Meet LA Vanguardia: The Latino innovators, instigators and power players breaking through barriers to change
It’s no secret that in the U.S., Latinos, specifically, have been making their mark on the world. The 2016 National Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the strides that Latinos have made, but even more are working on ways to empower them to make their voices heard, and move their communities forward in meaningful and powerful ways, and, as a result, their voices as well.
A 2017 report by The Pew Research Center indicated that Latinos are now the largest minority in the United States, with the total number having surpassed all other minority groups. This is a historic shift in numbers, but perhaps most shocking is that many of the fastest-growing groups are Latino. With the increase of Latinos in the country being about the same as the increase in the U.S. population itself, this can indicate that Latinos are now a larger cultural force in the U.S. and, indeed, the world.
That may be particularly true now with regards to young Latinos, who are now the largest single minority. For example, the Latino Population in the U.S. is estimated to increase by approximately 31 million by 2020. Moreover, the percentage of Latinos in the U.S. is expected to increase from 10 percent in 2012 to 15 percent by 2020. This number is expected to rise as the largest immigrant group from Latin America.
What then, can young Latino immigrants expect when looking to their new nation and home?
The answer to this question is that Latinos in the U.S., and certainly at the University of the Pacific, are making a significant impact on those around them and their communities. There has a been a significant increase in the number of Latino leaders within Pacific University and beyond, and they are doing just that.
This is a time period in which young people are beginning to take action to make a difference in their country and the world. They want to stand up and be counted. As Pacific President, Jeffrey Williams said, “… we have one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation but have one of the least diverse faculty. It’s time to step up and find ways to bridge the
