LATINO BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Find Latino-owned businesses across Michigan by county and category
SHARING OUR STORIES
BOX CAR PEOPLE
Using historic film, photos and original testimonials, Boxcar People tells the story of Mexican workers recruited in the early 1900s to work the railroads in Galesburg, Illinois.
It is a truly inspiring tale of immigrants rising up against all odds in a rarely heard story of how the Midwest’s Mexican population helped build this country but still struggled for acceptance and civil rights.
SHARING OUR STORIES
PRESERVANDO NUESTRA HISTORIA
Collecting the oral histories of Latino Michiganders, in partnership with the Michigan Historical Center. Chapters will take over storytelling statewide starting in 2027.
FULFILLING OUR MISSION
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Community Voice, Social Justice & Equity
Our Crisis Response System, built with support from the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, trains communities statewide to respond to hate crimes, bias incidents, and unlawful discrimination.
- Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) — File a discrimination complaint online or call 1-800-482-3604. Covers employment, housing, education, and public accommodation discrimination. Bilingual staff available. This is the same agency that funded LLEAD’s Crisis Response System — worth naming that connection in the copy.
Education and youth
From scholarship access to our internship pipeline with Michigan State University, we support Latino students and families navigating Michigan’s education system — and work to keep kids in school, not the system.
- Michigan HLCOM Scholarship List — State-curated list of Michigan-specific scholarships for Hispanic/Latino students. Single best link for this category — covers many smaller local scholarships in one place.
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund — Largest national nonprofit supporting Latino students in higher ed; undergrad and graduate awards.
- MSU Julian Samora Research Institute — Scholarships & Resources — MSU-hosted list, ties directly to LLEAD’s existing MSU internship pipeline.
- MI Student Aid Scholarship Search — State database, filterable by county; not Latino-specific but useful as a general companion tool.
Civic Engagement
Through virtual town halls and direct community support, we help Latino families understand their rights — including what to do if a loved one encounters ICE.
- Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) — The standout resource. Free legal aid, ICE detainee locator, deportation defense, know-your-rights cards in multiple languages. Phone: (734) 239-6863.
- Farmworker Legal Services of Michigan — Statewide legal aid for farmworkers; shared worker-rights hotline with MIRC: 1-800-968-4046.
- Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates (Holland) — Low-cost immigration legal services and a bilingual Know Your Rights/Emergency Planner guide.
Capacity Building, Business, & Skill Trades
From our Banking the Unbanked partnership with Team One Credit Union to our statewide Latino Business Directory, we help build economic power in Latino communities across Michigan.
- Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — Statewide; serves roughly 25,000 Hispanic-owned businesses. Business seminars, networking, supplier diversity programs.
- West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — Grand Rapids-based regional chamber; free business consultations, professional development.
- Michigan Works! / Pure Michigan Talent Connect — Statewide, free job search and unemployment support; not Latino-specific, but the standard first stop for anyone job-seeking in Michigan.
Healthcare & Mental health
We’re working to close the gaps in health access and mental health support facing Latino families across Michigan, connecting communities to services close to home
- NALHE Michigan Chapter — National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives, Michigan chapter. Partners with health systems statewide on Latino health equity.
- Lansing Latino Health Alliance — Local org focused on improving health outcomes for Lansing-area Latinos; cultural competency training for hospital staff.
- Hispanic Center of West Michigan — Health Awareness Series — Grand Rapids-based; connects residents to low-cost/sliding-scale clinics (Clinica Santa Maria, Catherine’s Health, Exalta Health).
- National Alliance for Hispanic Health — National network, but a useful catch-all referral resource where no local option exists yet.
Arts & Communities
We celebrate and invest in Latino arts and culture across Michigan, connecting artists, musicians, and cultural spaces to the communities that sustain them.
- Mexicantown Community Development Corporation — Detroit-based nonprofit founded in 1989 by Latino community leaders; empowers Latino artists and preserves Mexican and Latino cultural heritage.
- Casa De Rosado Galeria and Cultural Center — Lansing-based nonprofit art gallery and cultural center.
- El Ballet Folklorico Estudiantil — Flint-based nonprofit offering traditional Mexican dance and music lessons for youth.
- Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities / Cook Arts Center — Grand Rapids; youth and adult arts programming in the historic Southtown Latino community.
- MSU Chicano/Latino Studies Program — East Lansing; regularly brings Latino arts programming to the state, often with the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan.
Make an Impact in Your Community
These resources are just the beginning. Join LLEAD and connect with Latino leaders across Michigan working to make real change, from your local chapter to the state level.
Whether you want to advocate, volunteer, or simply stay informed, there’s a place for you here