Carolina Arenas is a proud Colombian American, born and raised in Queens, New York. Her peers consider her a tough New Yorker, gutsy, blunt, but also a softy, cultured and sophisticated. A hard worker who is comfortable taking charge but doesn’t seek the limelight.
Transitioning from NY to TX: Making the decision to leave New York was difficult for her, as it meant leaving her family, friends, and career behind. She was in the beginning stages of her career as a case manager, and she loved her job. At the same time, her mother was recovering from major heart surgery, and Carolina had been her primary caregiver. Nonetheless, in 2011 she made the big move to Houston, and she’s built a new life here since then. Although there are quite a few differences here in Houston compared to New York – such as the ease of meeting new people on the subway, in a deli, or on the street, or New York feeling more culturally accepting in general – the diverse Hispanic/Latino community in Houston and network of local entrepreneurs have helped make Houston her home.
Entrepreneurship: After being a stay-at-home mom for a little while, Carolina began to feel a need to do something more fulfilling for herself. She knew she wanted to do something with a mission behind it, which made connecting her business to her cultural roots and her passion for social work. That’s when the idea for Meraki Wayuu was born. Through her small business, she is seeing a need and meeting a need in her connection with the indigenous group, Wayuu, behind the designs for the products she sells. She doesn’t exactly know where the entrepreneurship spirit came from, but thinks it was always in the back of her mind, possibly from her father owning his own restaurant when she was a child. Having her own business has taken Carolina all over Houston, where she’s had the opportunity to connect with so many other entrepreneurs, many of them Latina. In 2022, she started Poder Hispano, an annual family festival that takes place during Hispanic Heritage Month that is open to people of all cultures and backgrounds. After a successful first event, Poder Hispano will host their second festival this year and hopes to continue to grow in Houston.