Marcela Betancur | Director, Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University
1. You have significant experience in housing. How does this relate to the work of the Latino Policy Institute? Access to a safe, affordable and healthy home is an essential pillar in supporting a healthy, productive life. Individuals, especially children, who struggle with homelessness or poor housing conditions are at greater risk of unemployment, poverty and poor health. In the Latino community these risks increase, especially for newly arrived immigrants.
2. Aside from housing, what are the challenges affecting the Latino population? Latinos face challenges in accessing and affording college, earning fair wages and affording health care and medication. While many Rhode Islanders face similar issues every day, it is imperative to understand that due to systematic issues in these areas, underrepresented populations … tend to carry a heavier burden.
3. What is the homeownership rate of Latino Rhode Islanders and is it representative? In 2015, a collaborative report by HousingWorks RI at Roger Williams University and LPI found that the average homeownership rate in Rhode Island for non-Latinos was about 64 percent, while Latinos only represented 26 percent of homeowners. This wide gap within our state can be attributed to several factors, including lower wages and lack of financial and educational resources focused toward Latinos.
4. Regarding education, what can Rhode Island do differently to help students achieve, and help adults progress to better-paying jobs? The current supports that school districts receive for their multilingual learners and students with disabilities … have left our state dead last when it comes to overall educational achievement for those students. This lack of support and investment in the formative years of our young people directly impacts how they will do in the workforce.
5. Where will you take the organization – do you have some early priorities? I look forward to working with the LPI advisory board and others within Roger Williams University to develop a detailed and thoughtful strategic plan for the organization. We want to ensure that we continue to highlight many of the gaps and opportunities that exist in our Latino community, while also providing solutions.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at Macdonald@PBN.com.
