Resources

 
Hispanics and Their Views of Identity
Nearly four decades after the United States government mandated the use of the terms "Hispanic" or "Latino" to categorize Americans who trace their roots to Spanish-speaking countries, a new nationwide survey of Hispanic adults finds that these terms still haven't been fully embraced by Hispanics themselves. A majority (51%) say they most often identify themselves by their family's country of origin; just 24% say they prefer a pan-ethnic label.
The Demographics of the Jobs Recovery: Employment Gains by Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Nativity
Two years after the U.S. labor market hit bottom in 2009, the economic recovery has yielded slow but steady gains in overall employment. However, the pace of the jobs recovery varies across demographic groups. Hispanics and Asians are gaining jobs at a faster rate than blacks and whites, foreign-born workers are outpacing native-born workers, and men are faring better than women in the recovery, according to new Pew Research Center analysis of government data.
Latinos Falling Behind in Retirement Savings
 
 
When it comes to retirement savings, Latinos are failing. A study released in February 2012 ago by ING Retirement Research Institute echoes what has been laid out in previous minority retirement studies. For example, 57 percent of Hispanics have never calculated how much money they'll need to continue their current lifestyle, and 70 percent do not have a formal investment plan to reach their retirement goals.

Hispanics Say They Have the Worst of a Bad Economy

A majority of Latinos (54%) believe that the economic downturn that began in 2007 has been harder on them than on other groups in America, according to a new national survey by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.  Large shares of Hispanics report that they or someone in their household has been out of work in the past year (59%); that their personal finances are in "only fair" or "poor" shape (75%); that they canceled or delayed a major purchase in the past year (49%); or that they are underwater on their mortgage (28% of Latino homeowners).

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Nearly Half of Americans Are Living Without Economic Security

According to the report published by Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) Living Below the Line: Economic Insecurity and America's Families, 55 percent of all children and 77 percent of Hispanic and African American children are living in families without economic security.  Economic security is defined as the income families need to cover basic expenses including child care, housing, health care, transportation, etc.    If more than half of families cannot cover their basic expenses, projected severe budget cuts to federal programs that families rely on could push families from crisis to catastrophe.

Childhood Poverty Among Hispanics Sets Record

The spread of poverty across the United States that began at the onset of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 and accelerated last year hit one fast-growing demographic group especially hard: Latino children.  More Latino children are living in poverty—6.1 million in 2010—than children of any other racial or ethnic group. This marks the first time in U.S. history that the single largest group of poor children is not white.

Wealth Gaps Rise to Record Highs Between Whites, Blacks and Hispanics 

A Pew Research Report released July 2011 provides the first look at how the Great Recession impacted household wealth.  Median household wealth among Hispanics fell from $18,359 in 2005 to $6,325 in 2009. The percentage drop—66%—was the largest among all racial and ethnic groups, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends project.
 


The Assets Agenda 2011: Policy Options to Promote Savings and Asset Development                                    
The Asset Building Program of the New America Foundation outlines a public policy agenda to broaden savings and asset ownership opportunities for low-income families. The agenda calls for new structures and policies at the federal level, as well as changes to existing tax systems, government programs, and financial products.
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Economic Well-Being of Latino Children 
A new brief from the Half in Ten Campaign and the National Council of La Raza discusses the importance of investing in Latino children’s education and well-being. The brief, A Challenge to Our Nation: Improving the Economic Well-Being of Latino Kids, argues that Latino families with children experience disproportionately high rates of poverty and unemployment due to low-wage and low-skilled jobs, anti-immigrant laws, and cultural and linguistic differences. The brief provides recommendations that would reduce poverty and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities, including job creation and workforce development in low-income communities, and strengthening existing social benefit programs to increase Latino families' enrollment.


CFED Assets and Opportunity Scorecard for California 2009-10
Asset poverty is a measure that expands the notion of poverty to establish a minimum threshold of wealth needed for household security. A household is asset poor if it has insuf_ cient net worth to support itself at the federal poverty level for three months in the absence of income. Asset poor households would not have enough savings or wealth to provide for basic needs during a sudden job loss or a medical emergency.

 

 

 

 

California Budget Project – The Impact of the Recession on Women – May 2010
This policy brief examines the impact the recession has had on women in California-specifically, their income and earnings, and their place in the labor market (change in hours worked within a week and more). Demographics of working women are discussed (including family composition, marital status and age). In addition, the plight of California’s working women in the latest recession is given in historical context, looking back at previous recessions as well as earnings going back to the late 1970’s.


ICCED - Lifting as We Climb – Women of Color, Wealth and America’s Future 2010
There is an enormous racial wealth gap in America. For every dollar of wealth owned by the typical white family, the typical family of color owns only 16 cents. Wealth, not just income, is the key to ensuring economic security and is what enables families to build a better future. The Insight Center for Community Economic Development’s Closing the Racial Wealth Gap Initiative is a national effort to build awareness and support for efforts to address the racial and ethnic wealth inequities based on structural factors.

New America Foundation – The Assets Report 2010
This report examines how the Federal government encourages the accumulation of assets and in what forms. It looks at who benefits from these programs and how President Obama’s new plans may help Americans move up the ladder of opportunity


2010 NCLR Report -The Foreclosure Generation: The Long-Term Impact of the Housing Crisis on Latino Children and Families 
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) partnered with the Center for Community Capital (CCC) at the University of North Carolina to produce a report on the effect of foreclosure on Latino families.They found that the loss of their home sent them on a path of parental discord, disrupted children’s education and caused behavioral problems, and affected the mental health of children and parents alike. Not surprisingly, family budgets were decimated. Read the report.


United Way 2010 The Tale of Two Cities: One Future  
An update on a previous report produced 10 years earlier illuminating the crisis faced in Los Angeles by the increasing disparity between haves and have-nots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USC – Immigrant Integration in Los Angeles 2009
Developed by USC’s Program for Environmental and Regional Equity, this report looks at the challenges and opportunities facing immigrants in Los Angeles and outlines policy recommendations and directions for funders.