On Thursday, August 8, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and a member of President Biden’s Cabinet representing over 34 million small businesses in America, visited Irvine, California. She delivered remarks at the final White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (WHIAANHPI) Economic Summit alongside U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai.
Administrator Guzman and Ambassador Tai began their day at the WHIAANHPI Economic Summit by participating in a fireside chat moderated by Erika Moritsugu, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior AANHPI Liaison at the White House.
During the discussion, Administrator Guzman reflected on the one-year anniversary of the deadly Maui wildfires and provided updates on ongoing response and recovery efforts by the Biden-Harris Administration. She also discussed SBA’s role in supporting the economic futures of the AANHPI community through entrepreneurship, noting an increase in SBA-backed loans to AANHPI entrepreneurs.
Following the summit, Administrator Guzman and Ambassador Tai visited Mercado González Northgate Market, a newly opened Mexican food hall with over 20 food stalls and vendors. They met with store leadership and sampled various products while learning about their early success in Costa Mesa.
For follow-up interviews with Administrator Guzman, please contact Teddy Lake at theodora.lake@sba.gov.