Entrepreneur association marks two decades of service

On Jan. 24, the National La­tina Business Women Associa­tion is holding its 20th anniver­sary celebration, a milestone marking two decades of em­powering Latina entrepreneurs and professionals. This spe­cial event will also feature the grand opening of the Califor­nia School of Dance, a Latina-owned ballet school co-founded by two NLBWA members Edilsa Armendariz and Idolina Arm­endariz. This dual celebration honors both NLBWA’s legacy and the entrepreneurial spirit embodied by the co-founders of the California School of Dance located in La Mesa at 9241 La Mesa Blvd. starting at 6 p.m.

NLBWA Marketing Chair De­nise Montero said the organiza­tion supports Latina businesses and women.

“We wanted to do a celebra­tion in celebrating our anniver­sary through this ribbon-cutting ceremony,” she said. “This is the first time they are opening their business. They are Latina women entrepreneurs, and we thought this was the best way to celebrate this anniversary with welcoming a new Latina business women owned busi­ness in San Diego, along with our anniversary celebration.”

Montero said the organization is comprised of members from all over San Diego, and holds events in Chula Vista, National City, North County, downtown San Diego, and across the coun­ty.

Montero said interested peo­ple can visit its website (nlb­wasandiego.org) for more infor­mation, to see its memberships and events.

“We have new events every week,” she said. “If you join us, you will not only have access to our own events, but also to events with our other partners that we work with. We promote all of these events because we try to empower all Latino com­munities, especially Latino women, so they will have access to many free events and work­shops.”

Montero said the organization helps Latino business women, but also helps with personal en­richment and culture,

“It is all about the mind of Latino women to take care of themselves, how to look profes­sional going into presentations and meetings, wellness days, like our yoga retreat. It is a combination of everything,” she said. “Educational, technology, and financial workshops, how to take care of themselves, how to create your own profile, how to ascend yourself into the busi­ness world. These are tools to improve your business, but also at your personal level. We have a complete package to help La­tino women who have been told they cannot do something, so we try to empower them and tell them that they can do anything, and here are all the tools avail­able to you.”

Co-founded by two sisters and business partners, NLBWA members Edilsa and Idolina Ar­mendariz, the California School of Dance is a Latina-owned ballet school dedicated to pro­viding professional training in a nurturing environment. The school’s mission is to inspire confidence, discipline, and cre­ativity through excellence in ballet and the arts.

Edilsa Armendariz is a dedi­cated ballet teacher with over 15 years of experience, training students of all levels. Raised in Tijuana, Mexico, she trained at esteemed schools like Gloria Campobello and ENA in Ha­vana, Cuba. She has performed with San Diego Ballet and Ne­vada Ballet Theatre and danced works by Balanchine and Tharp. Certified in Progressive Ballet Technique, she creates a supportive yet challenging en­vironment, helping students ex­cel in exams, competitions, and performances.

Idolina Armendariz began her dance journey at Gloria Campo­bello Dance School in Tijuana, performing in productions like Don Quijote and Coppélia. She trained further at Escuela Su­perior de Música y Danza de Monterrey and Centro ProDan­za in Havana, touring interna­tionally with Grupo de Danza Minerva Tapia. Since 2017, she has studied Flamenco with Richard Chavez and regularly performs. With a Progressive Ballet Technique certification and a B.A. in Accounting, she blends discipline and creativity to deliver exceptional dance in­struction.