Mi Casa Welcomes Four New Board Members

Mi Casa is delighted to welcome four new members to our Board of Directors:

• Richard Gonzales,  GCR LLP
• Rafael Medina, Entravision Communications
• James Perez Foster, touchPoint Partners, LLC
• Debbie Trujillo, KeyBank 

Richard Gonzales (far left) is a partner at the law firm GCR with more than 25 years of legal experience in the public and private sectors.  A graduate of Stanford Law, Richard specializes in public finance, real estate transactions and mergers and acquisitions. Richard was general counsel for Stapleton Development Corp., a public/private partnership that resulted in one of the largest urban developments in the nation.  Richard is also active in the American GI Forum, as well as other charitable organizations, including Girls, Inc., El Centro Su Teatro, and KUVO Public Radio.

Rafael Medina (far right) is the Marketing & Communications Director for Entravision Communications. He manages the marketing, promotions and community outreach efforts for Colorado’s leading Spanish-language television, radio, and online media properties. Entravision’s five TV stations and four radio stations in Colorado deliver more listeners and viewers than the any local competitors – regardless of language. Rafael, a Denver native and first generation American, is passionate about supporting the Latino community and volunteers for organizations that serve Hispanic families.

James Perez Foster (center left) is an entrepreneur and business executive. In 2004, he quit his job on Wall Street to move to Denver and start a bank to serve the Latino community. After four years and more than $20 million raised, Lakewood-based Solera National Bank opened its doors to the community.  Today, Solera is publicly traded and has more than 700 shareholders.  James also boasts expertise in new market penetration, board governance, public relations, and corporate social responsibility. James is also actively involved in community volunteerism.

Debbie Trujillo (center right) is the Vice President of Programs for KeyBank. With over 30 years of experience in the banking industry, Debbie is passionate about building bridges between Colorado’s businesses and the Hispanic community.  Debbie is also highly involved in community service. She has been on the Board of Directors for the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Denver for five years and was the board chair in 2011. Debbie is a board member of the Denver/Boulder BBB Foundation and in 2010 was the board chair.

Reflecting on Denver Green Jobs Initiative

For two years, Denver Green Jobs Initiative (DGJI) has trained Northeast Denver workers for great careers in energy efficiency, sustainable construction, and solar.
DGJI was a collaborative project, led by Mi Casa and funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), to provide disadvantaged workers in Denver with new opportunities for career path employment. The project ended last month.

Though the green industry has not yet produced the volume of jobs once hoped for, DGJI was a huge success!

DGJI trained 513 workers, and of these, 206 were placed in full-time jobs. The project was recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the most successful in 2010-11 for job-placement. As a result, DGJI program strategies were included in DOL's "Promising Practices" resource guide for workforce development.

"There is a gap between the skills employers need and the skills most workers have," says DGJI Project Manager Rick Lawton. "Denver Green Jobs Initiative was able to bridge that divide for individuals who face barriers to employment."

Dan’nail is a great example. When he sought training at Denver Green Jobs Initiative, he was just a few months out of prison and living in a halfway house. With a felony record and no transportation, Dan’nail applied for many jobs related to his skills in landscaping and warehouse operations, but he didn’t get any calls back.

Dan’nail is 35 years old, a native of Northeast Denver. He says he started getting into trouble in middle school and by the time he was 20 he was on probation. Dan’nail cycled in and out of prison until he was 33, serving seven years total.

At first Dan’nail’s halfway house was reluctant to let him enroll in training, since immediate employment is preferred. But Dan’nail’s case manager at DGJI advocated for him and convinced his halfway house to allow Dan’nail time to complete DGJI’s pre-apprenticeship program.

Dan’nail completed the pre-apprenticeship offered by the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers. The union identified Dan’nail as one of their top students, and he moved up the ranks quickly with his eagerness to learn and dexterity with his hands. Within 60 days, Dan’nail was sworn in to the union.

“They don’t look at a man for what he’s done,” Dan’nail says. “They look at a man for what he does, and I am not going to waste this opportunity.”

Dan’nail is currently working as a second-year apprentice Pipe Insulator earning nearly $21 per hour with full benefits, up from his starting wage of $18. Dan’nail will become a Journeyman Insulator in May 2013.

After his release from prison, Dan’nail knew he was ready to work toward a career and a more stable life, and he credits DGJI for giving him that opportuntiy. “Outside of my family and my support system, this program saved me.”

Dan’nail’s goal is to continue learning and building his skills so he will never have trouble finding work again. He also wants to be a role model for his two children, ages 13 and 18. Dan’nail hopes his kids can learn from his mistakes and that he can help them find their own opportunities for personal and professional success.

Though DGJI training has concluded, Mi Casa continues to focus on Career Development as a central strategy to achieve our mission of economic success.

Mi Casa Video Takes Gold AVA Award!

In late 2011, Mi Casa and the Environmental Defense Fund contracted Fireside Production to create a video about the many positive impacts that green jobs are having on workers, the community, the economy and the environment. The final product is fantastic and was recently honored with a Gold AVA Award for Environmental Issue Video Production category. Check it out:



"Mi Casa is incredibly proud to see this video about our green jobs training program win recognition," says Christine Marquez-Hudson, Mi Casa's CEO/Executive Director. "It's important for people to understand that the green sectors in Colorado are actively improving the environment and simultaneously creating valuable new employment opportunities for workers in need of a boost."

Fireside Production specializes in creating videos that captivate and inspire. Fireside Production is a full-service company with award-winning production, videography and editing talent.

AVA Awards recognize outstanding achievement by creative professionals involved in the concept, direction, design and production of media that is part of the evolution of digital communication.

There were over 1,700 entries in the 2011 AVA Awards competition. AVA Awards is sponsored and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, an international organization comprised of thousands of production, marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, and free-lance professionals.