AUSTIN, TX – Building a Thriving Central Texas: Advancing Latino Futures, a new report released today by the Hispanic Impact Fund at Austin Community Foundation highlights the contributions of Latinos in Central Texas and the inequities that directly affect their progress. According to the report, Latinos are projected to become the largest ethnic group in Central Texas by 2050, yet Latinos face many systemic barriers in advancing their futures.
The new report examines the landscape of economic security for Latino families through four critical areas: early childhood education, health and wellness, job skills and entrepreneurship, and leadership development.
Data points from the report include:
- Latinos make up 33% of the total population and 43% of the youth population in Central Texas.
- Less than half (48%) of Latino children are deemed “kindergarten ready” at the start of the school year.
- One in four working-age Hispanic adults have no primary healthcare provider.
- The median Latino household in the Austin Metro area earns almost $27,000 less than the median white household.
- Latinos represent nearly 30% of the workforce in Central Texas, yet hold only 7% of all executive positions.
The report — developed in collaboration with Latino consultants from designEDengagement, PBC — includes publicly available data through a variety of sources and community viewpoints that capture the Latino experience. Over 100 perspectives were collected through focus groups with Latino community members that spanned the Central Texas region, including lived experience and socioeconomic status.
“Latinos are a force in the present and the future of Central Texas. Our contributions to the economy and culture can be felt everywhere. Yet, we continue to face significant barriers in our fight to gain equal access to opportunity,” said Yvette Ruiz, co-chair of the Hispanic Impact Fund and vice president of Community Engagement at JPMorgan Chase. “This is why the Hispanic Impact Fund exists—to bridge the racial wealth divide and invest in the future of Latinos. We invite all Central Texans to join us in this effort.”
Data from this report will drive the philanthropic work of the Hispanic Impact Fund, a giving network at Austin Community Foundation that invests in nonprofit solutions to support the economic security and advancement of Latinos in Central Texas. Since the Fund’s inception in 2017, the Fund has awarded $655,000 to 17 local organizations. In 2022, the Hispanic Impact Fund plans to award another $355,000 to 28 Latino-serving nonprofits.
Read the full report. For more information about the Hispanic Impact Fund, visit austincf.org/hispanicimpactfund.