One in four young people in California identifies as Latino. The average age of Latinos is 30 years old, which makes us a relatively young ethnic group compared to others.

This has several implications for society. Youth and the stable growth of the Latino community are changing the social, economic and political fabrics of communities.

In education, schools are adapting to the growing number of Hispanic students by integrating bilingual education and culturally responsive teaching methods.

As communities see growing numbers of cultural festivals, restaurants and media that cater to or are influenced by the Hispanic community, Latinos are more visible, enriching the country's cultural scene and inviting a closer appreciation of Latino cultural heritage.

On the economic front, there also has been an increase in the number of small businesses owned by Latinos. In 2023, the United States Small Business Administration reported 4.5 million small businesses, creating jobs for 2.9 million people. Latinos have become a market segment of great importance for local and national companies.

But not everything is rosy for the Latino community. According to a Statista report published in June, 15.2% of Hispanic families lived below the poverty level in the United States in 2022. This means that these families, despite having one or more jobs, cannot meet some of their basic human needs, which commonly include clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and housing.

The report notes that curbing the high cost of living is the top priority for Latinos between the ages of 18 and 29, followed by job creation and affordable health care.

On Sept. 15, our Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations begin under the theme of pioneers of change, shaping the future together. We have decided to open the space to the young voices of the Latino community, those who are already shaping a vision of empowerment and equity in education and society in general.

The road to a Latino community that is genuinely included at all levels of our society is long and challenging. However, we are confident that the younger generations of Latinos have the tools, passion and love for our community to press forward and achieve their goal.

The UC ANR Latinx & Friends Employee Resource Group invites you to join in celebrating Latino contributions and listening to these young voices in a series of Zoom meetings that highlight the important contributions of Latinos and the challenges facing the Latino community.

Friday, Sept. 13, 1 – 2:30 p.m.: Hear from UC ANR Vice President Glenda Humiston and keynote speaker Carlos Suarez, State Conservationist and leader of the California Natural Resources Conservation Service, on the impact of Latinos on agriculture, focusing on their vital role in California's agricultural sector.

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 1 – 2:30 p.m.: Join Brent Hales, UCANR associate vice president for research and Cooperative Extension, and keynote speaker Javier Diego Jacinto, an academic whose activism and scholarly work intersect with language, race, religion and immigration and is rooted in his Mazatec heritage from Oaxaca, Mexico. He will shed light on the profound economic impact and ongoing challenges facing Latinos in the U.S.

Wednesday Oct. 2, 1 – 2 p.m.: Mathew Sandoval, cultural historian and recipient of the 2024 “Public Scholar” award from the National Endowment for the Humanities, will give a presentation on "The True Meaning of the Day of the Dead and the Cultural Appropriation of the Ancient Mexican Celebration."

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 1 – 2:30 p.m.: Hear from Tu Tran, UC ANR associate vice president for business operations. Keynote speaker Erica Alfaro, author and motivational speaker, will speak about the role of education in empowering Latinos, highlighting accomplishments and areas for growth. In 2019, Alfaro became the first woman in her family to earn a graduate degree. Her graduation photo, showing Alfaro in cap and gown standing in a strawberry field with her farmworker parents, went viral and made headlines.

Don't miss these opportunities to celebrate and reflect on the dynamic contributions of Latinos in our community.

Register for the Zoom events at https://ucanr.edu/HHM2024events.

If you would like to download a Zoom background to show your support for Hispanic Heritage Month, visit https://espanol.ucanr.edu/Hispanic_Heritage_Month/Mes_de_la_Herencia_Hispana_2024/Recursos_Resources_720/.