ÌÇÐÄVlog

Collaborative hub will connect business, workforce, veteran and community partners while supporting a vision to help produce 100,000 new jobs by 2035

PHOENIX, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire-ÌÇÐÄVlog/ -- The  and will anchor the new Arizona Legacy Center, a workforce and economic-opportunity hub opening Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, at 1 S. 24th St. in Phoenix.

The organizations will work with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's community outreach initiatives and other public- and private-sector partners to expand business growth, workforce opportunity, veteran support and economic mobility across Arizona.

"During my tenure as a member of the Phoenix Aviation Advisory Board, I saw the opportunity to help create a place where organizations, employers and community partners could work together to expand opportunity across Arizona," said Alan "AP" Powell, founder of HeroZona Foundation. "That vision became the Arizona Legacy Center. As a U.S. Army Gulf War veteran, I'm proud that HeroZona will continue supporting veterans and military-connected communities through resources, employment connections and engagement."

At the Center, the Black Chamber of Arizona will bring its statewide work in entrepreneurship, small-business growth, access to capital and contracts, supplier development, workforce initiatives, employer engagement and youth economic pathways. HeroZona Foundation will bring its veteran- and community-focused programming, partnerships and network, grounded in its foundational three E's: Entrepreneurship, Education and Employment.

HeroZona's work will also include the Heropreneur Academy, which supports veterans and their spouses in building entrepreneurial skills and moving business ideas toward launch and growth. With more than 400,000 veterans across Arizona, the Foundation will use the Center to strengthen connections to entrepreneurship, education, employment and other resources for those who have served and their families.

Together, these complementary efforts will support a broader ecosystem of opportunity at the Arizona Legacy Center, including the Black Chamber of Arizona's vision to help produce 100,000 new jobs by 2035.

"This is bigger than the Black Chamber, bigger than HeroZona and bigger than any two organizations," said Dr. Velma Trayham, president and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona. "Helping produce 100,000 new jobs by 2035 will require all of us — public and private companies, employers, financial institutions, educational institutions, workforce partners, economic-development organizations, government and community leaders."

The Center is designed to build on the existing relationships of both organizations while creating new opportunities for collaboration. The Chamber's business and economic-development network and HeroZona's veteran, workforce and community partnerships will operate as complementary strengths within the same hub.

"We are grateful for the partners who have already invested in our work and helped us expand opportunity across Arizona," Trayham said. "The Legacy Center gives us an opportunity to deepen those relationships, welcome new partners and create a place where collaboration can translate into measurable economic outcomes."

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's community outreach initiatives will connect the Center to aviation, community engagement and opportunities associated with one of Arizona's largest economic engines.

"The strength of this Center is that we can each bring our expertise, relationships and resources to the table while working towards something larger than ourselves," Trayham said. "Arizona's economic future will be built through collaboration."

The Arizona Legacy Center will officially open Sept. 25 with an invitation-only ribbon-cutting ceremony for corporate, business, economic-development, civic and community leaders. Public and private companies, employers, financial institutions, educational institutions and other organizations will have opportunities to engage with Center programming and partnerships.

About the Black Chamber of Arizona

For 28 years, the Black Chamber of Arizona has strengthened Arizona's business ecosystem by connecting entrepreneurs and businesses with resources, relationships and opportunities for sustainable growth. The statewide organization focuses on entrepreneurship pathways, increasing employer firms, access to capital, workforce development, education and youth development.

About HeroZona Foundation

Founded by U.S. Army Gulf War veteran Alan "AP" Powell, the HeroZona Foundation empowers heroes in the community through Entrepreneurship, Education and Employment, with a strong focus on veterans and military-connected communities. Its programs and partnerships connect veterans and families with resources, business and career pathways, educational opportunities and community support, including the Heropreneur Academy and other veteran-focused initiatives serving communities across Arizona.

Media Contact

Gabriel Estes, Evolve PR & Marketing, 1 4807383166, [email protected]

SOURCE Black Chamber of Arizona