Activist Debora Braga Highlights Challenges in Social Assistance for the Latin Community in the U.S.
ECONOMYCOMMUNITYCULTURE
Despite being 18.4 percent of the U.S. population and 17.3 percent of the labor force, Latinos face challenges such as lower wages, limited access to education, food, housing, and essential services. Braga notes that their household wealth is one-fifth that of White Americans, impacting their ability to accumulate and pass on wealth through generations.
The Latin community in the United States, as revealed by social activist Debora Braga, is grappling with significant challenges in accessing social assistance. Drawing on over 40 years of experience in social assistance in Brazil, Colombia, and the U.S.
Debora Braga underscores the economic fallout, stating that Hispanics or Latinos, along with other communities of color, accounted for 23 percent of the initial job loss during the pandemic, despite comprising only 16 percent of the civilian noninstitutional population. Hispanic or Latina women have experienced disproportionate economic impacts, constituting 45 percent of U.S. job losses in December 2021.
Despite being 18.4 percent of the U.S. population and 17.3 percent of the labor force, Latinos face challenges such as lower wages, limited access to education, food, housing, and essential services. Braga notes that their household wealth is one-fifth that of White Americans, impacting their ability to accumulate and pass on wealth through generations.
While Latinos born in the U.S. enjoy higher wages and intergenerational mobility than foreign-born Latinos, there remains a significant disparity compared to non-Latino White Americans. Latinos earn just 73 cents for every dollar earned by their White counterparts and encounter discrimination in securing financing for businesses.
Debora Braga emphasizes the importance of nonprofit organizations with social assistance programs in the U.S., asserting that they play a crucial role in supporting the Latin community and contributing to the U.S. economy. The research indicates that Latinos collectively are underpaid by $288 billion annually, reinforcing the necessity of effective social assistance programs to address the pressing challenges faced by the Latin community in the United States.