Brownsville, Texas – After years of hard work and dedication, a Latina-owned small business in South Texas has made its national debut with a new collection exclusive to Target stores, hoping to inspire Latinos across the US.
Based in Brownsville, Texas, JZD is owned by husband-and-wife duo Jennifer Serrano, 30, and Veronica Vasquez, 32.
The couple started the business in 2016 when Vasquez quit her job and took the leap to run a small business full-time. While Serrano worked on her degree in legal justice studies to pay the bills, Vasquez laid the foundation for both of them at the AT Shop, $200 and a Dream.
“[Jennifer] “He’s a genius, and when she told me about the idea, I said, ‘OK, let’s do it,’ and we invested in it,” Vasquez said.
One brand started a business boom when their “Latina Power” t-shirts began to gain celebrity recognition.
The “Latina Power” tee is worn by Zoe Saldana (Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe); lifestyle mogul Jessica Alba; Stephanie Beatrice (“Brooklyn 99,” “Encanto,” “On the Rise”); Diane Guerrero and Dascha Polanco of “Orange is the New Black,” Camila Mendes of “Riverdale” and Princess Elena herself — Amy Carrero.
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Demand for the product began to grow, and Vasquez could no longer be the only full-time employee. Serrano said the two “took a gamble,” and both became full-time employees, leaving behind any stable income.
“It was like a sacrifice. It was a gamble, but I told Veronica, ‘Either we’re going to go full force with this, and grow and make this brand bigger, or I can’t do this alone, so long as this is,'” Serrano said.
After becoming JZD’s full-time employees, the brand landed its first major retail partnership with Target for Latinx Heritage Month. Starting Sunday, September 4, JZD products will be available on the retailer’s website and in more than 1,500 Target stores nationwide.
The unique capsule collection features t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, jewelry and stationery with designs centered around the “Corazon Latino” celebration.
The pieces are inspired by the beauty of the growth of the Hispanic community and honoring its ancestors and their sacrifices.
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The couple recalled feeling pure shock when Target arrived at the prospect of a business relationship and collection.
“It was like a dream come true. “Once we confirmed it wasn’t a scam, we contacted them and called them and started the process,” Serrano said.
With their immigrant roots, the women feel they are living the American dream and are happy to take advantage of their opportunity.
The business owners said they hope the collection and brand will inspire Latinos across the US to take a leap of faith and do what makes them happy. He shared a piece of advice for Latino-owned businesses.
“Don’t give up before you start. Don’t think that anything worthwhile will come easy to you. The harder it gets, the closer you get to what you’re working on. There were many times when Jane and I stopped and wondered if we should fail our degrees. “But once you have that dream, you have to be on top of yourself,” Vasquez said.
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“Surround yourself with people who support you and know more than you do. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s very easy to feel small, but stay consistent, and you’ll grow,” Serrano said.
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