14 Things Latinos Should Know About the 2020 Census


census-2020-latinos-should-know-door-to-door

How important is the 2020 Census? Well, the results will determine political power, representation in Congress, and funding for schools, hospitals, roads, and social services in your community for the next 10 years. Here are some Q&As that emphasize the need to count Latinos and all people! Supreme Court Update, October 15, 2020: The Supreme Court ruled on Oct. 13, that Trump administration can end census field operations early despite delays and difficulties related to the ongoing pandemic. Internet self-response will be available through 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST) Oct. 15 (5:59 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Oct. 16). Paper responses must be postmarked by Oct. 15, 2020. Coronavirus Update, July 7, 2020: Learn how the Census Bureau is pushing forward ...

Read More

Medical Debt Plagues Texans of Color


medical debt collection via NPR

Texas Latinos and other communities of color are among the hardest hit by medical debt, according to a new report. The report, from the Center for Public Policy Priorities, shows that 1 in 4 Texans (23%) has medical debt. In communities of color, that rises to nearly 1 in 3 Texans (29%). These rates are higher than in other states and the nation. "When people can’t pay their medical bills, costs turn into mounting medical debt," according to the report. "[This medical debt] compromises patients’ health and financial security, harms their credit scores, and can even limit a patient’s housing, job, and health opportunities." Alarming Medical Debt among Texans of Color The median medical debt in collections owed in Texas is $850. Texans of color owe slightly more at $875. ...

Read More

Does Your State Ban Salary History Inquiries?


salary history ban

Inequities in pay follow women from job to job. Employers that request an applicant’s salary history─a long-time standard practice to set compensation for new-hires─perpetuate these gender pay inequities. “Relying on salary history allows a new employer to continue underpaying a woman who faced a pay gap and lost wages due to bias or discrimination at a previous job,” according to a 2018 report from the American Association of University Women (AAUW). One method to close the gender pay gap is to ban employers from relying on previous or current salary information when setting pay for new employees. Closing the gender pay gap is good for physical, mental and social health. However, less than half of states have such bans. Find out which places have banned salary ...

Read More

Latino Undercount in 2020 Census Could Cost States Billions in Family Assistance


Latino undercount in 2020 Census

An undercount of Latinos in the 2020 Census could cost 37 states hundreds of millions in federal funding. For example, a Latino undercount could cost Texas up to $14 billion of federal money for housing, child and foster care, and other family aid programs, according to a new brief from Child Trends. “The impact of any Census undercount will be felt in state budgets and communities throughout the country,” according to the Child Trends report. “At stake is federal funding for programs that help states improve the well-being of their residents, and their children especially.” Why Is a Latino Undercount Expected? Historically, the Census has undercounted Latinos. For the 2020 Census, even without a citizenship question, officials expect a 3% or more undercount of Latinos, ...

Read More

School Segregation Is Worsening for Latino Kids


school segregation latina girl kid attending class

Latino children are likely to enter elementary schools this year with fewer white peers than a generation ago, a sign of increasing school segregation, according to researchers in the journal Educational Researcher. In 1998, U.S. Latino children attended elementary schools in which nearly 40% of their classmates were white. That percentage fell to just 30% in 2010. Segregation grows into severe isolation in large urban school districts. In the nation’s 10 poorest districts, Latino elementary students attended, on average, schools that were just 5% white—down from 7% white in 1998. “It's essential that we consider hard evidence as the nation debates questions of fairness, segregation, and immigration,” according to study co-author Claudia Galindo of the University of ...

Read More

Entire County Benefits When Census Tracts Gain Access to Transit


Transit is good for Cleveland's economy.

Transit is good for Cleveland’s economy, according to a new study. Researchers at Cleveland State University’s Center for Economic Development explored the economic impact of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA) over the past decade. They found it’s good for commuters, students, employers, school districts, and healthcare institutions across the region. “[The Transit Authority] is fantastic investment for taxpayers,” Obed Pasha, an assistant professor at Cleveland State and one of the study’s authors, told Streetsblog USA. “Not only does it help lift people out of poverty, it helps revitalize neighborhoods.” Transportation Woes in Cleveland Housing and transportation are important factors to get out of poverty and stay healthy. However, ...

Read More

Tell USDA: Protect SNAP for Kids and Families


SNAP hungry

The attack on SNAP food aid is far from over. After staving off cuts to SNAP in 2018 and 2019, the Trump administration now wants to change the way states determine who qualifies for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The change could take away food from 3 million people, according to health experts. "This rule would take food away from families, prevent children from getting school meals, and make it harder for states to administer food assistance," Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and the Senate Agriculture Committee told NPR. USDA is asking for public comments on SNAP until Sept. 23, 2019. How to Make a Comment to Save SNAP! 1. Copy one of our Salud America! model comments. Tweak the parts in green: SNAP HAS WORTH I am a NAMEOFPROFESSION in NAMEOFPLACE. ...

Read More

Report: America Must Address Systematic Racism, Chronic Adversity So All Kids Can Be Healthy



Early experiences can influence a person’s entire life. Specifically, stress due to adversity, poor nutrition, and exposure to environmental toxins can lead to biological changes, which make people more likely to experience physical and mental health problems later in life. Although individual interventions are important for addressing immediate needs, they alone will not advance health equity, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report provides science-driven recommendations to address the social, economic, environmental, and cultural determinants of health and early adversity. They say to advance health equity, decision-makers must address the systemic root causes of poor health and chronic ...

Read More

3 Ways Oregon Legislators are Addressing the Housing Crisis in Their State


little girl eating and watching TV

For nearly 100 years, it has been illegal to build anything other than detached, single-family homes on most residential land. As a result, many cities are facing a housing affordability and stability crisis which disproportionately displaces Latinos and low-income communities of color, contributing to disparities in health and wealth. That’s why advocates across the country are pushing for rent control and more inclusive zoning laws — and it’s working in Oregon (13.3% Latino). This year, Oregon passed Senate Bill 608 and House Bill 2001. These laws include three major policy changes: Banning no-cause evictions, passing state-wide rent control, and legalizing duplexes. Affordable Housing Crisis As access to affordable housing diminishes across the nation, Americans are ...

Read More