It’s people like Jennifer Aguilar, Executive Director of the La Cámara de Comercio de La Villita and neighborhood native, who see the impact of Latino-owned businesses in Chicago daily. Nestled in Chicago’s southwest side, Little Village is home to a community that is more than 80 percent Latino and highly entrepreneurial. Much so, that in past years its iconic corridor, 26th Street, has been reported to rake in $900M in annual revenue – all in the span of two miles.
“When someone comes to La Villita, they feel transported to Mexico,” she said. “There’s over 1,000 businesses here in the corridor, over 100 restaurants. You see carts, you see vendors on the streets selling a variety of items. It’s a very diverse shopping experience.”
Today, Aguilar is responsible for cultivating an environment in the neighborhood where businesses in her community can leverage their culture to not just be sustainable, but to scale. Through the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, her team provides owners with business advising programs, workshops and advocates for businesses at the city and state level.
To read the complete article, please click here.
Español de México 
English