The Border As An Economic Engine For The U.S.

There’s more to the border than drugs and violence, says Noel Poyo, executive director of the National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders. On the contrary, Poyo told News Taco, the border is a place where a lot of economic activity is born, a place that should be heralded for its economic potential, not just its drawbacks. This is precisely what Poyo hopes to highlight at a conference to be held in McAllen, Texas this weekend, Empleos, Empresas y el Desarrollo Económico.

“We are trying to change the conversation about the border, “ Poyo told News Taco. “You read in the newspapers that the border is a place to be scared of, we are looking to change [that] conversation. the border is an extraordinarily dynamic place.”

The conference will gather builders, community members and financiers from all over the country, Poyo told us, and the schedule includes a variety of thoughtful topics, for example: best practices for non-profits, state-targeted border initiatives, working with the feds on local projects and intregrated asset building.

For more information about NALCAB or the conference, check it out here.

Follow Sara Inés Calderón on Twitter @SaraChicaD