SPRINGFIELD - On May 2, 2023, Latino Unity Day returned to Springfield for its annual celebration.
Community leaders and members of the Illinois General Assembly came together for a day and a half of thought provoking and inspiring panel discussions supporting the Latino community. The day's theme, "Building Illinois: Unidos y Fuertes,” motivated conversations on education, Latino representation, health care, immigration and current legislative action.
“Latino Unity Day... Continue Reading
By Nina Sedeño, Immigration Policy Analyst
The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to restrict asylum access significantly impacted U.S. immigration policy this past year. The continuation of Title 42, a public health policy invoked by the CDC in March 2020, resulted in nearly two million Continue Reading
Friends and neighbors,
Happy Spring! May the season of new beginnings revive and reinvigorate you.
We at the Forum are revitalized this April as we celebrate 15 years, our quincinera, of building the Latino community's power, influence, and leadership. My continued heartfelt thanks to the generous support of our friends, donors, and the many foundations that see the Forum as a wise investment. Thank you to the organizations, communities and individuals with whom we have been privileged to work with to strengthen the mosaic of Latino families and neighborhoods.
Speaking of new starts, in a few weeks, Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson will take office. We, at the Forum,... Continue Reading
By Noreen Sugrue, Director of Research, Latino Policy Forum
The impact of COVID on the Latino community highlights what must be addressed to reset to what some call the new normal where equity is a reality rather than a theoretical ideal or a moral goal.
Director of Research at the Latino Policy Forum, Noreen Sugrue, outlines how Latinos create their own social safety nets because they often are not afforded access to publicly funded programs.
With plans to soon retire from her historic post as the first female Latina State Superintendent of Education, the Forum extends deep gratitude to Dr. Carmen Ayala for her tireless leadership and esteemed successes in the face of adversity.
Dr. Ayala has served as the State Superintendent since early 2019, when she was soon confronted with guiding Illinois schools through the difficult COVID-19 pandemic and charged with revitalizing academic improvement for the state. Now at the end of her tenure, Illinois is at a decade-high in its high school graduation rates—a factor driven by a rise in graduation by Black and Latino students.
... Continue Reading