Earlier this month, the Department of Commerce Office of Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships, in collaboration with Hispanic Access, hosted the National Latino Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. The event aimed to empower the Latino community and enhance their advocacy capabilities.
Secretary Raimondo, Deputy Secretary Graves, and Senator Padilla delivered keynote remarks at the summit. David Armijo, Chief of Programs at Hispanic Access, also spoke. They emphasized President Biden's commitment to uplifting Latino communities nationwide and outlined various resources and opportunities provided by national partnerships. The speakers highlighted programs supported by the Biden-Harris Administration that benefit Latino communities and businesses crucial for America's global economic competitiveness.
The summit underscored the significant role of the Latino community in the U.S. economy. Business and organization leaders were encouraged to engage at state and federal levels to access resources under President Biden's Investing in America agenda, which aims to foster economic growth, entrepreneurship, and job creation.
A bipartisan panel featuring Congresswoman Lori Chavez-Deremer, Congressmen Darren Soto and Adriano Espaillat, and Representative Angela Romero shared success stories from partnerships with the Latino community. They discussed efforts towards increased representation and resources for Latinos as well as issues related to economic equity in underserved communities.
An interagency panel included representatives from several federal departments such as Education (ED), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Economic Development Administration (EDA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and CHIPS for America. These representatives presented various resources supporting workforce development, technical assistance, climate resilience data analysis techniques, business innovation funding opportunities, among others.
Four breakout sessions provided detailed examples of achievements by leaders within the Latino community who continue advancing initiatives to improve quality of life. Key topics included access to capital for unrepresented communities and digital equity.
Community leaders along with Bureau leaders from agencies like U.S. Census Bureau, EDA, CHIPS for America, International Trade Administration (ITA), Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), NOAA, NTIA, and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) discussed workforce development strategies focused on business entrepreneurship data innovation climate resilience financial literacy faith leaders addressed challenges opportunities ways partner effectively non-faith groups achieve common goals
Portions of the summit are available via recorded live stream.
Learn more about the Office of Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships.
