HFF advocates for all Hispanic and immigrant families in Nashville and the surrounding areas and is committed to programs that improve their quality of life. We work with Hispanic and immigrant families to provide:
We have a collaborative mindset at the Hispanic Family Foundation. We partner with agencies that have a successful track record in addressing the needs of the community. These partnerships allow the Hispanic Family Foundation to leverage its many assets including our accessibility and location, our media partners, creative services, and social media – all while maintaining a lean management model.
By consistently delivering results, HFF has earned the trust of the community. That trust will allow us to continue to foster strong partnerships with organizations, groups, and companies that share a passion for Hispanic and immigrant issues.
Our mission is to utilize our platforms of economic, social services, advocacy, and culture to educate and strengthen Nashville’s Hispanic and immigrant communities.
– Hispanic Family Foundation
We are confident that the success of our Mission is based on the following values:
HFF advocates for all Latino families in Nashville and is committed to programs that improve their quality of life. We work with Latino families to provide:
We have a collaborative mindset at the Hispanic Family Foundation. We partner with agencies that have a successful track record in addressing the needs of the community. This partnership allows the Hispanic Family Foundation to leverage it many assets including our accessibility and location, our media partners, creative services, and social media – all while maintaining a lean management model.
By consistently delivering results, HFF has earned the trust of the community. That trust will allow us to continue to foster strong partnerships with organizations, groups, and companies that share a passion for Hispanic issues.
Entrepreneurs Mark and Diane Janbakhsh are founders of the Hispanic Family Foundation. They were both raised in the Nashville area and have a strong commitment to the community. Their business success, combined with their love of the community, led them to found the Hispanic Family Foundation in 2013 to enhance the lives of Hispanic families and children.
Diane Janbakhsh considers herself a Nashville native despite moving to Nashville when she was just 9 years old. In 1985, her family moved to middle Tennessee after living in both Arkansas and Mexico. Being a Mexican American family in Nashville at a time had its challenges, as Diane and her siblings worked to assimilate to the Nashville culture. Her mother, Dr. Alicia Griffin, became the first female Hispanic dentist and paved the road for many other Hispanic business owners who would eventually make their way to Nashville. Her family practice provided the perfect environment for Diane to begin to serve the Latino community and gain a love for community service and cultural awareness. Her years of working in the dental practice for her mother also trained her to identify the needs of the community members and look for opportunities to develop services that would positively impact individuals. In 2010 Diane and her husband Mark began the work of the Hispanic Family Foundation, directly working with families in need and underserved Hispanic communities. Mark and Diane started with coat and toy drives during the holidays, then began to host community Easter events and food giveaways. Little by little, the aid and support kept growing. By 2013, the Hispanic Family Foundation gained its nonprofit status and began to grow into the foundation it is today. Not long after, Diane and her husband Mark founded Plaza Mariachi to further support and empower the local Hispanic communities. Her passion for young people and families, and her desire to see people whole, healthy, and empowered is what is at the heart of the Hispanic Family Foundation. Since 2016 she has served in different capacities on HFF’s Board of Directors, the last of which she served as Board Chair. Of all of the occupations she has had and of all the hats she has worn, second only to being a wife and the mother to her four daughters, she says being the Founder and Executive Director of the Hispanic Family Foundation is the most fulfilling and joy-giving occupation.
Tailah Scroggins is a Marketing Professional with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Political Science from Belmont University. Tailah has brought her marketing abilities to the Music Industry with renowned companies such as Full Circle Music and Redjett Artist Management. Tailah also spent seven years as Marketing Director for Plaza Mariachi and oversaw social media platforms and campaigns, which has led her to her current position as Marketing Officer at The Hispanic Family Foundation.
Tailah is also a recording artist and works alongside her husband, Jerricho, who is a music producer and a five-time Grammy award-winning engineer. She loves to serve the local church and is an online social media influencer, where she documents her faith journey. Serving has always been her passion, whether for ministries or Nonprofits. She is grateful to be a part of the team at The Hispanic Family Foundation and hopes to reach as many families in need as possible.
Laura Da Fonte immigrated from Venezuela to the United States in 2017. At that time she began working at HFF as an Office Manager. Laura loves serving the immigrant community.
She has a master’s degree in information system management from the University of Minnesota. She obtained different managerial positions during her career in the telecommunication industry and systems planning.
Laura has two daughters and loves to travel and read.
¡Hola! Meet Rubi Rodriguez, a distinguished dancer based in Nashville. Her story is a testament to the dedication and a deep connection to the rich traditions of folklorico and prehispanic dances from Mexico. Rubi’s journey in dance began with an early fascination for the art form. Growing up in Chicago, where “Folklor Mexicano” was a well-known style of dance and culture was prominent, she was captivated by the Folklorico dancers performing on stage, igniting her desire to join them. At the age of 8, she began her dance journey, unknowingly laying the groundwork for a remarkable future.
Over the past 20 years, Rubi has carved a path marked by significant milestones and memorable performances with her professional dance troupes in Nashville. Her dance instructors during her formative years were a major source of inspiration and played a pivotal role in shaping her as a performer. This inspiration led her to teach at Baila Dance Studio for the past 5 years, where she focuses on interpreting these traditional dances. Her teaching reflects not only skill but also a profound appreciation for the cultural richness these dances embody, and she is dedicated to passing this heritage on to the next generation of dancers.
Looking to the future, Rubi envisions a continued journey in dance, committed to pushing boundaries and inspiring others on their own dance journeys.
Meet Arianna Rubi, HFF’s Program Director and Executive Assistant. Originally from Denver, Colorado, Arianna moved to Tennessee in 2006, where she discovered her passion for making a difference in the Hispanic community. As a first-generation Mexican-American, she was shaped by her parents’ journey to provide better opportunities for their family when they immigrated to the United States in the 1980s.
Arianna, a mother of four bilingual children, enjoys exploring local cities like Gatlinburg, Chattanooga, and Atlanta, creating memorable experiences through hikes and visits to aquariums.
Arianna invites others to join in creating positive change and making a lasting impact together
