More than 55 members of the Rochester community converged during the pandemic to form the Rochester Latinx Leaders Roundtable in a collective effort to gather information and data regarding the Latino community and publish the first-ever Rochester Latinx Agenda.
Presented at theIbero-American Action League’s virtual 2021 State of the Latinx Community luncheon last month, the 53-page report highlights analyses and recommendations in the areas of language access, arts and culture, housing and faith community, as well as education, health, the LGBTQI+ community, positive youth development, civic engagement and economic development.
The purpose of the agenda is to inform the community of current barriers in the aforementioned areas and provide suggestions as to what can be done to address concerns. Each section outlines the impact and challenges for the Latinx community in each of the categories, followed by a recommendations section that includes such components as policies, systems and funding changes that could improve the Hispanic community.
One of the items in the agenda involves the Rochester City School District, the largest school district in Monroe County that also serves the largest population of Latino students. Recommendations for the RCSD include increasing focus on English language learners and the transition of Spanish-speaking students, as well as building on the partnership with the Latino Education Task Force. The task force was created with Eugenio María de Hostos Charter School to advocate for Latino students’ needs in charter schools.
According to the Rochester Latinx Leaders Roundtable, the living document is not finished and will be updated on a consistent basis as the agenda evolves through the group’s work with community members. The organization will be accepting support, advocacy and partnerships within the community on an ongoing basis.
For more information, to download a copy or add to the Rochester Latinx Agenda, visit https://rochesterlatinx.org.
