Video Series Overview
By profiling five American locales with thriving Hispanic and Latino American populations, WorkingNation seeks to address the obstacles these communities face when competing for in-demand jobs like healthcare, education, and green infrastructure to ensure workforce equity.
Beyond illuminating the systemic issues at play, we will highlight stories about Hispanic and Latino American workers, groups, communities, and businesses that have leveraged their ingenuity, work ethic, and community values in ways that have allowed them to sidestep obstacles and build their own ladder toward financial stability.
Between Tradition and Transition
Chicago’s Hispanic neighborhoods like Pilsen and Little Village balance cultural preservation with economic development, but now residents must come up with innovative solutions to combat the growing threat of gentrification in an effort to maintain affordability and identity.
Success Stories in Smaller Cities
As Hispanic communities in major cities leverage their collective power to make significant strides in the fight for equity, their success underscores the urgent need to replicate these efforts in smaller towns and rural areas.
Urban programs have shown the impact of addressing systemic challenges through grassroots organizing and policy advocacy, but these strategies are just as critical in regions often overlooked by large-scale reforms. Expanding solutions that address labor rights, healthcare access, education, and economic development into non-urban areas can create widespread benefits by reducing regional disparities that hinder national progress. These efforts strengthen local economies, provide stability for families, and reduce regional disparities, ensuring that all workers can contribute not only to their communities but to the broader economy at large.
Work In Progress Overview
By exploring two critical facets of workforce equity, WorkingNation highlights the systemic barriers faced by Hispanic and Latino Americans in achieving financial stability while spotlighting innovative efforts to overcome these challenges.
The risk of being left behind in the tech workforce
Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of the Hispanic Federation, and Mauricio Garcia, senior VP of programs for UnidosUS, discuss the digital divide that is steepening barriers to family-sustaining jobs for Latinos and Hispanics. According to the Pew Research Center, 80% of whites are connected to broadband internet, while only 65% of Latinos are. That digital disparity means Latinos may get less encouragement to seek digital training. Without a high level of digital skills, Latinos are increasingly shut out of career opportunities.
Increasing the number of diverse startups begins with changes in the VC industry
Despite making up 19.5% of the U.S. population, less than 2% of all professionals in the venture capital industry and ecosystem are Latino. Mariela Salas, Ph.D., executive director of SomosVC, a nonprofit focused on accelerating and elevating the presence of Latinos and Latinas in the venture capital industry. The organization argues that if more Latinos become VCs, more money will flow to diverse startup founders.
The Fight for Puerto Rico's Recovery
Food for Thought
Hispanic Doctors: Missing from Medicine
Between Tradition and Transition
Success Stories in Smaller Cities
Work in Progress Overview
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