east washington life
Meet Your Neighbor Claudia Herrera, Small Business Analyst
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here has rarely been a time in Claudia Herrera’s life that where she could not imagine being successful, prosperous or making a name for herself. The businesswoman and native Washingtonian pursues her goals while residing in her Fort Dupont/Greenway community in southeast. She was pointed in the right direction by her father, an immigrant from El Salvador, who told her that if she ever left their U Street, NW home, she could not go and rent. She had to buy something and own it. Thus, the enterprising Latina made the unconventional commit-
by Anthony D. Diallo
ment to become a homeowner at a young age, unlike most of her peers. She did the necessary research, employed a real estate agent and, taking advantage of first-time homebuyer initiatives and other DC programs, became a homeowner at age 25. Herrera, now 32, has never regretted the decision to buy or to move to her southeast neighborhood. “I knew [positive] change was coming to the Minnesota and Benning Road corridor before I moved around there. I was impressed by the neighborhood development and the fact that the price of the house fit my budget,” said Herrera on why she bought her first and current home in Ward 7 East of the River. “This area is accessible to downtown, 695 and practically everywhere.”
Business Lover
Claudia Herrara at the Lit in DC Awards in May 2019.
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E a s t o f t h e R i v er D C N e w s . c o m
Buying a house is perhaps the biggest investment a person will make in their lifetime. For Herrera, purchasing her house proved to her that she had a business acumen. Today, Herrera works an employee at the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and serves as a Program Analyst within the local government agency’s Small Business Resource Center. She meets one-on-one with customers to advise, navigate and, occasionally, motivate them through DCRA’s regulatory process. Herrera is also assigned to outside speaking ventures and developing web and paper content to share with residents coming to the government agency or via social media. In the past she has earned the distinction of being the DCRA Employee of the Month. Herrera has received notable recognition from the mayor’s office and various civic/community Claudia Herrara loves traveling, seen here in Brazil. associations for being an upcoming business leader. The native and fluent Spanish speaker, who has Latin twist.” a passionate love for go-go music, has a few busiHerrera was an honoree in May 2019 at the Lit in DC ness aspirations that may include investing in commerAwards and recognized for being an influential person in cial ventures with two other individuals and one day bethe business arena. The Lit in DC Awards is a multiculcome a restauranteur “of an American restaurant with a
