Data continue to show that systemic inequities, from discrimination to unstable housing to a lack of healthcare access, lead to worse health outcomes for Latinos. How can we promote system and policy change to address inequities? Our Salud America! #SaludTues Tweetchats, a weekly hour-long discussion series on Twitter about Latino health equity issues, are an emerging way to engage people in learning and advocacy for change, according to our new study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR). "The study proves that planned, culturally relevant tweetchats like #SaludTues can be a powerful tool for public health practitioners and advocates to engage audiences on Twitter around health issues, advocacy, and policy solutions for Latino health equity," said Dr. Amelie G. ...
Wendy Mateo-Pascual is passionate about helping Latino immigrants. She understands how difficult it is to move to a new country and adapt to the culture, because she herself is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic. Over the last two decades, Wendy Mateo-Pascual has worked in the Charlotte, N.C., area by leading several organizations and committees all with the goal of promoting equity and strengthening the Latino voice in her community. In October 2020, Mateo-Pascual was awarded the Dogwood Award, a prestigious award presented by North Carolina’s Attorney General to North Carolinians who are “dedicated to keeping people safe, healthy, and happy in their communities.” Much of Mateo-Pascual’s work centers around getting Latinos involved in civics and politics. Even ...
Though Latinos are the largest non-white demographic in the U.S., our federal government is disproportionally white. In early 2020, less than 10% of the U.S. House of Representatives were Latino, despite Latinos making up 18.5% of the population. Only 4 of 50 U.S. senators were Latino. But that’s starting to change. In the November 2020 election, voters elected more Latinos to Congress, both Republicans and Democrats. Although Latino representation in Congress still needs improvement, the election of these representatives signifies progress.
Which Latinos Were Elected?
Voters elected Latinos to both chambers of Congress. New Mexicans elected Democrat Ben Ray Luján to the Senate, making him the 5th Latino senator. He will join senators Bob Menendez (D-New ...
As Latinos became the largest racial/ethnic minority in the U.S., researchers expected them to have a larger turnout in the 2020 Election compared to previous years. They were right — 20.6 million Latinos voted this year, a 63% increase from the last presidential election. While Latino voter turnout usually ends up being less than half of eligible voters, 64% of eligible Latinos turned out to vote. The majority of Latinos voted for Joe Biden, but a growing number of Latinos voted for Donald Trump, surprising many Democrats and media outlets. As we reflect on the 2020 Election, we find several takeaways about the Latino voting bloc: Latino voters vary in gender and age, the number of Latino voters increases each election, and the diversity within the Latino community ...
Since the start of coronavirus’ spread throughout the country, Latinos have lacked the resources to battle against widespread rates of infection, death. Soon, that community will have a voice on President-Elect Joe Biden’s recently announced COVID-19 Taskforce, which includes two Latinos — Dr. Luciana Borio, former assistant FDA commissioner, and Dr. Robert Rodriguez, a professor of emergency medicine at UCSF School of Medicine. This kind of representation is critical to combat the horrific experiences Latinos and other people of color have experienced during this epidemic, especially as winter arrives, said Dr. Leana Wen, the former Baltimore health commissioner. “[Biden’s] work needs to begin right now. He needs to begin communicating the urgency of actions with the ...
With the election of Joe Biden, we expect to see a lot of national policy and system changes under the new presidential administration next year. But, right now, lots of changes are already happening locally. That’s because, during the election on Nov. 3, 2020, voters in cities and states passed local propositions. These have wide-ranging implications for education, economic recovery, criminal justice reform, and more, especially for Latinos and other communities of color.
Education and the 2020 Election
Childhood education took a high priority in many cities. San Antonio, a predominately Latino city, was one of them. Voters approved a one-eighth-cent sales tax to continue funding Pre-K 4 SA, the city’s full-day public preschool program. “Pre-K 4 SA serves 2,000 ...
How can you teach your kids or students the importance of voting? First, be a role model by voting in upcoming local, congressional, and presidential elections. Second, print and give kids one of these new coloring sheets in English and Spanish from MomsRising that teach our littlest learners about voting and why it matters. The coloring sheets show a child dressed as a superhero. Next to the superhero is the phrase: "Be a Voter. Raise a Voter. / Conviértete en Votante. Cría un Votante." "This is a great opportunity for families to talk together about what voting is, why it matters, and build a culture of civic engagement from the very beginning," said Karen Showalter, senior campaign director for MomsRising.
Other Ways to Get Kids Involved
MomsRising also has these ...
Latinos will account for the largest non-white voter demographic in history, as 2 million Latinos are expected to vote during the 2020 presidential election. Moreover, every 30 seconds, a young Latino in the United States becomes eligible to vote. This data, collected by the Pew Research Center and the U.S. Census, respectively, makes one thing clear: the Latino vote will play a key for the 2020 election outcome. Due to the numerous disparities impacting this community, especially amid COVID-19, issues like the economy and health care—not immigration—will drive the Latino vote in 2020, according to a new report by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative. “Latinos will be critical in deciding the most consequential election of our lifetime,” Sonja Diaz, founding ...
Fake news. Alternative Facts. Propaganda. In an election year, disinformation is rampant. Political candidates and organizations may aim to mislead the public about their opponents to get voters in their favor. In recent years, we’ve seen an increase in disinformation from foreign countries seeking to confuse Americans even more. Latinos are particularly at risk of being victims of disinformation in an election year. Many false claims about voting and candidates take aim at Latino voters. It’s important that we learn what disinformation is, how it affects Latinos, and how to avoid it this election season.
What is Disinformation?
Disinformation is false information deliberately and often covertly spread in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth, according to ...
