近距离内射合集

It was the strangest of galas, with partiers picking up their own fancy dinners for 10 and cocktail kits that an online mixologist taught them to use to make their own drinks.

Decorations were delivered to homes, and participants could dance to a pre-recorded concert.

It was 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was in full force and Roberta Ricci was in charge of the completely virtual Maravilla Gala, the premier fundraiser for the National Hispanic Cultural Foundation.

鈥淚t was so successful,鈥� she says of the gala. 鈥淚t really brought the community together in a powerful way.鈥�

Ricci moved on to organizing similar events for the 1,200-member Hispano Chamber of Commerce, which last month named her as president and CEO. She replaces Ernie C鈥檇eBaca. 

Ricci assumes the chamber鈥檚 top job at a time when the economy is difficult for all businesses and when there is fear within the immigrant community in particular over a national crackdown.

She intends to increase publicity on what the chamber offers and figure out how it can better help businesses.

鈥淲e鈥檙e kind of hidden in plain sight,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 want to be a little more public, where people really know that they can come here and get the help they need.鈥�

Ricci has held high-level leadership positions before, as chief experience officer for the Hispano Chamber, executive director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation and development director at CNM.

But becoming head of the chamber is a career high for a woman who grew up in the South Valley and didn鈥檛 begin her college education until she was 30.

鈥淚 was on my own since I was about 16 years old,鈥� she says. 鈥淭o see this girl from the South Valley, lost at a certain age and who didn鈥檛 have any direction, become the president, CEO of the Hispano chamber 鈥� that is so overwhelming in such a good way that there鈥檚 hardly any words to describe it.鈥�

What are the biggest issues facing Hispanic-owned businesses right now?

I think funding is a big issue for them. You know, trust is a big issue for them. With the climate in today鈥檚 world, unfortunately, there鈥檚 some fear there that may or may not be true, but it is for them. When they鈥檙e looking to open up a business and looking to sell a product that鈥檚 authentic or cultural, it could be very difficult for them to just go anywhere and to feel that they鈥檙e going to be safe.

What can the chamber do about that?

We offer the resources here. We offer programs that are all in Spanish so that they understand: is your business going to be viable, and if so, how do we connect you to the right resources, and how do we make sure that we鈥檙e walking you step by step through the process in order for you to be successful? It鈥檚 a community here. We look and sound and feel like them, and I think they have some safety here. But I think 鈥� it鈥檚 just sometimes they鈥檙e working so hard and they just don鈥檛 have time to find the resources they need 鈥� anywhere from legal advice, marketing and learning how to fill out your capability statement, so that maybe you can apply for a federal contract and that could change their life overnight. So we鈥檙e trying to just make sure that we are meeting them where their needs are.

What do you want people to know about the chamber?

One thing I really want to mention is that people say, 鈥淥h, it鈥檚 a Hispano Chamber. I need to be Hispanic to participate.鈥� You do not. Over 40% of our members are non-Hispanic. We鈥檙e the grassroots. As the chief experience officer, I was the most forward-facing C-suite at the chamber, and so I was overseeing our convention and tourism. A lot of people still don鈥檛 know that we have a convention and tourism department. I worked hand in hand with Visit Albuquerque, but we have specific target markets, which are the Native American and Hispanic markets. We do a lot with Latin America, Mexico.

What鈥檚 something few people know about you?

People don鈥檛 know that I was a theater geek. I have an old suitcase where I have all my little trophies and some of my playbooks (from) middle school and high school.

How do you spend your free time?

My granddaughter is my best free time. Sometimes I just need a hug from her, or her energy. When I鈥檓 on empty, I really need that. I tease that I鈥檓 a fake runner because I don鈥檛 have time to really train, but I love to run when I can.

What do you want your legacy to be?

Our vision here (at the chamber) is that we believe in contributing to a greater cause, and I think that鈥檚 what I want my legacy to be. I just want to make sure that it鈥檚 never about me, but it鈥檚 always about our community. You know, when you travel and you go to other cities, they鈥檙e thriving 鈥� but the majority of people who live there are transplants. So yes, they have the companies and they have a lot of stuff, but here we have families, we have roots, we have tradition, we have culture, we have people. That鈥檚 why they care so much. I love that people know their neighbors still. I love that when I got this job 鈥� the (Rio Grande High School) alumni Facebook page (announced) my job, and they were so proud. I keep using the word beautiful, but it is.

Ellen Marks, a former Journal editor, writes One-on-One profiles and Scam Watch. You can reach her at emarks@abqjournal.com.