As an immigrant forced to leave a country she loves, entrepreneur Amara Barroeta brings the strength, courage, and resilience of Venezuelan women to her adopted nation, the United States. She has learned that with the support of their communities, immigrants can and will contribute to the rich culture, and prosperity, of their new homes. Amara Barroeta is the owner of Amara Chocolate & Coffee Cafe in Pasadena, California. Originally from Venezuela, Amara emigrated to the United States in 2010. Prior to leaving Venezuela, in 2002, she was crowned first runner-up in the Miss Venezuela pageant, which lead to a position as a television newscaster and the chance to travel the world (most often, to Hollywood.) During this time, Amara remained committed to her university degree and ultimately graduated as a Chemical Engineer, with a specialization in food processing. In 2010, Amara came to the US to study for her MBA at UCLA. The increasing political unrest and corruption in her home country led Amara to make the difficult, but heartfelt, decision to stay permanently in the United States. In 2012, utilizing her background in chemical engineering, the skill-set acquired from her MBA, and her bright, friendly personality, Amara translated her myriad talents to business ownership, opening Pasadena’s first Venezuelan cafe and qui This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx