Conversations over coffee: Local businesses want to discuss business progress with Arizona & Mexican leaders

Sitting down for a cup of coffee can help start a productive conversation. The Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hopes the same is true when elected leaders enjoy a 'cafecito' sitting at a bigger conference table.

Later this month, city mayors and governors from both Arizona and Sonora will talk about ways they all can continue to support economic growth in the region.

Seven city mayors will come to 'The Summit' in the Old Pueblo April 24. Governors Alfonso Durazo and Katie Hobbs will meet again.

Hobbs first traveled to Sonora to meet her counterpart in mid-February.

Before this year's conference begins, KGUN9 stopped by Buendia Breakfast and Lunch Café.

There, we talked to chamber leaders and heard from small businesses about what they want to accomplish.

Chamber president and CEO Rob Elias said he's looking forward to deep conversations about trade, border infrastructure, innovation; and how all these ideas can strengthen communities.

"This is the beauty of having the conversation with mayors -- where they can talk about scalability, micro(scale) and what that does for individual communities, not just within southern Arizona, in the cities in Mexico, in Sonora," Elias said.

"But also on the macro scale... we have both governors that can talk about the visions for their state, and how these nuances have come about and what that's going to mean for the future of our mega region."

KGUN9 also talked to Mexican Consul in Tucson Rafael Barceló. The diplomat echoed part of what Elias and member businesses say they want to address.

Specifically, Barceló wants to tackle migration processing for citizens of both sides who want to pursue their goals in business.

"I think the U.S. has been a very welcoming country, but at the same time, there are so many challenges ahead of us," Barceló said, "(with regard) to how many migrants can have a regular path to come and fill the jobs that are so needed."