Latino Policy Institute

Our last honoree for 2024 is someone who has been raising the bar on what it means to invest in and advance our community. We're ecstatic to celebrate Mayor Maria Rivera () for her remarkable initiatives in housing, workforce development, and economic equity in Central Falls. Her dedication to the community has consistently prioritized and uplifted the needs and voices of Latino residents.

Join us at Latinos Unidos 2024: Rising Together on September 12th at Shark’s Peruvian Cuisine, 1420 Broad St, Central Falls, RI, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM.

PS: Are you looking for meaningful ways to demonstrate your support for Rhode Island's Latino community? Consider sponsoring our event! Visit thelatinopolicy.org/latinosunidos

We're so excited to recognize Jennifer Gaviria and Sandra Victorino from the Latino Mental Health Network for transforming mental health services for the Latino community in Rhode Island. Their leadership has been pivotal in addressing the essential needs of Latino mental and behavioral health specialists. Thank you for all the work you do!

Join us at Latinos Unidos 2024: Rising Together on September 12th at Shark’s Peruvian Cuisine, 1420 Broad St, Central Falls, RI, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM.

PS: We're JUST $10,000 away from our goal! Help us by sponsoring this incredible event. Visit thelatinopolicy.org/latinosunidos

We're thrilled to honor Ramona Santos Torres from Parents Leading for Educational Equity - PLEE for her exceptional leadership in empowering parents to advocate for their children's education. Her advocacy and dedication have transformed the educational landscape for Latino families. We're grateful for you, Ramona!

Join us at Latinos Unidos 2024: Rising Together on September 12th at Shark’s Peruvian Cuisine, 1420 Broad St, Central Falls, RI, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM.

PS: Interested in sponsoring? Visit thelatinopolicy.org/latinosunidos

🎉 Happy Birthday, Marcela! 🎉

Join us in celebrating the incredible leadership of our Executive Director, Marcela Betancur, on her special day! Marcela has been a beacon of strength and inspiration, elevating the Latino Policy Institute to the national stage and spearheading transformative policy and advocacy accomplishments.

Event Details:
📅 Date: September 12, 2024
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
📍 Location: Shark’s Peruvian Cuisine, 1420 Broad St, Central Falls, RI 02863

As a special birthday treat, use the discount code **Marce35** to get $5 off your individual ticket to our Latinos Unidos 2024: Rising Together event!

Get Your Tickets Now: www.thelatinopolicy.org/latinosunidos

Let's celebrate Marcela’s dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to our community. We look forward to seeing you there and making this event truly unforgettable!

PS: We're still looking for sponsorship! If you're interested in supporting please DM us or reach out to [email protected].

📢 Job Opportunity: Strategic Initiatives Coordinator
📍 Location: Providence, RI
📅 Start Date: September 2024
💰 Salary: $58,000-65,000

Position Overview:
Join us at the Latino Policy Institute as a Strategic Initiatives Coordinator! Reporting to the Executive Director, you'll play a key role in planning, developing, and overseeing programmatic initiatives that advance our mission. Collaborate with our team to drive impactful initiatives, engage community stakeholders, and enhance our organization's reach.

Responsibilities Include:
-Developing and managing new initiatives
- Overseeing project and program engagement
- Coordinating event logistics and outreach strategies
- Leading efforts to advance LPI's strategic plan
- Supporting grant reporting and proposal writing

Read the full description here: thelatinopolicy.org/jobs

To Apply:
Submit your resume and cover letter by August 9, 2024, to [email protected].

Rest is essential. This week, our team will be enjoying some rest. We’ll be back soon! 😴

Exciting News! 🎉 Registration for Latinos Unidos 2024: Rising Together is Now Open!

Join us on September 12th at Shark’s Peruvian Cuisine in Central Falls for an unforgettable evening celebrating our vibrant community, honoring trailblazers, and sharing our rich cultural heritage.

We have 3 incredible community members that were thrilled to recognize and celebrate!

📅 Date: September 12, 2024

🕕 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

📍 Location: Shark’s Peruvian Cuisine, 1420 Broad St, Central Falls, RI 02863

Don't miss out on this inspiring event!

🔗 thelatinopolicy.org/latinosunidos

Interested in sponsoring? Email us at [email protected] for more information on how you can support this amazing event.

Latino Policy Institute The Latino Policy Institute (LPI)
Research | Advocacy | Education

Rhode Island Is The Latest State To Help Americans Lacking A Retirement Plan At Their Job Rhode Island is the twentieth state to establish a state-facilitated retirement savings program.

's commitment to an open and accountable democracy while ensuring that individuals can meaningfully engage civically has been integral to our state. We are grateful to work with them to continue pushing for more voter access, transparency, and civic engagement.

This , we’re proud to support our amigos and partners who share our vision for a more equitable and just Rhode Island! On April 1-2, visit 401gives.org and support these incredible missions!

Our friends at @epi_ri are celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year! For over two decades, they have been a force in elevating essential investments and policies that impact the most vulnerable Rhode Islanders. We are incredibly fortunate to work alongside them.

This , we’re proud to support our amigos and partners who share our vision for a more equitable and just Rhode Island! On April 1-2, visit 401gives.org and support these incredible missions!

is a 401Gives superstar ⭐ for a great reason! They have built an incredible community of leaders and organizers that will create everlasting change in Rhode Island and beyond.

This , we’re proud to support our amigos and partners who share our vision for a more equitable and just Rhode Island! On April 1-2, visit 401gives.org and support these incredible missions!

Advocacy is a skill that, if nurtured, can be boundless. And that is exactly what our friends at have done. Their work and commitment to ensuring that youth voice is centered in any and all work done has been inspirational.

This , we’re proud to support our amigos and partners who share our vision for a more equitable and just Rhode Island! On April 1-2, visit 401gives.org and support these incredible missions!

This , we’re proud to support our amigos and partners who share our vision for a more equitable and just Rhode Island! On April 1-2, visit 401gives.org and support these incredible missions!

Our Youth In Action, Inc. friends have been working for decades to lift up and nurture the incredible youth in PVD. Through their collective action and outdoor recreation, YIA is helping create a better tomorrow in RI.

Today the RI Senate votes on Paid Leave!

We need you. Please take 1 minute using the link below to send an automated email to your Rep and Senator to pass improvement to TCI THIS YEAR!

Join us at the Statehouse at 3:30 pm to lobby and then onto the Senate gallery to watch the vote.

votervoice.net/mobile/RFTSRI/…

RIght from the Start
Rhode Island Black Business Association
Rhode Island KIDS COUNT
Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV)
Latino Policy Institute
Women's Fund of Rhode Island
1199 SEIU Rhode Island
Rhode Island AFL-CIO
AARP Rhode Island
Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island
Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families

Meet the speakers!
Next up in this year's Community Conversations series on Immigration, Belonging & Civic Participation is Tuesday, March 19th's "Connecting Policy and People".
This program will feature a panel of three local experts, including Marcela Betancur, Executive Director of the Latino Policy Institute, a board member of New Urban Arts, and United Way of Rhode Island. In 2022, Marcela was the first Latina to be appointed to the Rhode Island Board of Elections.

Marcela's work over her career has centered around issues of housing, education, civil liberties and workforce development. She served as director of homeownership for NeighborWorks Blackstone River Valley, serving first time homebuyers - specifically Latinos, immigrants, and millennials. At the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island, as a policy associate, she collaborated with local and statewide organizations to ensure that the policies, laws, and regulations proposed or enacted would effectively protect civil and human rights for all Rhode Islanders.

Hear Marcela Betancur, along with Dr. Omar Bah and Rev. Chris Abhulime, on Tuesday, March 19th at Lippitt House Museum.

Reception at 6:30PM, panel discussion begins at 7:00PM.

This event is FREE to the public and paid for in part by a grant from the League of Women Voters Rhode Island Education Fund.

Register at: https://www.simpletix.com/e/immigration-belonging-civic-participation-tickets-159563

League of Women Voters of Rhode Island
African Alliance of Rhode Island
Latino Policy Institute
Refugee Dream Center

🎉New year, new board members! Please join us in welcoming Rachel Flum, Maggie Chung, Omar Reyes, and Lehidy Frias to our LPI Board!

We're also excited to announce that Juanita Montes de Oca has been named Co-Chair along with Antonieta Falconi.

We're so excited to work with this superstar board and for another great year ahead. Visit thelatinopolicy.org/about-us to learn more about our team.

State government should be accessible to every Rhode Islander. That's why we are teaming up with the Latino Policy Institute for our first Demystifying Democracy event of 2024! Sign up now for this FREE educational session on Saturday, Jan 27th: https://act.commoncause.org/events/demystifying-democracy-im-just-a-bill-held-for-further-study-2/

Identifying and Addressing the Gaps and Challenges within the mental and behavioral health workforce pipeline Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, yet it remains highly stigmatized and under-addressed in Latino communities. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), Nearly 22% of Hispanic and Latino Americans reported having a mental illness, compared to 23.9% of.....

We are incredibly proud to share the result of a year-long project with the to develop equitable and tangible recommendations and investments needed within our mental and behavioral health workforce to recruit and retain talented Latino, multicultural, and multilingual clinicians.

Check out our report on our bio 📲

Stay tuned for more work to come!

On behalf of the Latino Policy Institute board, staff, and Host Committee, THANK YOU for supporting our Latinos Unidos: Celebrating our Past, Building our Future event! We had a packed house full of community members eager to continue to support LPI's next chapter.

We are so grateful for all of the love and support we've received and are excited for the road ahead. Stay tuned for more emails from our team to stay up to date on LPI's powerful and necessary work.

- Marcela Betancur, Executive Director