Grammy-Award winning musical artist Jennifer Lopez is making a return to her birthplace to support Latina small business owners in New York City.

On the eve of Hispanic Heritage Month, Lopez made an appearance at The Lit. Bar in The Bronx alongside Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration Isabel Guzman and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon for a discussion on growing businesses and how small business owners were able to navigate the pandemic.

The U.S. Small Business Administration also announced Lopez as the headliner of the National Small Business Week Virtual Summit 2021. 

As part of the discussion, Lopez announced a new partnership with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses to elevate and support Latina entrepreneurs.

The partnership will aim to recruit more Latina entrepreneurs to the 10,000 Small Businesses nationally, but with a more direct focus on those based in The Bronx. 

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a program for small businesses that links learning to action by providing participants and entrepreneurs with practical skills and access to education, capital and support services to create jobs and economic opportunities. 

This new partnership is the first of what will be a series of efforts to support Latina entrepreneurs and small businesses in connection to Lopez’s upcoming philanthropic effort called, “Limitless Labs.” 

In addition to her singing, acting and dancing, Lopez is also an entrepreneur in her own right. In 2001, she launched and co-founded Nuyorican Productions, a film and television production company. Since then, the company has produced a number of films in which Lopez has starred, including Bordertown, The Boy Next Door and Second Act.

The Lit.Bar, owned by Afro-Latina founder Noelle Santos, is the only independent bookstore in The Bronx.

Lopez is of Puerto Rican descent and was born and raised in The Bronx, so this effort to support Latina entrepreneurs and small business owners is an opportunity for her to return to her roots and help the next generation of aspiring entrepreneurs looking to pursue their business goals.