| In 1977 there were several Hispanic organizations in Metro-Detroit. But they were services oriented and social in nature. Hispanics came together mainly to look for ways to solve their economic or migratory problems or to celebrate historic holidays and special ocassions. Their politics were non-existent and of a laissez-faire nature following the maxim "if you don't bother me, I won't bother you" All that came to an end as the charismatic yet divisive Mayor of the City of Detroit, Coleman E. Young, attempted to roll-over Hispanic interests in favor of his constituency. He wanted to interpret the newly adopted equal opportunities for minorities in the new Federal guidelines to apply, as far as the city of Detroit was concerned, only to African-Americans. It was then that a group of Hispanic professionals decided to unite in order to fight this unfair and discriminatory proposal that would keep not only Hispanics, but other minorities from doing business in the Among them were René Colina, the General Manager of New York Life Insurance Company in Detroit, Agustin Arbulú an attorney, Armando Ojeda, a WJR broadcaster and Public Relations Executive in Southfield, and Mariano Pallarés, a college professor and President of International Translating Bureau, a translating agency in Southfield. Together and with the help of other community activists like Jane García they formed the Hispanic Business Alliance an organization dedicated to represent the business interests of Hispanic entrepreneurs in Metro-Detroit. Its foremost goal was to gain equal opportunities and parity for all minorities, particularly Hispanics, aspiring to do business in the City of Detroit. With Arbulú as legal counsel, the charisma of Ojeda behind the microphones, the tireless efforts and contacts of Colina, and Pallarés knowledge of several languages to disseminate the messages, it soon became clear that the city had a young, though formidable, opponent at hand. It was not long before the Mayor recanted, after HBA threatened to file a Federal suit against the city. Thereafter, HBA became the organization of choice for all Hispanic business people in Metro-Detroit. As of now, it stands as the oldest Hispanic business organization in the state of Michigan. Mariano Pallares, Ph.D.
President
International Translating Bureau, Inc.
Hispanic Business Alliance Founder |  
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