June 18, 2018

The Spirit of the Barrio event was held on May 18th. Chamber VP Paola Avila participated on the panel of experts who discussed border security, immigration and the emotional toll and economic impacts of cross-border issues on the San Diego-Tijuana region.

Other panelists included

• Dulce Garcia, Immigration Lawyer and DACA recipient
• David Nisleit, San Diego Chief of Police
• Rodney Scott, Chief Patrol Agent, San Diego Sector, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Maya Srikrishnan, Voice of San Diego Border Reporter
• Emcee: Steve Atkinson, 10News Anchor

Paola Avila shared the business perspective, highlighting the negative impact misperceptions the border region can have and the importance of maintaining the U.S.-Mexico relationship and a positive tone when discussing border security.