Latino Community Foundation Awards 19 Grants to Latino-Led, Youth-Serving Organizations for 2020 Census Outreach
Organizations were selected by Latino Youth Led Panel representing the State of California
SAN FRANCISCO: Latino youth leaders, ages 16 to 31, formed the Latino Community Foundation’s (LCF) 2020 Census Selection Committee and awarded 19 grants to Latino-led, youth-serving organizations in California. The purpose of the grants will support outreach and education in Latino communities across the state to ensure an accurate count of all Latinos.
The youth-led committee reviewed proposals from organizations seeking funding for Census outreach in “hard-to-count” areas across the state, including the Central Coast, the Central Valley and the Inland Empire. As they deliberated in choosing the organizations, they considered the challenges and opportunities facing their communities at a time of heightened anti-immigrant political rhetoric. A total of $150,000 were awarded in grants.
“Latino youth will play a pivotal role in securing an accurate 2020 Census count because this generation is organized, tech-savvy, and motivated to exercise their civic responsibilities to secure fair federal resources and political representation for their local communities,” said Jaqueline Martinez Garcel, CEO of the Latino Community Foundation. “There is no better group of people to decide where this funding is allocated than their peers.”
Maria Martinez, 16, from Pittsburgh, CA was one of the youth leaders to take part in the grantmaking process. “The census will be important because it will help provide schools the funding they need,” said Martinez. “I feel honored that I was able to help out my Latino community. These grants will make it easier for community organizations to make sure everyone gets counted.”
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinos represent a “hard-to-count” group that has historically been undercounted for decades. Poverty, language barriers, and misinformation about the census are some of the biggest challenges undermining full participation among the largest racial/ethnic group in California. At stake for California is $115 billion for federal programs in education, housing, and health care, as well as maintaining the state’s 53 members of Congress.
