From September 15 through October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, honoring the history, culture and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States. It’s also an opportunity to recognize the entrepreneurs and innovators whose ideas, businesses and leadership continue to shape our communities and strengthen our economy.
The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month holds special significance. September 15 marks the anniversary of independence for several Central American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico, Chile and Belize also celebrate their independence days during this period.
Hispanic Heritage Month originally began as a week-long celebration under President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the observance to a full month, providing more time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.
“To me, it’s about celebrating the beauty of our community,” said Esteban Garcia Peralta, founder of AgriGenda. “I love how open and approachable we all are with each other. It’s a reminder of who we are, and that we belong — anywhere.”
For founder Jackie Gutierrez, Hispanic Heritage Month is a reminder that talent exists everywhere, but access to opportunity does not. “While we’ve made meaningful progress, many entrepreneurs from underserved communities still face barriers to capital and the networks that help businesses grow,” she said. “That’s why awareness months matter. They encourage us to recognize the value of diverse perspectives and remind us that when more people have a seat at the table, we all benefit from the ideas and leadership that stem from it.”
Art, food, language, music and dance are all important parts of Hispanic and Latino culture, and countless individuals have helped share that culture with communities around the world.
Artist and educator Judy Baca has used her work to tell stories about California’s history and communities. Chef José Andrés founded World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that provides meals to communities affected by crises around the world. Composer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda has used his platform to support community activism, gun violence prevention and disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico. They are just a few of the many individuals whose work has contributed to the recognition and celebration of Hispanic and Latino culture around the world.
Here in Arizona, the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute has had the opportunity to work alongside Hispanic and Latino entrepreneurs, including Esteban Garcia Peralta and Jackie Gutierrez. Both have made meaningful contributions not only through their entrepreneurial work, but also as members of the Edson E+I community.
Building From Personal Experience
Esteban is the founder of AgriGenda, a platform created to serve Hispanic and farming communities, particularly family farms and farmers navigating financial planning and operational challenges. His inspiration for AgriGenda came directly from his family’s experience.
“Watching my dad navigate the financial and operational challenges of running a farm shaped how I see the world — it opened my eyes to those problems early on and pushed me to think about how I could help solve them,” he said.
Esteban also highlighted the importance of having a strong community as an entrepreneur, particularly one where you can connect with people who share similar experiences.
“Having a community behind you is everything. Knowing someone has your back, and that there’s always someone willing to help, makes a huge difference, especially within the Hispanic community, where people are quick to lend a hand, talk things through or help you navigate something new.”
Entrepreneurship Across Generations
Jackie Gutierrez is another entrepreneur Edson E+I has had the opportunity to work with. A serial entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience, Jackie has built businesses across the digital, creative and technology industries.
Her first venture, a music video production company, earned an MTV Music Video Award nomination for Best Visual Effects. She later co-founded a Los Angeles clothing brand that secured major retail accounts, including Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Macy’s and REVOLVE.
Today, Jackie leads strategic marketing and creative direction through her business strategy and digital marketing firm while working to make marketing more accessible to business owners through her software company, Donesy. She also explores conversations around culture and technology through her podcast, Bot Boundaries.
Her background, family and culture shaped her journey and were instrumental in her becoming an entrepreneur.
“I come from a family of hard workers, especially strong women who led by example,” she said. “My grandmother managed teams of migrant workers in the cotton and grape fields while raising a family of 10, and my mother built and successfully ran her own business for over 30 years after graduating from ASU. Having grown up working alongside her from a young age, entrepreneurship seemed to happen naturally. It’s less something I chose and more something I was raised to understand and value.”
Hard work, family and community are values that are deeply rooted in many Hispanic and Latino families. Those values can also play an important role in entrepreneurship, where relationships, resilience and community support can make a meaningful difference.
For Jackie, staying connected with other entrepreneurs and communities also provides perspectives that can be difficult to find when working alone.
“It’s easy to get caught up in building and spend all your time behind a screen, so being around other founders helps keep me grounded,” she said. “I intentionally seek out diverse communities, especially outside of tech, because some of the best insights come from people solving completely different problems. It keeps me connected to real people, real customers and fresh perspectives. I also enjoy giving back through workshops and supporting emerging entrepreneurs across communities or at the many amazing ASU Edson E+I programs when opportunities arise. Their energy reminds me that entrepreneurship is a way of life, and one that’s easier to navigate when surrounded by people who share that drive. So, finding community is really a win-win.”
Looking Toward the Future
When it comes to the future of Hispanic and Latino entrepreneurship in Arizona, both Esteban and Jackie see incredible potential.
“I’d love to see the groups that already exist keep growing, from executive networks like the Latino Leaders Network, to student organizations like ALPFA, to volunteer groups,” Esteban said. “There’s a lot of potential to connect more people across all of those spaces.”
For Jackie, she’s seen firsthand the network of programs and people across Arizona dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs, especially at Edson E+I. But there is still a lot of opportunity to support founders beyond the traditional playbook.
“When we create more pathways to resources, capital and networks, everyone benefits, from entrepreneurs and their families to our broader economy,” Jackie said. “That includes ensuring Latino founders and other underrepresented communities have the opportunity to participate fully in that growth without the outdated barriers to entry we’re still seeing in some existing programs in Arizona.”
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate the history, culture, achievements and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities while also recognizing the entrepreneurs, innovators and community leaders who continue to shape what’s next.
At Edson E+I, we’re proud to support entrepreneurs and founders as they build their ventures, strengthen their communities and create new opportunities for others. This Hispanic Heritage Month, we invite you to join us in celebrating the people, stories and communities that continue to make an impact across Arizona and beyond.
Organizations Supporting Entrepreneurs and Communities
- J Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute
- Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Arizona Community Foundation
- DAS Foundation
- Prestamos CDFI Women’s Business Center
