Hispanic Market

The U.S. Latino community is young, diverse and fast growing, currently 15% of the population and projected to reach 29% by 2050. Already an indelible presence in the American landscape, the impact of the Latino community on the nation's social, political, economic, business and educational domains will continue to expand and shape the future of our society.

With a consumer buying power of nearly $850 billion, the Latino market represents a potential boon to corporate America, and business have taken notice. Increasingly, marketing and product development activities reflect a desire to appeal to Latino tastes and interests, and a growing recognition that Latinos exhibit strong brand loyalty has sparked intense competition for their patronage.

In the political sphere, Latinos will continue to inhabit a growing number of elected positions, giving greater voice to community concerns and needs at the local, state and federal levels. Already, Latinos have been at the helm of some of the nation's biggest cities, such as Miami and Los Angeles, and are represented in both the House and Senate. The highest court in the land now boasts its first Latina justice.

Such is the current and projected impact of the Latino population in the U.S. that savvy businesses and organizations recognize reaching out to them is not only sensible, but necessary to our collective welfare as a nation. On far too many indicators of community well being, Latinos face barriers to advancement that inhibit them from achieving their full potential. Nearly half of Latino students fail to complete high school, and less than 15% go on to earn college degrees. Too many are concentrated in low-wage jobs that place them in a precarious state and make them exceedingly vulnerable to unexpected changes in economic, health and family status.

Those organizations and companies that seek to partner with the Latino community recognize that its prosperity is intricately tied to ours as a nation. Engaging Latinos is no longer an option, but an imperative.