Lumina Red
Community Cooperative Platform
AI-powered economic mobility for Latino newcomers in Canada
Presented at Building Our Future in AI: The Latin@ Summit
Hosted by Alianza Latina · eCampus Ontario · OCAD University
Hosted by Alianza Latina · eCampus Ontario · OCAD University
1
Nuestro Equipo
Meet the Team
Latin American professionals building AI tools for our communities — combining lived immigrant experience with technical innovation.
Carolina Olaya
Sebastian Borjas
Sonia Castillo
Christian Florez
2
The Challenge
The System Wasn't Built for Us
Years of Underemployment
Skilled newcomers face months — even years — stuck in survival jobs far below their qualifications.
Credential Chaos
Recognition processes are fragmented, confusing, and different for every profession and province.
Guidance Gaps
Career advice ignores immigration status, language barriers, and cultural context — so engineers drive Uber and doctors work retail.
3
Our Solution
Lumina Red — What We Built
An AI-powered cooperative platform that acts as a personal career navigator for Latino newcomers — predicting credential pathways, matching skills to realistic opportunities, and mapping dignified career trajectories in the Canadian labour market.
Credential Recognition Pathways
Status-Aware Career Switching
Opportunities Mapping & Outcomes
4
18 Fast-Track Career Paths
From training to paycheque — real careers with real demand.
Personal Support Worker
Training: 6-8 months
Cost: $2K-$5K
Salary: $35K-$48K
High Demand
Truck Driver
Training: 4-12 weeks
Cost: $3K-$8K
Salary: $45K-$85K
Very High Demand
Web Developer
Training: 3-12 months
Cost: $0-$15K
Salary: $55K-$120K
High Demand
HVAC Technician
Training: 6-12 months
Cost: $4K-$10K
Salary: $50K-$85K
High Demand
5
Speed to Employment
From Newcomer to Employed — In Weeks, Not Years
Lumina Red accelerates credential recognition and skill-matching, transforming timelines from months or years into weeks. Discover high-demand careers that put your skills to work faster, leading to dignified employment and financial independence.
Forklift Operator
Get certified in just 1-2 weeks for immediate job opportunities in logistics.
Truck Driver
Complete training in 4-12 weeks and earn $45K-$85K annually.
Security Guard
Acquire license and employment in 2-6 months with strong demand.
Google AI Certificate
Gain entry-level AI skills in 3-6 months, with salaries from $50K-$95K.
Personal Support Worker
Begin a rewarding career in 6-8 months to support vulnerable populations.
6
Entrepreneurship Pathway
Start Your Own Business
We give you proven business ideas matched to your skills. Templates, guides, and mentors included.
7
Entrepreneurship Pathway
You Don't Need a Million Dollars
Unlock profitable ventures with minimal startup costs. Lumina Red identifies high-demand, low-barrier-to-entry businesses where your skills can thrive immediately.
Dog Walking
$200 startup
Earning $60K+/year
Home Food Business
$500 startup
Earning $100K+/year
Painting Business
$1,000 startup
Earning $100K+/year
Car Detailing
$2,000 startup
Earning $100K+/year
Duct Cleaning
$8,000 startup
Earning $200K+/year
8
Entrepreneurship Pathway
Start a Business With Less Than $3,000
Real businesses that work for skilled newcomers in Canada.
Home Food Business
Startup: $500-$3K
Income: $40K-$100K/yr
Landscaping Services
Startup: $2K-$8K
Income: $50K-$120K/yr
Painting Contractor
Startup: $1K-$3K
Income: $50K-$100K/yr
Pet Care & Dog Walking
Startup: $200-$1K
Income: $30K-$60K/yr
9
Entrepreneurial Funding & Support
Community Funding for Your Dreams
Circle Wallets let community members fund each other's training and businesses. You invest in others. They invest in you. With 1,000 members, imagine the power of investing just $10 a month on a business altogether! Would be massive boss, real support, and confidence for many of us to share our talents, ideas, create jobs, leadership and thrive as newcomers!
10
30 Pathways to Economic Mobility
Lumina Red offers 18 diverse career paths across 7 industries, from rapid 1-week certifications to professional licenses, and 12 proven business models achievable with as little as $200 startup capital. Each path provides real data on training, cost, salary, and demand. It's designed by and for Latino newcomers, leveraging AI and community insights.
Lumina Red doesn't just show you the door — it gives you the keys, the map, and a community walking beside you.
11
Community & AI Guidance
Amigo AI + Community Support
Chat with Amigo AI anytime for guidance. Connect with community members for peer support. You're never alone. Use the community feed to post asks, share questions, get feedback! Amigo AI complements the process by answering your questions!
12
Digital Wallet
Circle Wallets: Invest in Each Other's Dreams
Need & Talents Identified
Community Funds
Member Succeeds
Donate & Invest
13
Nuestra Visión
Built by Community, for Community
Lumina Red is a cooperative model where every interaction makes the platform smarter. This approach allows us to build the infrastructure our community deserves, powered by our collective experience.
14
Join the movement
Partner with us. Contribute your expertise. Share the platform with someone who needs it. Together, we're building the infrastructure our community deserves.
Sonia Castillo
Cristian Florez
Carolina Olaya
Sebastian Borjas
Alianza Latina · eCampus Ontario · OCAD University
16