Mapping the State of Latino USA

Abstract

Mapping the State of Latino USA invites policymakers and Latino advocates to broaden the scope of attention to Latino livelihoods to include all corners of the country. Although Latinos are numerically concentrated in well-known places in the Southwest, Northeast, Florida, and Chicago, overlooked pockets of counties with largely- and fast-growing Latino populations are scattered across the country. Observing characteristics such as citizenship, English proficiency, labor occupation, and gender ratios offer a clue for where to shift our attention. An RStudio analysis clarifies the illustration. Existing conditions, White-Latino inequalities, and changes in inequality between 2012 and 2019 are mapped and analyzed to determine overarching patterns. An “Opportunity Index” is compiled to identify the state of opportunity for Latinos today. An “Inequality Index” is derived by aggregating and scaling White-Latino inequalities. Lastly, an “Trajectory Index” is tallied to identify how the landscape of opportunity has shifted in recent years. Centered on comprehensive data analysis, a set of policies to pursue and geographies to explore is listed based on overlapping poor existing conditions, high inequalities, and deteriorating prospects of opportunity. Policies to Pursue: • Prompt Pathway to Citizenship to Promote Access to Education, Health Insurance, Housing, and Economic Security • Interrupt the Cycle of Poverty through Access to Education and Labor Reform in the Agricultural, Manufacturing, and Food Processing Industries Geographies to Explore: • Pacific Northwest • Great Plains • Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion • Northeast Corridor