HomeMy WebLinkAboutMelba Parada_LetterDear Mayor & Members of the City Council,
My name is Melba Parada. I am a resident of the City of San Bernardino, a mother of four
children whom I am raising in this community, and a business consultant with Asociación
Emprendedor@s. My commitment to this city is not only professional, but deeply personal,
I am building my home here and have a strong intention to continue growing and remaining
in San Bernardino with my family.
Through my work at Asociación Emprendedor@s, we support individuals every day who are
transforming ideas into sources of income and long-term stability. We are not only talking
about businesses, but about real stories: families starting from their home kitchens,
entrepreneurs selling at local community events, and individuals seeking their first formal
opportunity to grow.
In this process, we consistently observe that talent and motivation are abundant within our
community, but structural opportunities do not always match that effort. Many
entrepreneurs face barriers such as a lack of affordable spaces to start, access to shared
commercial kitchens, technical assistance, and clear pathways to scale their businesses
sustainably.
Over time, we have come to see the local economy as a living ecosystem. It is not static or
uniform. It is more like a fabric: it strengthens when many hands contribute, when different
sizes of businesses coexist, and when there is space for new ideas to be tested before
becoming established. When that fabric becomes too limited or uniform, opportunities for
upward economic mobility within the community are reduced.
In this sense, strategic corridors within our city represent far more than commercial
locations. They are entry points to the community’s economic development, especially
given their connection to transit-oriented areas and their long-term urban growth potential.
We believe these spaces hold particular value when designed to include multiple
opportunities: small businesses, emerging entrepreneurs, pilot concepts, and models that
allow residents to evolve from an initial idea into an established business. When this kind
of diversity is encouraged, the city grows not only in infrastructure, but also in community
economic capacity.
Conversely, when these spaces are limited to single-use, closed models, the ability for
local entrepreneurs to participate in the city’s growth is reduced, limiting innovation and
long-term economic development.
Therefore, I respectfully urge the Honorable City Council to consider the broader impact of
land use decisions in strategic locations such as this. This is not only about a single
project, but about the vision we are building for the families who live here today and for
future generations.
As a mother of four children, I often think about the kind of city I want them to grow up in a
city that provides real opportunities to start businesses, find work, and build a future
without having to leave their community to achieve it. This is one of the reasons my
commitment to San Bernardino is so deeply rooted.
San Bernardino has the opportunity to be a city that not only attracts investment, but also
cultivates entrepreneurs, strengthens families, and builds a truly local and inclusive
economy.
Thank you for your time, your public service, and your consideration of these reflections.
Sincerely,
Melba Parada