La Cocina is a nonprofit working to solve problems of equity in business ownership for women, immigrants and people of color.
Women account for only 33% of business owners nationwide and still make 46-75 cents for every dollar their white, male counterparts make.
We provide affordable commercial kitchen space to talented entrepreneurs.
The high cost of renting a commercial kitchen makes it difficult for many working-class food entrepreneurs to formalize their business. Our kitchen space lets people who were formerly shut out of the food industry find a way in.
Businesses receive mentorship and access to market opportunities.
New businesses undergo a series of classes in product, finance, marketing and operations. We provide 1:1 mentorship to guide businesses and connect them to a variety of sales opportunities, from catering opportunities to farmers' markets and brick and mortars, so they can grow their business.
We amplify the voices that need to be heard.
We believe in the power of storytelling to shift perceptions and to inspire others to follow their dreams. We use media, digital channels, and our own storytelling platform, Voices from the Kitchen, to share the voices from the food industry that are less often heard.
READ More About Debbie, our impact over the pandemic, and our STRATEGIC path forward in our 20/21 Impact Report below.
Welcoming a New Chapter with a New Leader
The pandemic has made the barriers to entry in this food industry larger and more complex, so La Cocina must continue to learn and grow in order to rise to meet them, and we're thrilled to be doing so under the leadership of our new Executive Director Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez.
