In 2020, the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners took a decisive step to strengthen the local economy by approving the creation of the Re-Investing in our Small Business Economy (RISE) Loan Fund Program. Designed to provide an accessible, supportive, and efficient pathway to capital, the RISE Fund was created with one clear mission: to quickly place affordable loans into the hands of Miami-Dade’s micro and small business owners, particularly those often overlooked by traditional lending institutions.

What a difference it makes to have a president who takes an America First agenda in the Western Hemisphere seriously, and whose actions finally match his words. For decades, U.S. presidents talked about Latin America while allowing chaos, corruption, and hostile regimes to metastasize in our own backyard. That era is ending quickly under President Donald Trump.