(NAME-MCE) Colors of Influence

[Anselmo Villanueva]

For more information, go to:

http://www.colorsofinfluence.com/

People of color in the Pacific Northwest are doing great things: building
wealth for their communities and creating better paths for future
generations. Immigrants of color have a long history of planting solid roots
on U.S. soil, bringing with them a wealth of talent, ambition and
resourcefulness.

By sharing success stories and highlighting the contributions of people of
color in business and civic life, *Colors of Influence *online magazine
creates a forum for communities of color to share their knowledge and
accomplishments with business and community partners.

Colors of Influence has evolved from its previous iteration, *O**regon
Minority Business*, which served as an information source for minority
entrepreneurs. Since starting OMB in 2006, I've had the wonderful
opportunity to get up close and personal with key decision makers, and learn
about the value they bring not only to the economic vitality of Oregon and
the region, but also to the communities in which they live, work and play.

As I heard inspiring stories of success and accomplishment despite
intimidating odds, there is a strong and singular current that runs through
all the stories. The most admired leaders of color define their success by
the way their work impacts communities of color. They tirelessly give back,
reach out, lend a hand, their names and reputations to worthy causes. The
most hardworking people I have met are the leaders in our midst: People of
iinfluence who determined and steadfast to making a difference, to leaving
this world better than they found it.

People of color who are business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs are a
hard-working, intelligent, innovative and tenacious breed. We've proven that
we can succeed despite myriad obstacles, limited resources and fierce
competition. Often, we have to prove that we are twice as smart, nimble,
resourceful and enterprising to break through and become effective at
serving our communities and excelling at our target markets. Colors of
Influence is focused on cultivating relationships and fostering strong
networks and knowledge-sharing among diverse business and civic communities
throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Developing *Colors of Influence* magazine merges my two passions: journalism
and business. Journalism has always been an important part of my life, even
as a young girl growing up in Manila. When my family immigrated to Houston,
Texas in 1992, I decided to study journalism in college and pursue
writing<http://www.hamto.com/portfolio.html>as a career.I've served in
a wide array of marketing
communications <http://www.hamto.com/resume.html> capacities in various
industries, including higher education, health care, high tech, petroleum,
among others. I hold an MBA from the University of Portland.
There's a lot that needs to be done, to ensure that we get our stories
heard. We need more visibility, a larger presence, and heightened
recognition among business partners, community and civic leaders,
prospective customers and collaborators. Through increasing awareness about
the contributions of leaders and entrepreneurs of color, I hope to make an
impact in efforts to raise the visibility of our vibrant and diverse
business communities.

Maileen Hamto

editor, producer & founder