CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotteans have a chance this weekend to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and support local Latino businesses.
On Saturday, Sept. 21, nearly a couple dozen Latino small businesses will band together at Resident Culture on Central Avenue to show off their food and homemade wares.
Organizers will also have music and dancing. The event is hosted through The Comunidad, which is Spanish for "community."
Norma Zuniga, owner of Dulce Dreams Café and The Comunidad, said it is a chance for people to get to know their local Latino entrepreneurs, who can sometimes have a harder time getting visibility.
"We're going to have a little bit of everything," Zuniga said. "Puerto Rican, Venezuelan, Mexican, and other countries."
"It's really hard for us to get our business name out there," Zuniga continued. "So, that's why I started this market to get small business names out there... and this is a great opportunity for a lot of people to come and just get to know the businesses and the people."
The event takes place at Resident Culture, 2101 Central Avenue, Charlotte, NC. It's from noon to 6.
From noon to 2 p.m., there will be a meet and greet with "Mirabel" from the animated movie Encanto. Dancing starts at 2 p.m.
Latinos are the fastest-growing demographic both in North Carolina and across the U.S. The Treasury Department reports that Latinos are one of the fastest-growing segments of new business owners. While Latinos make up less than 20% of the U.S. population, they account for 25% of new business applications in 2021, amid a surge in overall startups following the pandemic.