Why Latino economic pressures in Denver could shape national politics
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Ivonne Bringas, center, speaks to UnidosUS CEO Janet Murguía, left, and Denver Mayor Mike Johnston at her Westwood restaurant, Las Hijas de La Chilanga, on Tuesday. Photo: Alayna Alvarez/Axios
Seven years ago, Ivonne Bringas could stock her Westwood restaurant for a busy weekend with about $300. Today, the owner of Las Hijas de La Chilanga says it takes more than $1,000 — and sometimes that's still not enough.
Why it matters: Bringas' story reflects a broader tension: Latino-owned entrepreneurs' economic power is growing, even as rising costs threaten their progress.
Zoom in: Bringas worked nearly every job at the Denver restaurant on Morrison Road — from server to dishwasher — before taking ownership nearly a decade ago.
- She recently expanded across the street and opened an ice cream shop next door, choosing to stay in Westwood, a historically Latino neighborhood.
What she's saying: "It's not easy," Bringas said in Spanish Tuesday as Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and UnidosUS president and CEO Janet Murguía visited her restaurant during a tour of Westwood.
- Axios and one other news outlet were invited to join.
- "Sometimes I can't sleep thinking about everything I have to pay for," Bringas said.
By the numbers: Latinos make up 21% of the Denver metro area's workforce, but own just 16% of its businesses, according to a 2025 U.S. Small Business Administration report.
State of play: Johnston says he's trying to close that gap through new city programs aimed at helping underrepresented entrepreneurs access capital.
- In neighborhoods like Westwood, he said "growth without displacement" means adding affordable housing without pushing out longtime businesses and residents.
The big picture: Murguía's Denver visit comes as the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights organization pushes an economic agenda centered on housing, jobs and family finances.
- "A lot of folks for the first time are finding that they cannot make ends meet," Murguía told Axios.
- UnidosUS recently unveiled a $50 million fund for Latino community groups to help respond to what she calls "a convergence of assaults" on Hispanics nationwide.
Between the lines: Murguía said kitchen-table concerns are increasingly colliding with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
- Fear surrounding enforcement, she said, is keeping some Latinos from businesses, schools and health centers, disrupting families and local economies.
- She believes those anxieties could carry political consequences into November.
What's next: UnidosUS is launching a national effort to mobilize Latino voters.
- Bipartisan polling by UnidosUS earlier this year found nearly 80% of registered Latino voters were very interested in voting in the upcoming election amid economic strain and concerns about congressional leadership.
- "We believe that the Latino vote is going to make the difference in the close elections," Murguía told Axios — including races like Colorado's competitive 8th Congressional District that could help determine control of Congress.
The bottom line: The view from Morrison Road offers a window into bigger economic and political forces.
- "When the Latino community prospers," Murguía said, "the country prospers."