What If Economic Development Started With Community Culture?

Economic development is often measured in jobs, investment, and business growth. In Taos County, New Mexico, local leaders are taking a different approach by starting with the people, culture, and traditions that already strengthen the community. Through the Economic Recovery Corps (ERC) and the Cultural Treasures Project, Taos County is working with residents to better understand the cultural assets they value and how those assets can help shape the county’s future. The work brings community voices directly into conversations about economic development, preservation, affordability, and opportunity. In this episode of Voices in Local Government, Jessica Stern, Economic Development Director for Taos County, and Economic Recovery Corps Fellow Contessa Trujillo join ICMA’s Gabe Daugherty to discuss building an economy from the inside out and what it means for local government to “move at the speed of trust.” IN THIS INTERVIEW: How culture and community identity can inform local economic development. How Taos County is using cultural asset mapping to understand what residents want to protect, restore, and revitalize. Why trust, collaboration, and community participation matter when planning for long-term growth. FEATURED GUESTS: Jessica Stern, Economic Development Director, Taos County, New Mexico Contessa Trujillo, Fellow, Economic Recovery Corps & Project Manager, Cultural Treasures Project HOST: Gabe Daugherty, Assistant Program Manager, Innovation & Research, ICMA For local government and economic development professionals, this conversation offers a different way to think about growth: one that starts with understanding what a community values and builds from there. LEARN MORE: Economic Recovery Corps: https://economicrecoverycorps.org/ Cultural Treasures Project: https://www.culturaltreasuresproject.org/