Amid the economic challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Latino-owned businesses are recovering with the help of Arizona nonprofits and companies. Across the state, these businesses are utilizing designed to help Hispanic business owners who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. 

One of these programs, set up by Fuerza Local (Local First Arizona), has provided $2 million in relief grants to small businesses owners in low-to-moderate income households across Arizona. Another non-profit, the Raza Development Fund, started the COVID-19 Hope Fund in partnership with Wells Fargo. 

Additionally, the Arizona Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce has worked to provide resources and small-business grants throughout the pandemic. 

PepsiCo also created Juntos Crecemos, which provides grants, mentorship and coaching to Hispanic-owned small businesses. The program has invested more than $50 million across the country.

El Salvadoreño Restaurant, a locally owned chain and beneficiary of the Juntos Crecemos program, reported a 30% to 40% loss in sales in the first few months of the pandemic. “We survived the 2008 recession, but this was very different,â€� said Yesenia Ramírez, the co-owner of the restaurant. 

With the help of the program and some changes to their business model, they have been able to mitigate some of the barriers presented by the pandemic. Ramirez received a financial scholarship of $10,000 from Juntos Crecemos. 

It has been well documented throughout the pandemic that the Hispanic community has been adversely affected. According to the U.S. Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce, nearly a of Hispanic businesses across the country have been forced to shut down due to the pandemic. 

The that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic – leisure and hospitality, retail, transportation, and construction – account for nearly 50% of the revenue generated by Hispanic and Latino-owned businesses. Additionally, 65% of Hispanics and Latinos work in these sectors.

Despite this, Hispanic businesses appear to be making a strong recovery. Recently, 53% being profitable and 24% reported breaking even despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Latino-owned businesses also averaged a 25% growth rate in annual revenue over the past two years. 

Additionally, the Arizona Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce that Hispanic purchasing power in Arizona reached $63 billion in 2020. 

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New Cox Business Comeback Survey paints a resilient and hopeful picture

According to the Arizona Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce, minority-owned businesses are unique in that 56 percent are family-owned seeing an average revenue of $110,000 compared to non-minority-owned businesses that generate $500,000 on average per year.  The stakes are higher for minority-owned businesses in Arizona because the success of the family is directly tied to the success of the business and there are fewer cash reserves to cushion economic downturns, much less the ongoing impact of a global pandemic.

In recognition of Small Business Week, Cox Business has studied the challenges of minority-owned businesses aiming to catch a glimpse of the issues they face, and more importantly, how they rise above.  The results of the 2021 Cox Business Comeback Survey paint a resilient and hopeful picture, particularly for minority business owners under the age of 45. 

Less than half of businesses with owners 45 years and older have returned to pre-pandemic financial levels while more than half of businesses owned by someone younger than 45 have reached or exceeded their pre-pandemic levels.  Regardless, nearly 90 percent of surveyed minority business owners are hopeful about growth in the next year and the future of their businesses.

Minority-owned businesses are investing in their future with 83 percent having received funding from the Payroll Protection Program and nearly 75 percent received personal stimulus funding.  Of those that received funds, 81 percent put their stimulus money back into their business.

Most minority business owners 18 to 44-years-old are keen on implementing new products and services like eCommerce this year, as well as new technologies into their business processes.  Yet, of those owners 45 years and older, less than half are saying yes to new technology.

Nearly half of the respondents promote their businesses as minority-owned and 43 percent believe that being minority-owned has generated more sales in the last year.  Fifty-five percent of those under 45 have posted or commented in response to the current social justice movement with 20 percent claiming to be very vocal and 41 percent claiming to post or comment very sparingly.  For the most part, those 45 and older were not vocal at all.  Resoundingly, 85 percent of those who have posted on the subject have seen a positive response to their business’s voice in the movement.

Minority-owned businesses are looking for support from large enterprises with 55 percent of those surveyed indicating they want improved supplier diversity; 54% would like increased minority-specific grants and 45 percent are looking for more mentorship or advisory programs with business executives.

During Small Business Week, and throughout the year, Cox Business supports small businesses throughout the state by providing them vital telecommunications services while also purchasing their services and supplies to keep our business humming. 

Ed Aaronson is Vice President for Cox Business, Arizona. Cox Business provides voice, data, internet and managed cloud services for small and regional businesses nationwide, including health care providers; K−12 and higher education; financial institutions; and federal, state and local government organizations. Cox is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. The largest private telecom company in America, we proudly serve six million homes and businesses across 18 states.

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Arizona Hispanics’ buying power is expected to hit an all-time high at $57.3 billion by 2022. In the Phoenix region alone, about 310,000 Latinos plan to buy a vehicle over the next year. About 95,000 plan to purchase a home or condo. 

These are just a few of the facts contained in the 2020 DATOS report, “The State of Arizona’s Hispanic Market,â€� which paints a telling portrait of Latinos’ growing economic power and influence in Arizona. 

This is the 24th year the Arizona Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce (AHCC) has released this comprehensive report that details statistics about economics, health, population, community safety, and other trends within the Hispanic population.

The 240-page DATOS report is packed with information about where Latinos shop, where they bank, how they spend their vacation time, which neighborhoods lack access to a healthy food supply, business ownership, and much more. 

This year, about 1,360 viewed the virtual event. Gov. Doug Ducey spoke briefly to thank the chamber for its work in helping students and entrepreneurs.  

“Earlier this month, it was my privilege to honor Hispanic Heritage Month and the countless ways Aironza is enriched by our Hispanic community from our culture to the arts to our history and more,� Ducey said. “Arizona values the contribution of the more than 2.2 million Hispanic people who call our state home.�

Monica Villalobos, president and CEO of the , said the DATOS report is vital in its role to report data that tells the real story of Hispanic contributions in Arizona and the U.S.  

Each year, the chamber selects one issue to highlight. Education was chosen this year to shine a light on progress as well as challenges ahead. 

Arizona’s future relies on Latino students’ success 

Today, 46 percent of public K-12 school students in Arizona are Hispanic. They are outpacing White and Black students in attendance, Villalobos said.  

“This is a key indicator of what our future workforce will be in the U.S. as well as our future consumers,â€� she said. 

While high school graduation rates and school achievement are increasing in Arizona, Latino students still lag behind all other groups when it comes to completing a college degree, according to the DATOS report.  

To address that, there needs to be a combined effort between educators, policymakers, the business community and citizens to create a brighter future for these children, Villalobos said. Teacher pay and per-pupil spending continue to be a concern. 

“On average, Arizona’s F-rated schools have a student Latino population of 67 percent and they only make up 27 percent of A-rated schools,� she said.

Public policy matters 

One likely reason for students struggling is Arizona’s former English-only law, Villalobos said. Arizona was the last state to ban the law, which caused large numbers of Hispanic children to be pulled out of core classes to attend English class daily, Villalobos said. 

Teaching students in their own languages improves test scores, she said. Today’s businesses want employees who can speak more than one language. 

“It is an advantage for students that need to be celebrated and not repressed,� Villalobos said. “The data bears this out.�

Latino business growth explosion  

Latino business ownership in the U.S. and Arizona is soaring. Between 2009 and 2019 in the U.S., Hispanic-owned businesses grew by 34 percent while U.S. business ownership overall only grew 1 percent.

In Arizona, the numbers are even more stark. Between 2007 to 2012, Hispanic-owned businesses grew by 70 percent while business growth overall was only 2 percent.  

Topping that are Latinas. This year’s report reveals important facts like Hispanic women-owned firms in Arizona grew 116 percent between 2007 and 2012. 

While Latinos are seeing economic and educational gains, they continue to lag behind in areas such as quality health care, transportation, jobs, and business profits, the report found. 

Other findings 

Among the other findings:

• U.S. Latino buying power could reach $1.9 trillion by 2023
• Hispanics now account for 30.9 percent of Arizona’s population
• Phoenix is ranked the sixth largest major city for Hispanic population with 643,000 residents
• The Hispanic U.S. high school graduation rate moved from 57 percent in 2000 to to 71.8 percent in 2019 
• In Arizona, the Hispanic high school dropout rate decreased to 4.64 percent in 2019 but is still about twice that of White students 

Community collaboration makes DATOS possible 

Salt River Project was the main sponsor of this year’s 2020 DATOS report. More than 45 companies and organizations contributed and supported its completion including the Arizona Democratic Party, Arizona Federal Credit Union, Arizona State University, Arizona Town Hall, Chicanos Por La Causa, Expect More Arizona, Fuerza Local, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the city of Phoenix, Rounds Consulting, the University of Phoenix, Univision, U.S. Senator Martha McSally’s office, and Telemundo. 

To read the full report, go to:

About the AHCC 

Founded in 1948, the Arizona Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce is the advocate for the state’s 125,00 Hispanic-owned businesses and more than 2 million Hispanic consumers. The non-profit organization provides products, programs and services related to market intelligence, capacity building, advocacy and education to benefit its members, corporate partners, and the wider Hispanic and minority communities.A virtual panel that will delve deeper into the results of this year’s report will be Thursday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. To register for the free event, go to: .

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Arizonans who have had a significant impact on economic development and social progress in the state were named winners of the annual 2020 Black & White Ball and Business Awards from the Arizona Hispanic Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce (AHCC). 

Four individuals and one company were honored for their long service and contributions to Arizona and the Latino community at the chamber’s 62nd Business Awards last Friday. Cox Communications was the prime sponsor and presenter.  

This year, the event was held during the AHCC’s new virtual Leadership Conference to Address Diversity & Inclusion. Due to COVID-19, the Black & White Ball — the state’s longest running formal gala — had to be rescheduled to next year.  

“It is times like this, that our resilience is tested most. The event takes on new meaning this year as we hear firsthand how these exceptional individuals from our community are leading their organizations through these uncertain times, emerging stronger and more successful,â€� said Monica Villalobos, CEO and president of the chamber. 

The 2020 winners are:

Man of the Year Award David Adame, president and CEO of Chicanos Por La Causa (), has helped build the nonprofit into one of the largest Hispanic community development corporations in the U.S. He has led its expansive growth in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas. 

CPLC, which was founded in 1969 to confront discrimination against Mexican-American students in Phoenix, today provides services to help almost 380,000 people access healthcare, affordable housing, a quality education, political representation, and more.

Adame, who was born and raised just south of downtown Phoenix, got his first professional start at CPLC as the director of economic development in 1985. Along the way, he also has crafted a career in business, including extensive experience in real estate and development projects. Among his former positions are vice president of Arizona operations for McCormack Baron & Salazar and senior deputy director of Fannie Mae’s Arizona Partnership Office. 

Over the decades, Adame has served on too many boards to mention, including the Greater Phoenix Economic Council; the AARP Foundation; the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders; the Arizona-Mexico Commission; the Maricopa

Community Colleges Foundation; Unidos US; and Community Reinvestment Fund USA. 

Adame is the recipient of numerous honors, as well, including the Individual Hero of Education Award by Maricopa Community Colleges and the Maricopa Community Colleges Foundation and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Arizona Asian Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ of Commerce.

Woman of the Year Maria Lacal is the first female chief nuclear officer at Arizona Public Service’s Palo Verde Generating Station, one of the world’s largest producers of carbon-free energy. Lacal, who was promoted to the position last year, is only the second woman in the U.S. to hold such a title.  

Lacal joined APS in 2007 as director of strategic projects. Today, she is responsible for all nuclear-related activities associated with the power plant, the nuclear assurance division, and employee concerns and safety culture programs.

Lacal’s long record of community service includes as chairman of the Academy Council for the National Academy for Nuclear Training; and member of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations Executive Advisory Group; the University of Arizona’s Eller School of Business National Board of Advisors; and U.S. Women in Nuclear Executive Advisory Council.

Entrepreneur of the Year Omar Alvarez’ desire to create economic opportunity coupled with his love of a particular torta shop in his family’s homeland of Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico, inspired him to go into the restaurant business in Arizona. Today, Alvarez operates popular and growing culinary concepts in the Phoenix metro area: Tortas Paquime, Paquime Street Food of Mexico and Pa’La Wood Fired Cooking.

In 2002, Omar opened Tortas Paquime #1 with a few employees to bring a taste of Mexico to an emerging market. Today, TPQ Foods operates eight locations with 3 distinct concepts and a central commissary, which employ more than 100 employees.

Through it all, Alvarez said he focuses on three principles: hard work, collaboration and quality. Among his restaurant musts? A professional staff, top customer service, spotless dining areas and consistency in a “mom and popâ€� environment. 

Alvarez’ also supports multiple local non-profit organizations and hosts annual holiday parties to provide food, gifts and toys to children and families; sponsors local school events; and provides scholarships to students. 

Legacy Award Sharon Harper is the longtime chairman, CEO and co-founder of Plaza Companies, overseeing all facets of operations, including the ownership, development, leasing or management of nearly 12 million square feet of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­edical office properties, senior living facilities and bioscience/biotechnology centers.

With Harper at the helm, Plaza Companies has emerged as an industry leader, setting a national standard of excellence for an impressive lineup of award-winning facilities.

In addition to her business acumen, Harper has decades of community service in Arizona. To name just a few of her current and former positions: vice chairman of Trustees of ASU; trustee of McCain Institute for International Leadership; trustee of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust; board member of TGen; past chair of Greater Phoenix Economic Council and Greater Phoenix Leadership; and chair of the Banner Health Foundation.

Among her many accolades are NAIOP’s 2019 Award of Excellence; 2019 Leader of the Year in Public Policy for the Economy; 2019 Inés Pascal Award for Generous Service by Brophy College Preparatory Academy: 2019 Induction into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame; and 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from Phoenix Theatre.

Corporation of the Year Award The American Automobile Association in the Grand Canyon region also was recognized for its community involvement under Regional Vice President Tiger Lapira. 

In his role, Lapira has been the executive sponsor for the Business Resource Group, E.X.C.E.L (Excellence in Cultural Engagement & Leadership), and the Grand Canyon Region is host to the Business Resource Group, Unidos.

AHCC helping businesses grow 

Founded in 1948, the AZHCC has been playing an important role in the state’s business community for over 70 years by promoting economic development, entrepreneurship, and representing the interests of the state’s more than 125,000 Hispanic-owned businesses and more than 2 million Hispanic consumers statewide.

Along with workshops, seminars, public forums and business networking activities, the chamber operates Arizona’s only federally funded Minority Business Development Agency, which provides access to contracts and capital for mid-sized companies in the state. 

The AZHCC also operates the center serving American Indian, Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiians in Arizona, Utah and Nevada.

For more information, go to . 

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