Camilo Escalante of Rate and Ravmova Theatre

Inside the newly restored Ramova Theatre, I sat down with Camilo Escalante for a conversation that traces his evolution from mortgage lending to national leadership roles at Rate, and now to co-founding one of the most ambitious cultural redevelopment projects on Chicago’s South Side. His story weaves together entrepreneurship, community revitalization, and bold vision—offering lessons any business leader can take away.

Camilo’s path wasn’t planned, but it was purposeful. What started as a role in mortgage lending turned into a mission to expand access to homeownership for families who had long been overlooked. By 2016, he saw firsthand that multicultural communities weren’t being served equitably—technology, language access, and tailored products were missing from the equation.

At Rate, he championed a different approach: treat multicultural engagement not as a compliance effort, but as a core growth driver. That thinking led to the industry’s first fully Spanish-language mortgage process—from application through disclosures and customer support. The results spoke for themselves: lending to diverse communities doubled, and an entire sector began to rethink its strategies.

But Camilo didn’t stop there. Drawing on his real estate experience and Chicago roots, he helped launch a private equity group focused on channeling capital into underserved neighborhoods. Their first flagship project: reviving the Ramova, a 1929 landmark reborn as a music hall, brewery, and cultural hub. Rather than depend on big institutional investors, the team raised $5 million from 50 local backers who shared the vision for Bridgeport’s renewal.

Camilo’s approach has always been about knowing his strengths and relying on partners for theirs—whether that’s venue operations, brewing, or event programming. Now, with both Rate’s multicultural platform and Ramova’s reopening in full swing, his focus has shifted from building the foundation to delivering results. As he reminded us in our conversation, milestones are just the starting line—the real test is proving that purpose-driven strategies can thrive at scale.