Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
In McAllen, Texas, The LIBRE Initiative, an organization deeply rooted in empowering the Latino community, recently unveiled its new Community Center with an event highlighted by Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz and a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local chambers of commerce. Founded in 2011 in Mission, Texas, LIBRE has grown from a modest operation to a significant force advocating for economic freedom across 13 states.
Israel Ortega, a key spokesperson for LIBRE stationed in Washington DC and visiting McAllen, shared insights into the organization’s mission and its current battle against a policy move by the Biden Administration that threatens to reclassify many independent workers as full-time employees. This shift, according to LIBRE, could severely impact small businesses and the flexibility many workers, particularly in the Latino community, currently enjoy.
LIBRE boasts a diverse team operating out of its national office in Washington, DC, including communications, research, and leadership roles. Ortega highlights the organization’s expansion over the years, attributing its success to an extensive network of donors who support their vision of fostering opportunity and freedom.
The heart of LIBRE’s concern lies in the potential repercussions of the Biden Administration’s proposed reclassification. Ortega argues that such a move would impose significant challenges on small businesses by limiting their ability to hire part-time workers, thus restricting worker flexibility. This is a critical issue for the Latino community, where many are independent contractors or involved in small business operations.
Beyond its advocacy efforts, LIBRE is focused on mobilizing the Latino community in South Texas and beyond. The organization aims to educate and empower individuals to make their voices heard, influencing policy changes that promote economic freedom and opportunity.
The new Community Center in McAllen offers a space where the local community can come together to learn, discuss, and mobilize for change. It symbolizes LIBRE’s commitment to being a force for positive transformation, not just in Texas but across the nation.
As LIBRE continues its work against the Biden Administration’s proposed policy changes, it calls upon the community to join in its efforts to safeguard economic freedom and ensure that the voices of the Latino community are heard and respected in the policy-making process.
