FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: lppipress@luskin.ucla.edu
UCLA LPPI and ASU CLAPR Launch Initiative to Empower Latino Leaders Through Data-Driven Advocacy
LOS ANGELES (June 24, 2024) – In an innovative, collaborative effort, the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI) and Arizona State University Center for Latina/os and American Politics Research (CLAPR) have announced the launch of the Latino Data Hub (LDH) Action Lab. The initiative is set to revolutionize advocacy and policy-making across the United States by equipping Latino leaders with cutting-edge data analysis tools and skills. The LDH Action Lab is supported in part by JPMorgan Chase and a $1MM grant the firm made to UCLA LPPI in 2022.
Starting on June 25, 2024, with its inaugural cohort in Tempe, Arizona, the LDH Action Lab will offer a comprehensive learning experience designed to equip 16 policy advocates and community leaders with the essential tools and skills for data-driven decision-making. The program will start with an in-person session, followed by a series of virtual workshops that extend through the fall of 2024.
The LDH Action Lab curriculum was developed with the goal of transforming the landscape of Latino advocacy by empowering participants to utilize the latest U.S. Census data to inform policy decisions in critical areas such as health, education, housing, and employment. Through a blend of theoretical learning and practical application, the program sharpens data analysis and visualization skills and helps participants translate these insights into practical projects that catalyze meaningful change.
“The Latino Data Hub Action Lab in Arizona represents a significant step forward in our efforts to empower Latino leaders nationwide,” said Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas, director of research at UCLA LPPI. “The program provides essential tools and training and fosters a collaborative environment where leaders can share insights and strategies to magnify their impact.”
Dr. Angie Bautista-Chavez, Assistant Professor in the School of Politics and Global Studies at ASU, added, “This cohort of fellows – with and alongside many other advocates and leaders – work year-round to serve and advocate on behalf of Latinx, Native, Black, Asian, Muslim, Queer, immigrant, rural, and low-income communities across Arizona. For me, this institutional collaboration is an example of the ways that researchers and universities can leverage their positions and resources to bring further support and investments to those working on the ground to make our cities and states – and the United States at large – more inclusive.”
The inaugural cohort of the LDH Action Lab In Tempe brings together an impressive array of dedicated leaders from across Arizona, each nominated by their peers for their commitment to fostering transformative change within their communities. This diverse group includes influential community organizers, policymakers, and educators, all united by their shared goal of leveraging data to drive equitable policy solutions.
- Alisha Vasquez, Communications and Accessibility Manager, Southwest Folklife Alliance
- Andrea Whiting, Co-Founder and President, Tomorrow We Vote
- Annalise Parady, Policy Coordinator, Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project
- Fátima Luna, Chief Resilience Office, City of Tucson
- Genesis Arizmendi, Assistant Professor, College of Science at the University of Arizona
- Jonatan Giudice, Director of Curriculum, Strategy, Fundraising, Trans Queer Pueblo – Semilla de Liberación
- Jose Patino, VP of Education & External Affairs, Aliento
- Kate Hoffman, CEO and Founder, Earn to Learn
- Mario Montoya, Research Analyst + Coalition Consultant, Aliento
- Matthew Sotelo, Director of Leadership, Valle del Sol
- Nelda Liliana Ruiz Calles, Program Manager: Cultural Organizing, Southwest Folklife Alliance & Regeneración (CBO)
- Paul Padilla, Director of Market Intelligence, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Raquel Gutierrez, CEO & Philanthropic Abolitionist, Blue Agave Partners
- Selina Barajas, Founder and Co-Owner, Luna y Sol Cafe
- Valentina Restrepo Montoya, Executive Director and CEO, Arizona Legal Women and Youth Services
- Victoria Villalba, Data & Research Manager, Instituto
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About UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute
The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute is a non-partisan research institute that seeks to inform, engage, and empower Latinos through innovative research and policy analysis. LPPI aims to promote equitable and inclusive policies that address the needs of the Latino community and advance social justice. latino.ucla.edu.
About ASU Center for Latina/os and American Politics Research
The mission of CLAPR is to foster and support thoughtful, objective, and innovative research on the political and policy circumstances of the nation’s Latina/o-Hispanic population, thereby creating a fuller, deeper understanding of politics and governance in the United States. This mission entails facilitating and disseminating research that emphasizes, but is not limited to, empirical and normative theoretical perspectives, historical context, institutional dimensions, and public policy issues which are especially germane to the Latina/o-Hispanic population while also having broad significance for American society and politics.
About JPMorgan Chase
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading financial services firm based in the United States of America (“U.S.”), with operations worldwide. JPMorgan Chase had $4.1 trillion in assets and $337 billion in stockholders’ equity as of March 31, 2024. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Under the J.P. Morgan and Chase brands, the Firm serves millions of customers in the U.S., and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients globally. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.
