UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute: Researching for a More Equitable Future
The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute (UCLA LPPI) stands as a crucial research institution dedicated to informing policy reforms that create opportunities for all Americans, using data and facts as its guiding principles. Founded in 2017 as the Latino Policy & Politics Initiative by Dr. Matt Barreto, Dr. Gary Segura, and Sonja Diaz, through a partnership between the Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Division of Social Sciences, UCLA LPPI officially became an institute in 2022. Today, UCLA LPPI is led by Faculty Director and Associate Professor Dr.. With the goal of reflecting the needs of the nation’s new majority, LPPI infuses data and facts into governance and policymaking so that Latinos and communities of color have the tools necessary to meaningfully participate in American democracy.
Core Mission and Values
UCLA LPPI’s core function as an applied research institute is designed to inform evidence-based policy and improve governance. The institute consistently avoids any conflicts of interest between its funding and its mission, and upholds its commitment to evidence-based policy and governance. Independence is critical to the organization's ability to be a trusted research and public policy entity.
To further its mission, UCLA LPPI receives generous support from philanthropic and government partners. All financial contributions associated with particular research products are publicly acknowledged in written form in the acknowledgments section of each report, where applicable. Further, other research products, including convenings, webinars, and policy conferences that were made possible by generous donors, bear appropriate attributions on event collateral. UCLA LPPI also commits to funding transparency, including appropriate financial disclosures through its annual reports and across specific research products. However, UCLA LPPI reserves the right to reject or return support from any donor or funder at any time.
UCLA LPPI welcomes external review of its work by other academic experts and civil society leaders to enhance research quality. In very limited circumstances, research process engagement from civil society and 501c3 funders may occur when it presents an opportunity for centering racial equity in the research process. UCLA LPPI retains all intellectual property rights to its research, which enables the widespread dissemination of data and insights for public use and elongates the communications window to include new formats including essays, interactive features, data visualizations, blog posts, op-eds, media interviews, and public presentations.
Research Focus Areas
UCLA LPPI has cultivated the largest concentration of Latino policy experts of any research university in the country. The institute strives to disseminate the findings and insights from its work widely across a diverse array of channels for widespread public consumption. Their research spans various critical areas impacting the Latino community, including:
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Climate Change and Environmental Justice
Latino communities are disproportionately affected by climate change, facing higher rates of heat-related illness, asthma, and poor air quality. Recognizing this disparity, LPPI, together with the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge, develops ongoing analyses that examine the short and long-term consequences of the wildfires on Latino communities-focusing on health vulnerabilities, economic disruptions, and gaps in preparedness. LPPI has been proud to collaborate through the Latino Data Hub to help close information gaps and equip decision-makers with the tools they need to drive meaningful outcomes.
Housing Insecurity and Displacement
Housing instability is a significant concern for Latino and Black communities, particularly in the face of climate disasters and rapid policy changes. LPPI received a $500,000 grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to study how communities recover from shocks to the housing system, and how these disruptions affect long-term housing affordability and stability for Latino and Black residents. The project focuses on how communities recover from shocks to the housing system, such as climate disasters or rapid policy changes, and how these disruptions affect long-term housing affordability and stability for Latino and Black residents. A key finding from their research on wildfire recovery revealed alarming trends:
- Nearly 70% of severely damaged homes show no signs of rebuilding.
- Outside investors have bought 2 out of every 3 severely damaged homes that changed hands, raising concerns about displacement and affordability.
Economic Opportunity and Equity
LPPI's research extends to economic disparities, including the gender pay gap, which is often compounded by race, location, and identity. A new factsheet reveals that in 2023, Latinas made a median $17 per hour, while all men averaged $25. This data highlights the urgent need for policies that promote economic equity for Latinas and other marginalized groups.
Child Migration and Labor Exploitation
Unaccompanied children migrating to the United States, a majority of whom are from Latin America, face significant risks of labor exploitation, injury, and even death. LPPI addresses this critical issue by examining housing insecurity in the United States as a root cause of why these children end up in dangerous jobs.
Voting Rights
In 2024, the UCLA Voting Rights Project, which was originally housed at UCLA LPPI, became its own entity under the direction of LPPI’s Founding Faculty Director, Dr.
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Dissemination and Impact
UCLA LPPI strives to disseminate the findings and insights from its work widely across a diverse array of channels for widespread public consumption. To ensure accessibility, LPPI provides resources like the Latino Data Hub, a bilingual platform that stays live and open to everyone, using Census microdata. This commitment to accessibility ensures that policymakers, community leaders, and the public have the information they need to make informed decisions.
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