Washington, D.C., March 7, 2003 - MANA, A National Latina Organization partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and women's business organizations in launching a new website, www.women-21.gov, on March 4, 2003. The unveiling ceremony took place at the White House and included presentations from U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao and Small Business Administrator Hector Barreto.

Women-21 is a premier one-stop resource to help businesswomen effectively and efficiently access federal government resources, and builds on the President's initiative to foster the growth of women-owned businesses that he announced at last year's National Summit on Women's Entrepreneurship. Designed to be user-friendly, highlights of the website include up-to-date information regarding key issues such as access to capital, health insurance, government procurement, retirement security, technology, and the tax code.

According to the Census Bureau's latest Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, women owned 26 percent of the nation's 20.8 million non-farm businesses - which translates into 5,417,034 firms. These businesses generated $818.7 billion in sales and receipts.

Women-21, the first site of its kind, aims to serve women by providing the resources that they need to continue driving their business forward, creating more jobs in the nation's economy.

"A high percentage of women owned businesses are run by Latinas, and this site will provide them with valuable information to strengthen their businesses at any stage- whether they are just starting a business or if they are running a business with hundreds of employees. MANA applauds the Department of Labor and the Small Business Administration for taking the lead in responding to the trend of dramatic increases in the percentages of women owned businesses," stated Alma Morales Riojas, President and CEO of MANA, A National Latina Organization. MANA encourages women to take advantage of this excellent resource.

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MANA, A National Latina Organization, is a nonprofit, advocacy organization headquartered in the nation's capital, Washington, D. C. With chapters across the country, it is the oldest National Latina membership organization in the United States. MANA, whose mission is to empower Latinas through leadership development, community service, and advocacy, envisions a national community of informed Latina activists working to improve the quality of life for all Hispanics. MANA also has the only national young Latina's mentoring program for girls 11 to 17, "HERMANITAS®" which brings over 100 girls to Washington DC to a summer institute that includes a briefing at the White House and a visit to the girls' Congressional representatives Information on MANA can be obtained at the web site: www.hermana.org or send an e-mail to hermana2@aol.com