Key takeaways
- The Latino Policy and Politics Institute's new Latino Data Hub will foster a more accurate understanding of the diverse Latino populations in the U.S.
- The tool offers customizable, disaggregated data visualizations in key areas, including health, education, employment and citizenship, for various Latino groups.
- The hub aims to help advocates, policymakers, community organizations, researchers and others develop data-driven solutions that create stronger Latino communities.
The Latino population in the United States has long been viewed as monolithic, with little acknowledgement of its rich tapestry of identities and experiences, and this mischaracterization has persisted despite tremendous growth in both the numbers and diversity of Latino communities in recent years.
Because these communities — from Mexican and Puerto Rican to Venezuelan and Panamanian — are impacted by social, political and economic factors in different ways, the "one-dimensional" stereotype has obscured the significant barriers many groups face in accessing opportunities and achieving political representation and social mobility.
Now, there is a new resource to help foster a better understanding of these diverse and vibrant populations: the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute's Latino Data Hub, a transformative digital platform that offers a broad range of reliable and actionable data on Latino communities across the country. Launched today, the free digital tool is available in both English and Spanish.
The platform — the first comprehensive data resource for information about Latinos living in the U.S. — offers customizable visualizations in key areas such as family wellness, access to health insurance, access to education, employment, income and more.
"The launch of the Latino Data Hub marks the beginning of a new era of knowledge sharing and will empower advocates, policymakers, community leaders, philanthropic organizations, researchers, media and other change makers to develop data-driven solutions to create stronger communities," said Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas, research director of the Latino Policy and Politics Institute.
Developed by the institute's research team — which was led by Dominguez-Villegas and senior research analyst Jie Zong — with funding from Casey Family Programs and the W. K Kellogg Foundation, the Latino Data Hub invites users to explore a wide range of indicators, from often inaccessible census information to data on the social determinants of Latino well-being, all in one centralized and easy-to-use platform.
The data is available at the national, state and county level and has been disaggregated to provide granular information in areas such as nativity and citizenship, sex, gender, age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education level and employment. These capabilities not only showcase the diversity of Latino communities but help to reveal where disparities and inequalities exist.
With this groundbreaking resource, experts at the Latino Policy and Politics Institute are continuing to advance their mission to create policy and advocacy initiatives that build a brighter future for Latinos and promote equity and economic opportunities for all.
