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Chicago’s Latino business community is one of the city’s most dynamic and rapidly growing economic forces. Latino entrepreneurs contribute significantly to local jobs, community vibrancy, and the broader economy — yet even as their influence expands, challenges around equity and proportional representation persist.

A Growing Business Landscape

Recent reporting highlights that there are more than 140,000 Latino-owned businesses across Chicago and the state of Illinois, generating a Latino GDP exc

In an era where connection, culture, and leadership converge like never before, attending professional gatherings is no longer optional — it’s essential. For Latino professionals, marketers, communicators, creators, and executives alike, events like the HPRA 2025 Leadership Cumbre offer a unique platform to grow, lead, and redefine business as usual. Here’s why this summit matters — and why you should reserve your seat today.

1. Access to Strategic Thought Leadership

The HPRA Leadership Cumbre

Source: Getty Images

As artificial intelligence and cybersecurity reshape industries and economies, Latino professionals are making powerful moves to lead and innovate in these fast-growing fields — with Chicago emerging as a key hub.

Rising Representation
Latinos are one of the fastest-growing tech talent segments in the U.S., and their imprint in AI and cybersecurity is expanding quickly. According to the 2024 Latino Donor Collaborative U.S. Latinos in Tech Report, Latino adoption of AI outpac

Hispanic-owned small businesses are a vital component of Chicago's economic landscape, contributing significantly to the city's diversity and entrepreneurial spirit. As of 2025, these enterprises continue to demonstrate resilience and growth, despite facing unique challenges.

Economic Contributions and Growth
Hispanic-owned businesses in Chicago have shown remarkable growth over the past few years. Between 2017 and 2022, Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses grew in 204 of 227 U.S. metro areas, w

CHICAGO, IL – Holy Cross Hospital has joined the Peace and Wellness Coalition to host “Run The Lawn 5K: Healing In Motion” on Sunday, September 22nd in Marquette Park. Thanks to contributions from dozens of community stakeholders and partners, ‘Run the Lawn 5k’ and Wellness Fair will welcome community members from Chicago Lawn and the South Side of Chicago.

Holy Cross has joined the event to raise awareness of the hospital’s services, treatments and provide a chance for community members to m

At the beginning of the CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Phase One project, the transit agency set robust hiring and workforce goals to ensure that this transformational project – the largest capital investment project in CTA history – didn’t further contribute to the low numbers of Black individuals seeking and thriving in careers in construction. 

CTA has dedicated a team – CTA Diversity Programs – that works with various organizations to provide opportunities to small and diverse bus

UnidosUS, the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization, honored five leaders and trailblazers tonight for creating meaningful change for the Latino community. UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía presented the awards during the gala marking the conclusion of the organization’s 2023 Annual Conference in Chicago.

“These honorees personify the tenacity and fortitude it takes to make meaningful and enduring strides toward equity,” said UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murg

Barnes & Thornburg has added Martín Montes as a partner in the firm’s Chicago office, where he will serve as group lead in Chicago for the Government Services and Finance Department.

Montes joins Barnes & Thornburg following a decade of legal and business experience at Exelon and served in executive leadership roles at ComEd, where he managed regulatory strategies and large customer business operations. He also spent nine years as associate general counsel at Walmart, where he developed and exe

The Chicago Film Office, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) developed a 8-week hands-on skill-based program in partnership with local production, costumes, and camera industry unions and post-production.

The 25 students selected to participate have begun attending virtual and onsite instruction. Each participant is developing specific skill sets in production, editing, accounting, hair/make-up, costumes, grip, lighting, camera and many more industry path

Chicago’s Black population is at its lowest point in more than 60 years, according to 2020 census data released Thursday. While the pace of Black population loss slowed over the past decade, the number of Chicago’s Black residents dipped to about 788,000 in 2020, according to the census data. That’s the lowest it’s been since before 1960. Latinos are now the city’s second-largest racial or ethnic group, growing by 5% — from roughly 779,000 in 2010 to nearly 820,000 in 2020. READ MORE AT WBEZ

Hi Dear All

I'm Marcio Dupont,  industrial designer with a Mexican-Brazilian citizenship.

I'm in Chicago for a couple of months and looking for a permanent job position in the field of design as designer - sustainable design expert  and / or academic. 

Please visit my linkedin at: br.linkedin.com/in/marciodupont/ and let me know of any possible opportunity.

Thanks!

Richard Montañez, an executive responsible for Multicultural Sales & Community Activation, will headline the Corporate and Community Awards Dinner at 7:30pm, Friday, February 15, at the 31st USHLI National Conference. The Awards Dinner will be held at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers.

Richard Montañez started his PepsiCo career at Frito-Lay in 1976 as a janitor in its Rancho Cucamonga plant. He is recognized as the creator of the Flaming hot line of products including Flaming Hot Cheetos,

Ok, I am in direct contact with an attorney that is assisting me getting my business off the ground. Anyone out there want to assist? 

There are many ways to help. Let me tell you how...

New U.S. census figures herald a future where Spanish is more likely to be heard inside classrooms and everything from politics to fashion and food will be executed with a Latin flair.

After a steady increase of Latinos in the area due to births and immigration, one out of every three children under 5 in Cook County now come from a Latino ethnic background, according to the recently released data.

In Chicago, more than 40 percent of children younger than 5 are Latino. In more than 30 suburbs in

The New Futuro Summit presented by Allstate is planned to be the largest one-day college-prep fair in the Midwest. Parents and students will learn how to prepare, apply and pay for college while avoiding the mistakes that may hurt their chances for success. The summit includes bilingual representatives from over 50 organizations, 30 bilingual workshops throughout the day with topics such as “Paying for College” by ISAC-College Illinois, “Your Roadmap to College” by New Futuro and “Navigating Co

MacArthur, Boeing, Others Provide $500,000+ for New Business Model for Arts Organizations

CHICAGO—The Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP), embarking upon its third decade as the world’s first year-round presenter of American tap dance and contemporary percussive arts, has announced the establishment of the Collaborative Space for Sustainable Development (CSSD—working title), which will serve as a shared, affordable and eventually self-sufficient education, rehearsal and administrative facility.

Rosa Rosales
National Hispanic Hero Award

Rosa Rosales has dedicated more than 30 years of her career to empowering the Latino community. She co-founded the United Public Employee Association and worked as a Field Supervisor in the Neighborhood Anti-Crime Program and as a Field Supervisor and later as Regional Director of the National Association of Government Employees. Rosa served as Office Director of the Service Employees International Union and then founded and is the Director of the Nati