WHAT WE DO: The Cafecito Caliente Group brings to the forefront what is happening in and around the Mid-Michigan area that involves the Latino community. We are a strong voice and leader in the Latino community and along with that position we accept the responsibility of helping to not only create events, but to help bring resources into the community.
WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON: 2026 finds us taking over the Latino Business Conexions of Michigan. With 4 mixers, a golf outing, workshops and a couple projects to still be announced. The 4th Annual Latino Business Expo will be held in September 2026.
WHAT’S COMING: The 4th Annual Cafecito Awards will take place Friday, September 25, 2026. Community Awards will go out to Small Business of the Year, Rising Star of the Year, Educator, Legacy, along with Latina of the Year to name a few. The 14th Annual Latino Night with the Lugnuts will offer folkloric dancers, Tejano bands before and after the game on Saturday, August 22, 2026, complete with fireworks.
ON THE BUSINESS SIDE: The Cafecito Caliente Group has purchased the iconic Arctic Corner Ice Cream Shop in Lansing’s Old Town and look to merge the Cafecito team with the Arctic Corner team. We helped start Latino Business Conexions of Michigan. This is the only Hispanic Latino business association in the Mid-Michigan area that is on the ground and knows most of the 250 business entries on the Cafecito website.
WHAT OTHERS SAY: I unhesitatingly recommend Sein Paul Benavides. Although a real mover and shaker, Sein accomplishes many things in a quiet unassuming manner. He has attained many goals within the Lansing Latino/Hispanic/Chicano community. Sein is a soft-spoken, but effective leader in the community. Thank you for all that you do – George Mansour, PhD
Cafecito Caliente has been a proud member of the Lansing Chamber of Commerce since June 1, 2021. We also have joined the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as of January 2023. We value their partnership and appreciate the value they offer by being members!
The early years: The initial idea was what I called the Latinos2College Project. It was a set of 40 ideas written in 2007 meant to enhance the Latino community. We started in 2007 by restarting Latino Clubs for the Lansing School District’s three high schools. In 2009 we created Latinos2College Day at Michigan State University. Each year we took up to 200 high school students to MSU to expose them to college life. In May 2012 we began Latino Day with the Lugnuts, and each year sell over 400 tickets and include folkloric dancers, Tejano Bands, and recognize the Latin Old Timers Baseball Leagues from 1948-1979. September of 2012 brought the Cafecito Caliente website which documents the Mid-Michigan Latino community. We added a Business Directory in 2013 which highlights over 250 Latino owned businesses and professionals in the area. In September 2016 we added the Cafecito Caliente Discount Card. September of 2016 Cafecito Networking Nights began and offers to introduce you to the Latino community.
Publisher’s Note: Cafecito has positioned itself as one of the best channels to reach the Greater Lansing Latino community. We have a Facebook group that has over 2300 members of which 85% are from the Lansing area and 90% are Latino. Why not reach out to us and see how you might be able to fit into the Latino community or even better, how you can work with Cafecito Caliente to better partner with this growing demographic.
TAGLINE: “If you want to get to know the Mid-Michigan Hispanic Latino community, I know the community better than anyone”.
READY TO TALK?
Contact me to schedule a time to meet:
Email: seinpaul65@gmail.com
Telephone: (517) 303-7001
PROUD MEMBER OF THE LANSING REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SINCE 2021.
PROUD MEMBER OF THE MICHIGAN HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SINCE 2023.
