Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse culture of Latino communities in the United States and reflect on the unique challenges and opportunities our communities face. Despite the blistering speed of our government, industry, and pop culture advances, Latinos continue to face persistent inequities that limit our collective well-being. Every day, our communities grapple with issues like gun violence, increased access to health care and voting barriers, and the explicit exclusion and dehumanization of our undocumented community members.

Understanding the unique challenges faced by Latino communities is a complex task. For far too long, though, Latinos in the U.S. have been painted as a uniform community. However, as our research shows, the Latino community is incredibly diverse, with varied socioeconomic experiences that can be correlated to where they currently live, their ancestral nation, and immigration status, among other factors.

At the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, we know that data empowers us to understand the diversity of Latino communities and the complexity of the issues they face, informing potential solutions and enabling us to shape more inclusive policies that improve lives. That is why we are excited to launch the Latino Data Hub (LDH).

The LDH does not just offer raw data; it provides customizable visualizations and tools to help decision-makers tailor their strategies to communities’ unique needs. Through dynamic customizations that break down the data by sex, age, citizenship status, and country of origin, among other factors, the LDH empowers all to explore, analyze, and understand crucial insights into Latino communities.

From community-based organizations to academics, elected officials, philanthropists, and industry leaders, we all have a role. The Latino Data Hub is UCLA LPPI’s tool for change, offering insights that have the power to reshape our strategies and achieve better outcomes. It is a powerful resource that allows us to harness the strength of our community.

As we embark on this journey of empowerment and change, we invite you to join us. Sign up for updates and be among the first to access the Latino Data Hub. Together, we can shape our own narrative, drive change, and build a better future for all our communities.