Lafayette will enter into a $15,000 services agreement with the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County to provide services to Lafayette Latino-owned businesses and beyond.

During the Tuesday Lafayette City Council meeting, Isabella Nunez, senior project manager for Lafayette, said one of the main goals of the city’s Economic Development and Housing Strategies Plan is to help retain and promote local businesses, specifically businesses owned by historically marginalized communities.

“As we know, Lafayette has a very vibrant Latino population and a strong network of Latino-owned businesses that contribute to the city’s cultural and economic vitality,” Nunez said.

Partnering with the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County will help the city meet that goal, Nunez said. The city will pay $15,000 to the Latino Chamber for a services agreement, to host monthly office hours at the Sister Carmen Community Center, networking events and more, according to city materials.

While the partnership with the city is new, Carla Colin, president of the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County, said the chamber has been working in the Lafayette community for a long time. According to Colin, 5% of the chamber’s membership is based in Lafayette.

Some of the services the chamber is providing to Lafayette businesses include records and data management, event coordination, workshops and consulting services. “The Latino Chamber of Commerce remains committed to fostering community development and supporting local businesses,” Colin said.Councilmember Saul Tapia Vega expressed his excitement for the partnership, stating that many founding members of the Latino Chamber of Commerce are Lafayette residents.

“It’s the Latino Chamber only by name. You guys really help anyone and everyone who comes to you,” Tapia Vega said.

While the chamber works to help Latino business owners, Colin and Tapia Vega said the chamber will not deny help to any business member regardless of their ethnicity or membership status.

Colin explained that language is not the only barrier a Latino-owned business may encounter. The Latino Chamber helps business owners register their business with the state, applying for loans and more. The Latino Chamber also works closely with the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, to bridge the language barrier or connect business owners with further resources.

Mayor JD Mangat suggested that the Latino Chamber also look into events or partnerships with Latino youth groups in the city, as he said that learning business and interpersonal skills at a young age would be incredibly beneficial.