Latinos make solid and consistent contributions to Illinois' population and labor force.

Were it not for Latinos, the state's population and workforce would have contracted. The group contributed more than $97 billion to Chicago's economy from 2010-2018, according to the recently released 2022 Chicago Metro Latino GDP Report.

The Forum is thrilled with the author's details in outlining the Latino communities' wealth-making success, driven by swift gains in human capital and a strong work ethic. 

However, missing from the narrative is the Latino wealth paradox. The community continues to not benefit from the prosperity it creates.

To amplify, the data published by California Lutheran University and UCLA Health and funded by Bank of America... Continue Reading

Friends and neighbors,

I hope that you are all having an enjoyable and safe summer.

My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the families of the victims and survivors of the Fourth of July mass shooting in Highland Park. That most recent gun violence is another example of what has become frighteningly commonplace in our country, robbing us of our sense of peace and security. It is imperative that all of those affected by the tragedy get the proper help during the healing process.

I look to the members of the Illinois Latino Agenda (ILA), a growing coalition of Latino leaders that the Forum convenes, to lead... Continue Reading

Friends and neighbors,

On March 23rd, we celebrated our tenth Latino Unity Day: "Latinos Pa'Lante: Beyond Recovery." Oh my goodness, how far we have come in that time. It has been nothing short of a sea change over the past decade—especially the last few years. Not only in democratic leadership, but in our Latino leadership in Springfield. 

We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of our Latino elected officials, including in suburban representation. We now have six Latino legislators representing our suburbs, which is so important because that’s where the Latino growth is occurring. And in my lifetime, I have never seen so many Latinos within the Governor’s inner circle—and... Continue Reading

This letter is an excerpt from Sylvia Puente’s keynote comments from Latinos on the Move 2021: Together We Persevere.

Friends and neighbors,  

It has been a world of difference since this time last year, when the COVID-19 vaccine first became available to the public. I will never forget when our Illinois Unidos partner Dr. Marina Del Rios received the first vaccine in Chicago. Thankfully, the vaccine is now widely available, but I’m sure that many of you are feeling the same as I am today: tired, worn out, and having trouble focusing when thinking about all of these stresses and challenges arising from our recent crises and... Continue Reading

Friends and neighbors,

As days of summer are upon us, and our mood and psyche hopefully lighten as we emerge from the worst of the pandemic, we cannot forget that the impact of COVID-19 on the Latino community will be long-lasting.

As I’ve stressed before, given the high prevalence of COVID among Latinos (over 10 percent of Illinois Latinos have been infected), if even a fraction of those infected show long-term symptoms, it will have a debilitating impact on our health system and on many of our families. Keep in mind that a preponderance of those cases have been to young, working Latinos. The mortality rate among... Continue Reading

Dear friends and allies of the Latino Policy Forum, 

As you likely know, since March 2020 the Forum has been reporting on the cumulative rate of COVID cases and deaths by race and ethnicity. That cumulative data illustrates the horrific toll that COVID has taken and continues to take on the Latino community. As indicated in the data, there are more than 10,000 cases of COVID for every 100,000 Latinos in Illinois. Said another way, approximately 10 percent of Latinos in Illinois have or have had COVID, which is a rate 59 to 164 percent higher than it is for any other racial-ethnic group.

I wanted to share a new analysis that provides a quarterly summary of the rate of... Continue Reading

Dear friends and neighbors,

I hope that you’re finding some slivers of light in this trying year. In the spirit of helping each other, I thought I’d share a couple that I’ve found for myself.

Over the past few months, I’ve taken some time to reflect on the changes to our societal landscape that this moment has catalyzed. There are two reflections in particular that have filled me with optimism and hope. Both of these lessons came from young voices in the street, and both have to do with bringing important, previously taboo subjects into mainstream conversation.

I’ve spent my entire career—nearly 50 years, if I go back to my youth as an activist—in pursuit of... Continue Reading

To read this article in English, click here.

Los datos no dejan lugar a dudas: Las comunidades de color de Illinois se han visto afectadas de manera desproporcionada por el COVID-19. La pandemia ha asestado un golpe devastador especialmente a la comunidad latina. En la actualidad, los latinos suman el mayor número de casos reportados, así como el porcentaje mayor de resultados positivos en las pruebas realizadas. 

Sólo hace falta observar los números relativos al empleo para entender cómo hemos llegado a esta situación. Sólo el 16 por ciento de los latinos puede trabajar desde casa, la tasa más baja de entre todos los grupos étnicos y raciales. Esto supone un... Continue Reading

Friends and partners,

I wish you and your loved ones peace, resiliency, and fortitude during this challenging time.

The Forum’s staff, as you probably already know, is currently working from home due to the coronavirus outbreak. After a short adjustment period, we’re now settled into our new home offices and regular teleconference meetings. But here’s what hasn’t changed: We remain as available as ever to you as a resource for accurate, reliable information and analysis on issues affecting the Latino community in Illinois, and this global crisis is certainly no exception.

Right now, you can visit our website for a wide-ranging list of COVID-19 resources that we’re updating every day. These include the latest facts... Continue Reading