Charlotte community leaders inaugurate Colombian Chamber of Commerce of the Carolinas
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JCSU President Valerie Kinloch and Colombian presidential candidate and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Gilberto Murillo. Photo: Andres/La Galeria de el Gato
The Colombian Chamber of Commerce of the Carolinas (CACC) is a new nonprofit based in Charlotte that aims to serve the roughly 50,000 Colombians living in North and South Carolina.
Why it matters: CACC will strengthen ties between Colombia and the U.S. through entrepreneurship, education and business development, according to the organization's president, Fredy Romero, and vice president, Natalia Silva.
Driving the news: On June 28, local business owners, public servants and community leaders packed the Jack S. Brayboy Gymnasium at Johnson C. Smith University for the nonprofit's inauguration and ceremonial ribbon cutting.
- "This chamber will help transform ideas into opportunities, and opportunities into lasting impact," said Colombian presidential candidate and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Gilberto Murillo.
- JCSU and CACC share similar values, such as collaboration, community engagement, higher education and environmental justice, JCSU President Valerie Kinloch said in a speech to the attendees.
Catch up quick: Following last year's announcement by the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Charlotte was approved to receive a Colombian consulate, community leaders behind the efforts to get the consulate here began forming the group that is now known as the CACC.
- The ultimate goal as an organization is to share resources and exchange information between entrepreneurs, community leaders and civic servants between the U.S. and Colombia.
Zoom out: Part of that information exchange will happen directly through JCSU and the Technological University of Chocó in Quibdó, Colombia.
- This includes fostering foreign exchange programs between the two schools, Silva told Axios.
- "We are not just building bridges with our Colombian community. We are creating opportunities where the world will be better because of our partnership," Kinloch said.
Zoom in: CACC is also facilitating the work of Charlotte-based nonprofit United Firefighting Training Network Corporation, which travels to impoverished countries to lead training sessions with donated equipment.
What's next: The plan to bring a Colombian consulate to Charlotte is currently stalled, Silva says. It's another mission the CACC has — to meet directly with the Colombian DIAN (National Directorate of Taxes and Customs) to expedite the process of bringing the consulate to Charlotte.
Editor's note: The interview with Natalia Silva was conducted in Spanish and translated for this story.