“JLo’s Heartfelt Gratitude: How Her Parents Helped Her Feel Valuable in a Challenging Industry”

In an interview with Today, Lopez acknowledged that her parents played a significant role in shaping her self-worth. They instilled in her the belief that she was valuable just as she was and didn’t need to conform to anyone else’s standards.

Jennifer Lopez is continuing her parents’ legacy by empowering the next generation of Latinas. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Lopez spoke about representing her Latina heritage and her efforts to help Latina entrepreneurs. She has collaborated with micro-finance nonprofit Grameen America to offer $14 billion in loan capital to 600,000 Latina-owned small businesses by 2030 and will be providing mentorship to Latina women living below the federal poverty level. Lopez believes that this opportunity can change lives and wants to empower Latino entrepreneurs by giving them the opportunity where there wasn’t any before. For Lopez, her latinidad has always been central to her expression as an artist because it’s who she is and her family raised her to be proud of her heritage. She credits her parents for making her feel like she was worth something and that she didn’t have to be anything other than who she was. Her new husband, Ben Affleck, has also been a source of support and was lovingly watching from the sidelines during their interview with Today.

Jennifer Lopez’s success wasn’t just about knowing her worth. She believes that there is no specific formula for success, but if one follows their heart, stays true to themselves, and works hard, they can achieve it. The key to being successful is not giving up, according to her, and she never did. In June, when announcing her multi-billion dollar project with Grameen America, Lopez expressed her pride in being a Latina in the country. She believes that by partnering with Grameen America, they will create pathways for employment and leadership opportunities for Latina women in business, which will lead to equality, inclusivity, and opportunities. Lopez’s philanthropic effort, Limitless Labs, will also provide 6 million hours of financial training and education as part of the initiative.

During the Tribeca Film Festival, Jennifer Lopez commenced her position as Grameen’s national ambassador. The Latina entrepreneurs of the program accompanied her for the premiere of her Netflix documentary, Halftime. Andrea Jung, the president and CEO of Grameen America, expressed her excitement about their collaboration with the Hustlers actress, emphasizing their commitment to closing opportunity gaps. She noted that Grameen America is the sole organization with a national scale, reach, and proven model required to provide $14 billion in loan capital to emerging Latinx businesswomen. Together with Lopez, they will make entrepreneurship a viable pathway to success for Latina women who have faced marginalization from economic opportunity. In September, Lopez announced her Limitless Labs initiative, which collaborated with Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses program to empower and support Latina businesswomen in her hometown of the Bronx.