Thursday, March 28, 2024

White House Hosts Historic First-Ever Latino Business Leaders’ Forum

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About 80 of the nation’s top Latino business leaders joined White House officials, in conjunction with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), in a historic gathering to discuss job creation, innovation, and the role Latino communities play in the economy.

“To compete in today’s economy, we must draw from the talents, perspectives, and leadership of every community in our country,” said Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs Valerie Jarrett in her opening remarks. “Today’s inaugural White House Hispanic Business Leaders’ Forum is a key part of making this a reality.”

While immigration was definitely on the agenda, White House officials focused on highlighting the critical role that Latino business leaders play in shaping economic growth and in fixing the nation’s broken immigration system.

Javier Palomarez, President and CEO of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, stressed how Latinos and Latino immigrants care about more than immigration reform, specifying that the issues discussed at the forum are critically important not only to the Latino community, but to all of America.

“With the number of Hispanic-owned businesses growing at twice the national average, the Hispanic community is playing a critical role in the recovery [of the nation’s economy],” said Treasury Secretary Jack Lew. “Our economy is stronger today because our businesses are doing what they do best—innovating, expanding and hiring,” he added.

NBC Latino