3: the one silver line that you can take is this 411 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 3: is not a new situation for them in terms of 412 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 3: being pushed into a corner. And these are folks that 413 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 3: will fight to make what they want and fight to 414 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 3: make their businesses successful and do whatever it takes. I mean, 415 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 3: this is a group of people that take more financial risks. 416 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 3: The hope is that those risks will pay off in 417 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 3: the next few months. 418 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 2: Paul Flaff, thank you so much for your barding and 419 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,400 Speaker 2: for joining me on Latino USA. 420 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 3: I really appreciate the time. 421 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 2: Paul Flaff is an entrepreneurship reporter with Texas Public Radio. 422 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:14,679 Speaker 2: As of May first, Texas has reopened restaurants, shops, and 423 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:19,360 Speaker 2: other businesses, including the Taylor Shop owned by Juan Rios, 424 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,880 Speaker 2: but there are restrictions limiting capacity to only twenty five 425 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:27,719 Speaker 2: percent of their listed occupancy. Still, Latino owned small businesses 426 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: and the state of Texas remain in dire straits financially. 427 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 2: This episode was produced by Jens Jamoca and edited by 428 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 2: Luis Days. The Latino USA team includes Miel masiees Sofia, 429 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 2: Paalisa ka Antoonia Serejido Gini Modo, alisaes Garce, and Alejandra Salasad, 430 00:24:58,119 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 2: with help from Raul bees Are engineers are Stephanie Lebou 431 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 2: and Julia Caruso. Additional engineering this week by Lia Shaw 432 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 2: and a big thumbs up to you. Our director of 433 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 2: programming and Operations is Natalia Fiedelhutz. Our digital editor is 434 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 2: Amandel Cantra. Our intern is Julia Rocha. Our theme music 435 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 2: was composed by Zenia Rubinos. If you like the music 436 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 2: you heard on this episode, stop by Latinousa dot org 437 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,040 Speaker 2: and check out our weekly Spotify playlist. I'm your host 438 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 2: and executive producer Marie Jojosa. Join us again on our 439 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 2: next episode, and in the meantime look for us on 440 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:34,920 Speaker 2: all of your social media. Stay safe and astella proxima cchao. 441 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 10: Latino USA is made possible in part by the Heising 442 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 10: Simons Foundation Unlocking knowledge, opportunity and possibilities More at hsfoundation 443 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:54,440 Speaker 10: dot org. The wind Code Foundation and funding for Latino 444 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 10: USA is Coverage of a culture of health is made 445 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 10: possible in part by a grant from the Robert Wood 446 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 10: Johnson Foundation. 447 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 2: That's a wrap for me. See you guys, back to 448 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 2: being a professor. Okay, besit those