One year ago today, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the $1.9T bill that sought to assist communities across this nation recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when Latino families were reeling between personal and economic devastation, this historic infusion of federal resources could not have come sooner.
Parents struggling to put food on the table received tax credits to support their families. Those unable to cover their rent now had access to rental assistance to prevent eviction. And additional stimulus checks came just as banking accounts were running on empty.
We are seeing firsthand how these federal investments have lessened the burdens confronted by our Latino community. By delivering significant, flexible resources to state and local governments to address health and economic issues exacerbated by the pandemic, ARPA has become a significant vehicle for Latino grassroots organizations and leaders to rectify long-standing systemic inequities that have adversely impacted the people they serve.
We are now bearing witness to an upswell in power being led by Latino grassroots leaders that is exciting and long overdue. These leaders and their organizations are playing a critical role in meeting the needs of communities and helping to direct ARPA resources to where they are needed most – and it is vital that we do more to support them to meet this moment.
The Latino Community Foundation continues to celebrate and support these grassroots Latino-led organizations, and we are intensifying our own efforts to support those engaged in the American Rescue Plan with grants through our Latino Power Fund, technical assistance, and strategy-forward convening’s.
We call on government, philanthropy, and other relevant decision-makers to center the expertise, wisdom, and trust of community grassroots leaders now in order to leverage these one-time investments as a launching pad toward long-term transformational change.
One year in, we are inspired by the growing glimmers of hope and progress. The next few years will be critical and will only be successful if we invest in Latino leadership and the organizations they lead.
Photo Credit: 99Rootz
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