Blog

Dear Friends and Community,

It is finally summer, a great time to connect with friends and loved ones and create lasting memories under the warm sun. As busy as we all are, I hope you get an opportunity to rest and recharge. At the Latino Policy Forum, summer is when we go into planning mode, for the new legislative session, Multicultural Leadership Academy graduation, and Latinos on the Move. There’s so much to do!

In the midst of everything that we are preparing for the rest of the year, we moved! Earlier this month, we said goodbye to our old office, which we long outgrew, and transitioned to a new space... Continue Reading

Introduction

Through advocacy and analysis, the Latino Policy Forum builds a foundation for equity, justice, and economic prosperity for the Latino community. By catalyzing policy change, the Forum works to improve education outcomes, advocate for affordable housing, promote just immigration policies, and strengthen community leadership.

Latinos are a vibrant and increasingly significant community in Illinois that despite the challenges many in our community face —particularly in accessing affordable housing and education and in navigating a failed federal immigration system— we find a way to prosper and uplift our state. After Whites, Latinos are the largest racial group, and from 2010 to 2020, our numbers in Illinois grew from 16% to 18% of the total population.... Continue Reading

By Brian Herrera & Aylainah Garibay

Across the nation, urban school districts with racially diverse student bodies like Chicago’s are working to advance educational equity. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has implemented several innovative programs and made investments designed to boost the achievement of all students. On March 19, 2024 at Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy, CPS CEO Pedro Martinez addressed the Council of Multilingual Parents, a volunteer group of immigrant and refugee parents, and the Latino Policy Forum to highlight the astounding progress of the Latino and English Learner students, who account for 46.9% of students in CPS.

CEO Martinez shared details about strategies and investments the district is currently implementing to... Continue Reading

Dear Friends and Community,

Spring is here! I’m looking forward to sunlight, warmer weather, and outdoor activities. This season of renewal fills me with hope, in our community and our potential.

Last week, we shared huge news with you about the Latino Policy Forum being named a Yield Giving Open Call awardee. The Forum received $1 million! I was stunned, this is the single largest gift that our organization has ever received, and it could not have come at a more opportune time as we enter this next stage of growth and influence. 

Speaking of growth and influence, earlier this month, we published a new Statistics on Latinos (SOL)... Continue Reading

Dear Friends and Community, 

Happy New Year! Earlier this month, we at the Forum had our annual staff retreat and our fantastic facilitators, Sherida Morrison and Patty Meggs-Harbin, reminded us how important it was to take moments to reflect on what we have accomplished and celebrate, so I didn’t want to let this first month of 2024 pass without doing that and also share some of the exciting things we’re planning this year.

In 2023, the Forum produced four important reports that help us better understand the long-standing structural inequities confronting our community. We knew that Latino population growth was being driven by people outside of Chicago, so together with the... Continue Reading