Arizona’s Hispanic community continues to drive population growth, entrepreneurship, and consumer spending. At the heart of this momentum is the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (AZHCC), a 75-year-old organization dedicated to advancing minority-owned businesses and shaping the state’s economic future. Through advocacy, market intelligence, and programs that strengthen small businesses, the Chamber has become a trusted voice for Arizona’s diverse business community.
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Under the leadership of President and CEO Monica Villalobos, the Chamber has earned a reputation as a reliable source of market intelligence and a tireless advocate for minority-owned businesses. Its flagship research publication, DATOS: The State of Arizona’s Hispanic Market—now in its 30th year—serves as a critical tool for businesses, policymakers, and community leaders to understand demographic trends and economic opportunities.
In this conversation, Villalobos shares how the Chamber’s work is evolving, why reliable data matters more than ever, and how businesses and lawmakers can use that information to build a more inclusive and prosperous Arizona.
Az Business: The Chamber has been producing DATOS for nearly 30 years. What has kept it relevant over time?
Monica Villalobos: “DATOS has always been an opportunity for us to own our narrative and not have it hijacked by other agendas. It started as a 20-page report released to about 100 people, and now it’s a 10-month process involving over 30 subject matter experts and 100 data sources. We’ve evolved from printed books to fully digital dashboards. Rather than just a 400-page book, the dashboards let people filter data by year, population, or zip code, so it becomes much more self-help. Only about 25% of the data we collect makes it into the book, but with the dashboards, everyone can access the full range of data, which we believe supports an open marketplace of ideas. And I always say what you can count on us for is responsible, reliable, and relevant data.”
Az Business: Why do you feel data like this is so important for Arizona’s Hispanic business community?
MV: “We constantly fight myths with data—like the myth that Latinos take more from the economy than they put back. The truth, backed by census data and other federal sources, is that Latino consumer spending actually helped keep the economy going during downturns. Even the undocumented contribute through taxes they can’t reclaim, and that money stays in the economy and drives growth. Minority-owned businesses are small and vulnerable, but also small and nimble, which means they can pivot and change direction when needed. During the pandemic, many Latino businesses shifted strategies—like restaurants turning into catering companies or focusing on takeout—showing how adaptable they really are.”
Az Business: Beyond publishing the data, how does the Chamber help people use it?
MV: “A few years ago, we partnered with the Vitalyst Health Foundation to bring in a national best practice called the ‘Elements of a Healthy Community.’ That gave us a lens to make the data actionable. The social determinants they identify—like transportation, affordable food, housing, and education—help frame conversations differently. For example, instead of just sponsoring cultural events, we can now approach food retail partners with data showing which zip codes are food deserts and actually need access to fresh fruits and vegetables. That shifts the conversation from sponsorships to solving real problems—and that’s a much more powerful conversation.”
Az Business: What are some concrete ways small businesses or corporate partners apply this data?
MV: “Small businesses use DATOS to decide what kind of business to start, where to start it, and what industries are growing. Corporations use it for marketing strategies, product development, and understanding evolving demographics. Legislators use briefs we provide from DATOS when debating bills on topics like immigration, education, and economic opportunity. Our corporate partners—we have over 100—tell us it’s their most important reference when looking at Arizona’s marketplace. The data shows that Latinos are 30% of the state, 40% of metro Phoenix, and 50% of K–12 students, and that changes how businesses and policymakers see the future.”
Az Business: Outside of research, what else does the Chamber do to support Hispanic-owned businesses?
MV: “We operate on five key pillars: economic development, market intelligence, capacity building, advocacy, and education. On the economic development side, we’ve had a federal grant at the Arizona Minority Business Development Agency for about 30 years. We’re measured by access to contracts, financing, and job creation. For example, if a member secures a $35 million contract or a $1 million business loan, we get credit for facilitating that. We also host 50 to 60 events every year—almost one a week—where members can network and grow. We’ve kept membership dues affordable; only 5% of our revenue comes from dues. About 30% comes from grants, another 30% from corporate partners, and the rest from events, so we’re not depending on our members to fund the organization. We also have a foundation that has given over $600,000 in scholarships to students since 1991, which helps strengthen the talent pipeline in Arizona.”
Az Business: How do you see DATOS and the Chamber’s work changing the narrative?
MV: “It helps us challenge misconceptions with facts. For example, the idea that Latinos don’t want to learn English is completely untrue. Arizona remains the only state in the country with an English-only law in public instruction, yet families in places like Scottsdale pay for bilingual immersion schools. People understand multilingualism is an asset in a global marketplace. We also show that Latino businesses are mostly family-owned, with a big need for succession planning, and highlight areas like education and economic opportunity where policy change could have a huge impact. These conversations become stronger when backed by data—and that’s why it matters so much.”
Az Business: How do you hope people use the newest data?
MV: “We want it to be actionable. Our goal is that small businesses use it to grow, corporations use it to refine products and services, and legislators use it to create policy that makes a real difference. At the end of the day, Arizona’s future is linked to its Hispanic community. Investing in these communities isn’t charity—it’s smart economic policy. And our data helps make that clear. The future of Arizona depends on understanding and investing in these demographics, and that’s what DATOS and our other research publications are all about. We believe that good data leads to good decisions, and that’s the role we’re proud to play.”
