Latino Policy Forum

Get ready to vote! You can now request your “vote by mail” ballot for the November 5th election. Don’t wait, do it today!

Register to vote, check your registration status, and request a mail in ballot here: vote.gov/register

Congratulations to Ashonti Jackson, Chris Naranjo, Danny Mason, David Quiroz, Justeen Robinson, Odalis Arcadio, and Diego Valdivia - some of our Multicultural Leadership Academy 2024 graduates! They are now part of an vast network of powerful community leaders working together to build solidarity and create positive change in Black and Latino communities across Illinois.

We’re excited to follow along and see the amazing work they will continue to do.

Learn more ➡️ https://latinopolicyforum.org/issues/leadership

As the Democratic National Convention approaches, Chicago is expected to experience another influx of migrants. And as the city, state, and our communities prepare to welcome our new neighbors, we need to continue to advocate for long-term solutions that successfully integrate new arrivals into our communities.

“Fewer than 6,000 are in shelters right now. How are the rest integrating into Illinois and Chicago society? How are they finding jobs? Where are they living? What neighborhoods are they moving to?” said Sylvia Puente, President and CEO of the Latino Policy Forum.

Read the full article ➡️ https://chicago.suntimes.com/2024-democratic-national-convention/2024/07/24/dnc-democrats-convention-migrant-crisis-buses-refugees-asylum-seekers-republicans

Si cree que puede ser elegible para obtener ayuda bajo la acción ejecutiva de Biden-Harris, debe consultar con una organización legal de confianza o un abogado. Tenga cuidado con los "notarios" y otros actores malintencionados que se aprovecharán de la comunidad para beneficio personal.

Consulte nuestro recurso para obtener más información sobre elegibilidad, cómo puede prepararse y para encontrar un abogado.

https://bit.ly/wp4a

Often, political rhetoric about immigration blames migrants for surges in violent crime, however, the data shows that this not true. These claims are intentionally misleading and rooted in racism.

“New York, Chicago and Denver have had an influx of immigrants in the past couple years. Over that same period, murder rates in those cities have fallen. Similarly, border counties in Texas have lower violent crime rates than the state and country overall…” wrote German Lopez in a New York Times newsletter last week.

The truth is that immigrants are less likely to commit crime than people born in the U.S. For decades, immigration has consistently increased, however, the murder rate has fluctuated over that same period. This shows that there is no relationship between immigration and violent crime.

Read the full newsletter to learn more ➡️https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/briefing/the-myth-of-migrant-crime.html

¿Cuándo se considera que vivir con otros, especialmente familia, es una situación de falta de hogar? A veces, es difícil distinguir la diferencia. En 2022, casi un tercio, o el 32%, de los hogares Latinos en la nación eran multigeneracionales. Esto facilita el cuidado de niños y ancianos, nos permite estar cerca de nuestros seres queridos y nos ayuda a transmitir nuestra herencia cultural. En este contexto, la vida multigeneracional es una práctica cultural, un estilo de vida y una manifestación de los lazos familiares.

Sin embargo, con demasiada frecuencia y a un ritmo creciente, muchos latinos viven en situaciones multigeneracionales o multifamiliares no por elección, sino por necesidad económica. Vivir con otros como estrategia de supervivencia se considera sinhogarismo, aunque muchas personas en esta situación no se considerarían a sí mismas "sin hogar".

Queremos entender mejor la experiencias de las personas que viven con otros por necesidad económica y encontrar soluciones para aquellos en nuestra comunidad. Si tiene experiencia viviendo con otros por necesidad económica, queremos saber de ti. Haz clic abajo para compartir tu historia de forma anónima, suscribirte a nuestros emails y obtener más información.⁠

Agradecimiento especial a Chicago Funders Together to End por apoyar este proyecto.

https://bit.ly/doubled-up

Earlier this summer, President Biden announced an executive action that would extend immigration relief to some undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens. On August 19, applications for those who are eligible to “parole-in-place,” will open. Here are four important things you need to know about the latest developments.

Click here to learn more about parole-in-place, its potential impact, and where it falls short: https://bit.ly/4d02W9d

Today we celebrate the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act! Signed on July 26, 1990, this landmark civil rights law broadly prohibits the discrimination of people with disabilities.

July is also Disability Pride Month, a time to recognize visible and invisible disabilities and honor the contributions and experiences of those who are disabled. At the Latino Policy Forum, we are committed to celebrating and honoring the diversity of our community - and that includes Latinos with disabilities. Let’s continue to advocate for a better and more accessible world for all of us.

Our 2024 Multicultural Leadership Academy cohort had their last retreat in June! Over three days, they participated in workshops and activities on transformational leadership, intercultural understanding and collaboration, and arts expression. MLA participants also spent time in affinity groups dedicated to advancing equity in Illinois through social change, policy action, and community empowerment.

Every cohort that completes the six-month training program joins a network of 300+ leaders who continue to work together to make a positive impact in Black and Latino communities throughout Illinois. Past participants have gone on to host solidarity walks, healing circles, and other community events, but also have run for office, been appointed to leadership positions, and established and led social impact organizations.

Learn more ➡️https://latinopolicyforum.org/issues/leadership

Hope for Homes day is this week! Led by La Casa Norte, Hope for Homes Day is a call to action to provide our unhoused neighbors with access to stable homes and social services that transform lives.

Did you know that estimates from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless show that doubled-up living is the predominant form of homelessness? National research also indicates that Latinos are significantly underrepresented in data on street and shelter homelessness, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as the Latino Homeless Paradox.

Learn more and donate to support the dozens of nonprofits serving Illinois' homeless population at https://www.hopeforhomesday.org/

Latinos on the Move 2024: Claiming Our Power

With roughly 1.2 million Latinos eligible to vote in Illinois and every year over 30,000 Latinos turn 18, our community has incredible potential to be a decisive voice in shaping our collective future, but we must turn out to vote!

This year, Sindy M. Benavides will be our keynote speaker for Latinos on the Move. Sindy is the president and CEO of Latino Victory, an organization dedicated to building Latino political power. With nearly two decades in the nonprofit sector, Sindy is a national civil rights leader committed to amplifying and empowering the voices of the Latino community. We are honored to have Sindy join us on October 11th to empower each other to realize our potential by claiming our power!

Early bird rates are still available - register today: https://bit.ly/LOTM24

When is living with others, especially family, considered homelessness? Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell the difference. In 2022, nearly one-third of households in the nation were multigenerational. It makes childcare and elder care easier, it allows us to be close to our loved ones, and it helps us pass on our cultural heritage. In this context, multigenerational living is a cultural practice, a way of life, and a manifestation of family bonds.

However, all too often, and at an increasing rate, many Latinos are living in multigenerational or multi-family situations not by choice, but due to economic need. Living with others as a survival strategy is considered “doubled-up” homelessness, even though many people in this situation wouldn’t consider themselves “homeless.”

We want to better understand doubled-up homelessness to find solutions for those in our community. ⁠

If you think you have experience with doubled-up living, we want to hear from you. Click the here to share your story anonymously, sign up for our updates, and to learn more: https://bit.ly/doubled-up

Special thanks to Chicago Funders Together to End for supporting this project.

Last month, our Immigration Policy Analyst, Nina Sedeño, and Associate Director of External Affairs, Marlén Mendoza, were honored to join Mayor Johnson, Deputy Mayor Ponce de León, and fellow community leaders at City Hall to celebrate . The event was a great reminder of Chicago’s commitment to being a welcoming city and the importance of recognizing the contributions of immigrants.

As we move into July, let's continue advocating for Chicago and Illinois to embrace immigrants and recognize their contributions to our communities.

Congrats to Latino Policy Forum board member, Dorothy Abreu, for being named one of Negocios Now’s 50 Powerful Hispanics in Corporate! Every year, Negocios Now recognizes Latino leaders in various sectors as a way to celebrate our community’s leadership.

More here:

Negocios Now announces the list of '50 Powerful Hispanics in Corporate' - Negocios Now The list comprises senior executives and the board of directors from corporations, and it is another effort by Negocios Now to recognize Hispanics' leadership.

We’ve been busy this summer at the Forum! Over the last few months we held our largest Latino Unity Day yet, helped pass the Work Permits for All resolution in Illinois, updated our 2024 Springfield Agenda, started planning for Latinos on the Move, and more!

“Earlier this month, we said goodbye to our old office, which we long outgrew, and transitioned to a new space for the Latino Policy Forum. Our move fills me with mixed emotions as I reflect on the memories over the years and the growth we have achieved – not only in terms of our staff size and office space but also in our overall capacity and impact. In a way, I see this growth as a symbol of our increased commitment to Latino equity” said Sylvia Puente, Latino Policy Forum President and CEO in her latest blog.

Sylvia’s full blog, along with updates from the Forum, are in our latest newsletter! Read our summer newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3XQdC5x

To stay updated about our future work, sign up for our newsletter here: https://bit.ly/LPFemail

Latinos have deep roots in Illinois, and despite not having equity, we continue to positively impact the state and grow in size. Over the last decade, we've seen an increase in both the Latino population and the number of Latino citizens, particularly U.S. born citizens. In fact, more than half of Latino adults are now citizens. And contrary to what one might think, this growth isn’t driven by immigration but instead comes from established families who have been here for generations.

In the 2022 election, however, only half of eligible Latino voters were registered, with fewer than a third casting their vote. It is essential that we use this power and turn out to the polls. Doing so will ensure that our community has a say in important decisions that directly impact our lives.

Learn more about the State of Latinos in Illinois here: https://bit.ly/3xAeJf4

Last month, Governor Pritzker signed SB1, which makes the Illinois’ Department of Early Childhood a reality. This historic moment marks a monumental step forward in making Illinois the best state in the nation to raise young children and the first to extend protections to all children, from birth to five years old, regardless of immigration status.

ICYMI: Immigration advocates, community leaders, and elected officials gathered last week in celebration of President Biden’s executive order.

The new policy is a step forward to protect and support hundreds of thousands of families across the country: Over 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens could potentially benefit. The policy is also expected to help an estimated 50,000 immigrant children with a parent married to a U.S. citizen.

“Our communities deserve this and more, and we cannot stop,” said CEO/President Sylvia Puente of The Latino Policy Forum. “Although this is a great step, we cannot and will not stop until everyone has the peace of mind and stability of lawful immigration status.”

View the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2u0yjtknl4

Last Friday, Sylvia Puente, Latino Policy Forum President and CEO participated in a panel on educational equity for BIPOC students at Voice4Equity’s When Women Lead conference in Vancouver, Washington.

Other panelists included Alexis Holmes, Dr. Meisha Porter, and Frances Messano.

Last week, our President & CEO, Sylvia Puente, joined Chicago Urban League President & CEO, Karen Freeman-Wilson to discuss “The Color of Wealth in Chicago,” a report that examines systemic barriers to building wealth in Chicago across racial lines, that includes an in-depth look at the experiences of different Latino communities.

“The Color of Wealth in Chicago” was published by the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy at the New School with the support of The Chicago Community Trust.

Access the full report at https://colorofwealth.org/chicago/

Earlier this week, the Biden administration expanded the Parole-in-Place program to certain spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens. While we wait for the full set of details from the administration, the National Immigrant Justice Center has compiled a resource with everything we do know and guidance on what to do in the meantime.

View it here:

immigrantjustice.org

Yesterday, Latino Policy Forum President and CEO Sylvia Puente joined community leaders, immigration advocates, and elected officials to recognize the positive impact of President Biden’s latest actions on immigration.

President Biden’s announcement this week is proof of something you and I already know: our community has incredible power when we come together, and we can use that power to create positive change. This victory will have a substantial and life changing impact on those who are eligible for this new relief, but we cannot stop here. Our communities need to stay unified and continue advocating for what we truly deserve – comprehensive immigration reform.

View our press release for additional details and resources regarding this week’s announcement: https://bit.ly/4b81wrA

On this day in 1865, we commemorate the historic moment when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom, over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. is more than just a celebration of freedom; it is a day for reflection and recommitment to the ongoing struggle for justice, equity, and recognition of the contributions of Black Americans.

At the Latino Policy Forum, we recognize the profound impact of slavery and systemic racism that continues to affect Black communities today and strive to build Black and Latino unity as we work towards justice and equity for all.

BREAKING NEWS: The Biden administration announced today an action that will extend protections and work permits to certain long-term undocumented spouses and stepchildren of US citizens, DACA recipients, and DREAMers. For some, this will provide an easier pathway to lawful permanent residency in the US.

“When our communities come together —immigrants, families, advocates, business leaders, faith leaders, electeds; all of us— we can effect change. I hope that this inspires everyone to continue to use our collective voice and keep pushing until we finally have comprehensive immigration reform. This includes going to the polls in November to vote. Our communities deserve this and more, and we cannot stop until everyone has the security and stability of lawful immigration status.” -Sylvia Puente, Latino Policy Forum President and CEO

Because only specific groups of immigrants will be eligible for this relief, we urge that those who believe they may be eligible for relief consult with a reputable legal agency or private legal counsel before submitting any application to USCIS or any other federal agency.

Read our full statement for additional information and resources: https://bit.ly/4b81wrA