News Article

Spokane businessman and social activist Ben Cabildo will lead a conversation on why diversity makes good business sense for the Inland Northwest from 6:-7:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 14 in the Jepson Center Auditorium at Gonzaga University. The event, which is part of the Unity House C-5 Speaker Series, is free and open to the public.

The theme and focus of this monthly speaker series is "Courageous Conversation Create Caring Communities," known as the Unity House C-5 Speaker Series.

Cabildo is executive director of the African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American Business and Professional Association of Spokane (AHANA), and has more than 35 years of experience in community activism. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for The Community Colleges of Spokane, a member of the Washington Governor's State Competitive Council and the Spokane Workforce Development Council, and is a volunteer business counselor and marketing instructor of small business. Also, he is chairman of Unity in the Community, the Spokane areas annual celebration of diversity. Cabildo has been an entrepreneur since age 7 – selling bread, chewing gum and cigarettes in the streets of Manila.

Cabildo was among the founders of the local AHANA (in 1999), and has been its executive director since its inception. AHANA's mission is to improve the economic status and enhance the quality of life of the AHANA communities through development of business and employment opportunities.

For more information, please contact Bob Bartlett, director of Multicultural Education/Unity House Cultural Education Center at Gonzaga University, at (509) 323-5836.