Editorial Staff

Hilda Torres Makes the Grade

/in , , , /by Editorial Staff
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

This week on JobMakers, host Denzil Mohammed talks with Hilda Torres, an immigrant from Mexico who runs My Little Best Friends Early Learning Center in Malden, Massachusetts. One of the most successful businesses in the city, the center enrolls over 100 students whose parents come from more than 25 different countries. In this episode, Hilda shares how she used the tools of education, and her own grit and determination, to make her mark in the land of opportunity.

Hilda Torres is Executive Director at My Little Best Friends Early Learning Center. Hilda left Mexico in 1992, settling in East Boston with her husband and two young children. She was continuing her career as a beautician. “I made good money,” she said. “But, most of it went to daycare.” Then, the owner of the daycare her children attended offered her a job as an assistant. She took early childhood education classes and earned an associate’s degree at Bunker Hill Community College. In 2012, Torres and her cousin, Gerardo Loza, opened My Little Best Friends Early Learning Center in Malden. They recently were named one of five 2016 Immigrant Entrepreneurs of the Year by the Immigrant Learning Center. My Little Best Friends currently has over 100 students, from 2 months to 5 years old, whose parents come from more than 25 different countries.

Get new episodes of JobMakers in your inbox!

Browse Episodes of Pioneer’s Podcasts:

NYT’s Anupreeta Das on Bill Gates, Microsoft, & Tech Billionaires

NYT’s South Asia correspondent, Anupreeta Das discusses how she became interested in writing her acclaimed biography, Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, King: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World, emphasizing Gates’ corporate and philanthropic influence on our era.

Harris’ Tax Vision: Policy & Politics

Joe Selvaggi talks with Tax Foundation Vice President William McBride about the details and potential effects of the tax policy proposed by Kamala Harris's presidential campaign

National Alliance’s Starlee Coleman on Public Charter Schools

Starlee Coleman discusses her role as CEO of the Texas Public Charter Schools Association, highlighting the growth of charter schools in Texas, as well as the broader efforts to expand school choice.

Digital Privacy Divide: Can Law Enforcement Google Where You’ve Been?

Joe Selvaggi talks with Cato Institute legal fellow Brent Skorup about the split in the court of appeals over the Constitution's 4th Amendment protections concerning law enforcement's search of location tracking data.

Houston Supt. Mike Miles & Urban School Reform

Mr. Miles reflects on his lifelong dedication to public service, starting as a soldier, then a diplomat, and later as an educational leader. He shares insights into his family background and formative experiences that shaped his commitment to serving the public.

Housing Bond Bill: Could Billions Better Bay State Cost of Living

Joe Selvaggi talks with Pioneer's Senior Housing Fellow, Andrew Mikula, about the recently passed $5.2 billion bond bill, discussing its key features and how it might impact the supply and cost of homes in Massachusetts.

Dr. David Heidler on Andrew Jackson & American Democracy

Dr. David Heidler discusses the transformative period of Jacksonian Democracy, from 1829 to 1837. He explores the political changes, sectionalism, and reforms that characterized the era, alongside the controversial figure of Andrew Jackson, whose volatile nature and strategic political management propelled his rise and image.

Ruinous Red Tape: Epic Cost of Unchecked Federal Rule Making

Joe Selvaggi discusses the emergence of the massive, costly, and rapidly growing register of federal rules and regulations with Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Wayne Crews.

MIT’s Nobel Winner Joshua Angrist on the Economics of Education & Charter Public Schools

Prof. Angrist explores the controversies and his motivations behind studying K-12 education, emphasizing what policymakers often overlook about education and labor markets. He discusses his groundbreaking research on charter schools, highlighting how his findings have influenced policymakers. Angrist also talks about his Nobel-winning work on the analysis of causal relationships in economics and the innovative research currently underway at Blueprint, his lab at MIT.

Property Tax Reassessment: Beleaguered Buildings Bear Burden of Boston’s Burgeoning Budget

Joe Selvaggi talks with Marty Walz, the interim president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, about more viable, long-term alternatives to Mayor Wu’s property tax classification proposal.

Stanford’s Arnold Rampersad on Jackie Robinson

Stanford University Prof. Arnold Rampersad, author of Jackie Robinson: A Biography, discusses the life and legacy of Robinson, the hall of fame baseball player and history-changing civil rights leader.

Registering Republican Realignment: GOP Convention Showcases Conservatism’s New Direction

Joe Selvaggi talks with the CATO Institute’s Dr. Norbert Michel about the shift in the Republican vision and policy goals from decades past, as reflected in the nominees and guest speakers at the 2024 GOP Convention.