Southwest Vida Person Of The Year JOSE ESPARZA

Under Jose’s leadership for nearly a decade, BuCu West has experienced exponential growth as a community development corporation, growing from an organization of 2 employees to one with 11 fulltime employees, 3 part-time and supporting lots of local small businesses and artists through small contracts He is committed to building more equitable neighborhoods by supporting the most at-risk community members to achieve economic sustainability BuCu West’s ability to create a supportive ecosystem for new business, integrate local arts and culture, and develop innovative approaches to engendering community wealth demonstrates the organization’s dedication to creating authentic and equitable communities. Jose earned a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning.

The non profit organization has incubated nearly 900 food based businesses over the last 6 years through the Kitchen Network and has led the effort to create a safe and walkable commercial destination that supports local businesses. Jose leads the BuCu West team in working with partners, leading community outreach, and researching best practices. His leadership guides decision making and implementation of programs to create equitable economic development and serve community need