On Wednesday, Biden-Harris Administration officials convened over 40 members of the National Alliance of Latino Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) from across the country to discuss President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to ensure economic prosperity for Latino communities and advance equity through the American Rescue Plan.

Administration officials and Latino CDFI executives applauded the President’s Bidenomics plan and the investments in underserved Latino communities through efforts that include reducing barriers for Latino businesses to receive federal funding, providing services to support rural communities, increasing capital investment and securing training for CDFIs to better achieve their stated goals. Administration officials reiterated their equity action plans that each agency will be producing to best serve all Americans.

The Latino CDFI executives shared personal stories to emphasize the Administration’s historic investments in transforming the country and prioritizing communities that have too often been left behind. The group agreed to continue to collaborating to best serve Latino communities going forward.

Administration Participants Included:

• Stephen Benjamin, Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the Office of Public Engagement
• Alejandra Y. Castillo, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development
• Ines Hernandez, Counselor for Equity, Department of Commerce
• Janis Bowdler, Counselor to the Secretary, Department of Treasury 
• Stacie Posey, Senior Advisor Office of Capital Access, Small Business Administration
• Victoria Brown, Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Marcia Sigal, Acting Director of the CDFI Fund and Deputy Director for Policy and Programs for the CDFI Fund
• Joaquin Altoro, Rural Housing Service Administrator, Department of Agriculture

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