Latino culture is American culture. A new generation is proving it.
On May 6, 2018, just over one year after Barack Obama was elected president of the United States, the first ever Latino Academy Awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles to honor the year’s best in cinema and television.
Los Angeles is a city known for its diverse ethnic and cultural makeup. And while Latino representation in the United States remains stubbornly low, the city continues to expand its Latino population.
“Los Angeles is the one place in the United States where Latinos account for nearly one-third of the population and more than half of the area’s estimated total population,” a news report on a 2017 CNN “Pivot to Latino” program stated in a January 2018 feature story on the City of Angels.
In fact, the city now boasts the most diverse demographic in the country at the census-designated boundaries, with one in every four residents being a Latino.
Today, Latinos constitute the largest ethnic and racial group in the city, and make up more than 10 percent of the population. And they have also become a leading economic asset and the leading educational and cultural force within the city.
The LA-Latinos in Action Network for Education and Community Health, (LA-LILAC), an initiative of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, has made that transformation possible through a myriad of efforts, efforts many of which continue today.
“Our mission is to connect and empower Latino people to become a part of the community’s civic life and to become involved in the community’s service and social welfare efforts,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in a written statement. “As the Latino population continues to grow in our city, we must continue to expand opportunities for all to make their contribution in all aspects of our life, regardless of where they come from or their circumstances.”
LACOHS President and CEO Dr
