Blanca R Soto, a native of Little Village, has worked at the Little Village Chamber of Commerce since 2011. Her parents migrated to Chicago in the early 70s and settled in the Little Village community where most of her family remains. Hard work is the key to success for this neighborhood and the same was true for her parents. Her early childhood was filled with trips to Indiana farms to pick fruits and vegetables with her family which they then sold up and down the streets of Little Village to support their livelihood.
Blanca advocates for the economic development of the locally owned businesses by making the Chamber the cornerstone of the 26th Street commercial corridor. Her work supports Little Village business owners through the multiple stages of development by offering workshops, training, access to capital, networking, and referrals. She continuously promotes the shop local ethos that is the economic engine of Little Village.
Working at the Little Village Chamber of Commerce has cemented Blanca's roots deep within the community. Her years of service and dedication have strengthened the relationships of the residents to the local businesses of Little Village. That work was recently recognized when the Little Village Chamber of Commerce was awarded the prestigious United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Chamber of the Year Award in 2018.