One of boxing’s biggest stars, Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, will be the keynote speaker at the gala for The Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation on Friday night.

The foundation is celebrating its first 20 years with a gala that starts at 6 p.m. at the Table Mountain Casino Conference Center. Over 1,000 attendees are expected. The FAHF was established to support entrepreneurs in overcoming the barriers to starting their businesses and to foster their successes.

Ticket information is at this link.

“The Night of Champions Gala”

The event’s theme is “The Night of Champions.” The evening will pay tribute to the more than 30,000 small businesses whose entrepreneurs have found a champion for their ideas and their dreams in FAHF.

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Álvarez is the first pro boxer in history to become the undisputed champion at Super Middleweight, having held WBA and WBC titles since 2020, and IBF and WBO titles since 2021. He will share his story of overcoming adversity, displaying resilience, and achieving remarkable success. He’ll also talk about coming from an entrepreneurial family of humble roots.

Hosting the event will be actor and comedian Paul Rodriguez.

FAHF’s Recent Achievements

The foundation has made strides in the last few years. In 2021, FAHF earned the designation as a Community Development Financial Institution. It the only one in the country founded and led by two Latinas, Dora Westerlund who serves as the President & CEO of the foundation, and Yeri Olivares.

FAHF’s Confia initiative, launched during the pandemic, is extending the reach of empowerment to entrepreneurs in rural areas and is now expanding its programs and services. A month ago, the foundation opened escrow on the old Berkley’s Building in Downtown Fresno to provide an expanded business incubation hub for start-ups, now including retail.