About Fempreneur Poder Hub

Jennifer Franco is the founder and president for Fempreneur Poder Hub. She is a passionate advocate and educator from the Northside of Chicago. She has overcome the challenges of being a first-generation, low-income Latina mother to make significant strides in the academic sector. With a B.A. in Political Science from NEIU and an M.A. in Women & Gender Studies from Loyola, she's currently pursuing a PhD in Higher Education. Her commitment to eliminating racial, ethnic, and economic inequalities in education and beyond is deeply rooted in her Guatemalan background and experiences growing up in a single-mother home. As the founder of the Fempreneur Poder Hub, Jennifer empowers women of color entrepreneurs, providing education, resources, and support networks. Her bilingual proficiency and expertise in post-secondary education and institutional engagement position her as a leader in advocating for equitable opportunities and systemic change.

Araceli has been engaged in Public Service for over a decade and recently was the first Hispanic Latinx Employment Plan Coordinator for the State of Illinois. Araceli Morales earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a Master of Arts in Latino Cultural Studies from Northeastern Illinois University.

 As a coordinator, she served as a liaison with the Hispanic Advisory Council of Illinois and other human resources offices of state agencies by maintaining open lines of communication.

Consulted with minority advocacy groups seeking to encourage participation and support of professional forums within the community. Prepared the Executive Summary and supporting documentation of the activities of the State Hispanic Employment Plan, and participated in the drafting, as well as the final preparation of the Annual Report, which is presented to the General Assembly. She utilized data and met with representatives from various state agencies to determine areas of underutilization. Araceli is now working with the Immigrant and Refugee Bureau at the Illinois Department of Human Services, managing and monitoring contracts designed to help newly arriving refugees and low-income immigrants

across the state. In addition to her full-time employment, she is also an ESL/Citizenship instructor at City Colleges of Chicago—Truman. Although she grew up in the city of Chicago, as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Araceli

Morales has also lived abroad in Mexico and South Korea. She takes pride in her heritage and currently resides in Chicago, Illinois, with her family and two-year-old Husky.

Jarol is a Chicago native who grew up on the West Side. He’s the Community Engagement Program Manager at mHUB. His passion for community building and organizing has allowed him to develop strong relationships across the education, political, and business/entrepreneurship sectors. His experience working in the non-profit space has allowed him to strengthen key relationships with different stakeholders, community leaders, and legislators. At mHUB, Jarol is helping shape the future for entrepreneurs through the Catalyze Initiative Program, and execution of the Equity Innovation Scholarship Fund & the product development grant. His background in designing grant programs, strategies, and community relationships will surely be something he can contribute to Fempreneur Poder Hub. 

Paul Callejas is a Chicago native who grew up in the Little Village neighborhood. He is a 1st generation American from an indigenous family in Guerrero, Mexico. With over nine years of experience in youth development, project management, community fundraising, and community organizing, Paul has collaborated  with various non-profit organizations to lead community events and bring resources to underserved neighborhoods. He aspires to help many Chicagoan reach their full potential, become global citizens, and improve their quality of life.