Phoenix (STN) – Long before ‘It Happens at STN’ filled a studio audience each month, the early versions of the show featured three people and a camera on Zoom. Dr. Monica Villalobos, president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was one of those three.
Villalobos returned to the STN stage for the Season 5 premiere, reflecting on the show’s growth alongside a preview of one of her organization’s biggest annual events, DATOS, the State of Arizona’s Hispanic Market.
“This is an absolutely incredible manifestation of the imagination that we had way back then,” Villalobos said. “This is so much more than I think any of us could have ever imagined.”
Villalobos said Arizona’s growing national profile, something ‘It Happens at STN‘ has spotlighted throughout its five seasons, reflects the state’s ability to serve as a model for the rest of the country.
“If you can make it here, you can replicate it anywhere,” she said. “We have the ability and the resources and the leaders in Arizona to solve the biggest problems in the country.”
A milestone year for DATOS brings a focus on the environment
Villalobos also previewed the 30th anniversary of DATOS, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s annual report and event examining the state’s Hispanic market. This year’s theme centers on environmental quality, one of several rotating topics tied to elements of a healthy community.
“The room is full of decision makers,” Villalobos said, describing an audience that includes legislators, corporate partners, and small business owners. “We want to make sure that we’re providing that relevant, reliable, and responsible information that people can act on.”
The event draws roughly 2,000 attendees to Phoenix Symphony Hall each year and is backed by a 300-page publication compiling data on the state’s Hispanic market, a project Villalobos said takes 10 months to produce.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our team putting this together,” she said.
DATOS is scheduled for September 28th at Phoenix Symphony Hall.
