Unlocking Latino Civic Potential 2016 and Beyond [Report]

The Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program and the Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program convened a diverse group of  distinguished  scholars, organizers, and other experts and leaders to discuss the challenges and causes of  low Latino civic participation and to develop recommendations for unlocking Latino civic potential in the United States.  

This is a vital topic, as the U.S. Latino population is growing rapidly, is overwhelmingly  young, and thus will see growing power and influence in American society and politics, if Latinos are able to more fully realize their civic potential. Increasing Latino civic and political participation rates today will pay dividends for generations to come; likewise, missing the opportunity to do so will have consequences to the health of  our democracy for generations to come.  The goal of  the Aspen convening was to develop actionable, innovative, creative, and collaborative strategies to boost Latino civic participation. The group identified key challenges to mobilizing the Latino community civically, including insufficient data collection, differences in citizenship status, as well as lack of  sufficient or sustained investment in engaging the community. They also identified four priority areas to focus on: immigrant integration and naturalization, voter engagement, civic education, and leadership development. The following page lays out the key recommendations in each of  these areas with the hope that others will consider, borrow, adapt, and develop them in ways that truly unlock Latino civic potential in 2016 and beyond.

To download report CLICK HERE.