Today we hit the midway point in Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of our nation's largest ethnic minority. According to Census figures released by the National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP), the 43 percentage increase in the Hispanic population in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010 make it the fastest-growing minority group. In fact, the U.S. Hispanic population ranks 2nd worldwide, second only to Mexico, which ranked 1st with 112 million. The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2007 totaled 2.3 million, up almost 44 percent from five years prior, and 35 million U.S. residents--12 percent of all U.S. residents--spoke Spanish at home. Additionally, 9.7 million Hispanic citizens reported voting in the 2008 presidential election. Clearly the profile of Hispanics in the U.S. has skyrocketed across economic, cultural, and political sectors.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the White House has highlighted a few of the "many talented and impressive Latinas Serving the President and the American people," in a spotlight feature, including Cecilia Muñoz, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. As the Network highlighted in our recent brief, Income and Poverty in Communities of Color, however, Hispanic Americans face stark challenges to their economic security, despite the progress made in the past few decades. In 2010 Hispanic households reported median income levels of $37,759, well below the average of $49,445, with female householder families earning just $27,172. Wage disparities weigh heavily on the economic prospects for Hispanic women, who earned only 54 cents for every dollar earned by a white man, the lowest female earnings of all racial groups. The recent recession has left many Hispanic Americans in dire straits, with almost one third of Hispanic families falling below the poverty line in 2010, and 35 percent of all Hispanic children living in poverty.
Job creation and safety nets such as unemployment insurance, Medicare, and Social Security have emerged as the hot-button issues in the nascent 2012 presidential campaign and of vital concern to all Americans. For many Hispanic Americans, especially Hispanic women, the policy outcomes in these areas will mean the difference between languishing in a downward spiral or recovering their footing on the path to prosperity. Strengthening the nation's safety net system while investing heavily in job creation and increased educational and training opportunities for disadvantaged communities, such as the DREAM Act, would set the stage for a heritage worthy of celebration by future generations of Americans. Implementing and enforcing policies designed to counter racial and gender discrimination are also especially relevant given state legislative efforts to curb immigrant rights over the past year.
However, strengthening public policies and safety net programs are not the only ways to support the Hispanic community. Philanthropy, too, can be a powerful vehicle for improving the social and economic realities of Latino families. To learn more about how funders can support Latino communities in the midst of economic turmoil and social backlash, join the Hispanics in Philanthropy Lab Webinar on Monday, October 3, from 2-3:30p.m. EST. "The 2010 Census - What the Numbers Mean and How Funders Can Respond" will feature demographer Leo Estrada, Associate Professor at UCLA, and a panel of local and national funders including: Tara Sandercock, HIP board member; Cristóbal J. Alex, Program Officer for Democratic Participation at The Ford Foundation; Catherine Marsh, Executive Director of the Westchester Community Foundation; and Dolores E. Roybal, Executive Director of the Con Alma HEALTH Foundation. Click here to register.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the White House has highlighted a few of the "many talented and impressive Latinas Serving the President and the American people," in a spotlight feature, including Cecilia Muñoz, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. As the Network highlighted in our recent brief, Income and Poverty in Communities of Color, however, Hispanic Americans face stark challenges to their economic security, despite the progress made in the past few decades. In 2010 Hispanic households reported median income levels of $37,759, well below the average of $49,445, with female householder families earning just $27,172. Wage disparities weigh heavily on the economic prospects for Hispanic women, who earned only 54 cents for every dollar earned by a white man, the lowest female earnings of all racial groups. The recent recession has left many Hispanic Americans in dire straits, with almost one third of Hispanic families falling below the poverty line in 2010, and 35 percent of all Hispanic children living in poverty.
Job creation and safety nets such as unemployment insurance, Medicare, and Social Security have emerged as the hot-button issues in the nascent 2012 presidential campaign and of vital concern to all Americans. For many Hispanic Americans, especially Hispanic women, the policy outcomes in these areas will mean the difference between languishing in a downward spiral or recovering their footing on the path to prosperity. Strengthening the nation's safety net system while investing heavily in job creation and increased educational and training opportunities for disadvantaged communities, such as the DREAM Act, would set the stage for a heritage worthy of celebration by future generations of Americans. Implementing and enforcing policies designed to counter racial and gender discrimination are also especially relevant given state legislative efforts to curb immigrant rights over the past year.
However, strengthening public policies and safety net programs are not the only ways to support the Hispanic community. Philanthropy, too, can be a powerful vehicle for improving the social and economic realities of Latino families. To learn more about how funders can support Latino communities in the midst of economic turmoil and social backlash, join the Hispanics in Philanthropy Lab Webinar on Monday, October 3, from 2-3:30p.m. EST. "The 2010 Census - What the Numbers Mean and How Funders Can Respond" will feature demographer Leo Estrada, Associate Professor at UCLA, and a panel of local and national funders including: Tara Sandercock, HIP board member; Cristóbal J. Alex, Program Officer for Democratic Participation at The Ford Foundation; Catherine Marsh, Executive Director of the Westchester Community Foundation; and Dolores E. Roybal, Executive Director of the Con Alma HEALTH Foundation. Click here to register.
