Two years ago, Consuelo Andrade was living in a village with her grandparents in Michoacán, Mexico, where she regularly saw neighbors and acquaintances returning from time spent working in the United States. They wore stylish clothes; some drove cars. She and others were mesmerized.

Hatch, New Mexico – While driving across southern New Mexico, you could easily believe you were traversing the moon. Despite Interstate 25 that bisects the state from north to south, the desert landscape appears mostly untouched and unpeopled.

Erin and Sally Simpson*, like so many of us, were hearing wise advice from every corner, from television pundits to radio personalities to lifestyle magazines: eat well, avoid fast food, stay healthy. Late last year however, they noticed that their household budget was taking a hit.

West Sacramento, Calif. – In the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2017, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) closed 25 loans totaling more than $19 million to assist rural communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.