Awards & Media

Early in the 2022-23 NBA season, the Phoenix Suns and FirstBank launched the FirstBank Empowerment Awards, a season-long program designed to strengthen marginalized communities through economic empowerment. The program expands on the Los Suns Small Business MVP Award that the team started in 2018 and provides a financial grant and marketing value to deserving minority-owned small businesses across the Valley.

Doubling down on the Suns’ commitment to celebrating the accomplishments of outstanding female leaders in the community, the EntrepreneuHER Award is dedicated to highlighting a woman-owned small business in Arizona. The award has been presented to entrepreneur Lupita Guerrero, founder and director of Little Giants Spanish Immersion Preschool in Phoenix.

Born in Guerrero, Mexico, Lupita Guerrero is a native Spanish speaker who has dedicated 23 years to working with children and families. Earning a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Arizona State University and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Grand Canyon University, Guerrero has spent time as a Developmental and Family Support Specialist for Head Start and as a trainer for Raising a Reader – a program that helps families develop, practice and maintain home reading routines.
The vision for Little Giants Spanish Immersion Preschool came to Guerrero just a year ago when she was searching for a preschool for her grandchildren, Noah and Santi.

Guerrero aspired to provide children – her grandchildren included – with an environment that promoted healthy growth and development without sacrificing the opportunity to be immersed in the Spanish language and cultural experiences.

With this goal in mind and equipped with her extensive experience, knowledge and passion, Guerrero founded Little Giants.

“The mission that we have at Little Giants is to share our Spanish culture with families and children,” said Guerrero. “We love sharing our traditions like Día de los Muertos, el Día de los Abuelitos, el Día de los Padres.” Little Giants, which currently has 50 children enrolled from all different backgrounds, emphasizes engaging children through hands-on experiences, developing every aspect of a child’s well-being and building cooperative relationships with families.

For Guerrero, her newly founded business is all about the impact it is making in the community and she is grateful to serve as an inspiration for other women to follow their passions and dreams.

“I am honored and blessed to receive this award,” said Guerrero. “It means a lot to me, and to show other women if you want to open your own business, you guys can do it. Thank you, Phoenix Suns and FirstBank, for this award. To all the women entrepreneurs, no matter where you come from: anything is possible.”