Less than 1 per cent of philanthropic aid reaches Latino communities in the United States. 

Representatives from San Fransisco’s Latino community organisations have now called for better collaboration within the diaspora particularly given resources are currently limited.  

‘Although our communities have grown exponentially, this proportion has not changed in decades,’ says Manuel Ortiz of Social Focus, a nonprofit helping to empower migrant communities in the US. 

‘It’s not about competing for the 1 per cent of philanthropy that goes to Latino organisations,’ Ortiz adds, ‘but about demanding a higher percentage that reflects our contributions in taxes, culture, and much more.’ 

Latin American contribution to the US economy amounted to $1.3 trillion in 2021, according to a study by University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers. 

His comments came in a meeting of Latino community representatives seeking to break unfounded perceptions. 

‘There is a perception that Latinos do not support each other, but that is not necessarily true,’ he said.  

‘We need to sit down and discuss how we can collaborate among our organisations to change this narrative and strengthen our community,’ Ortiz told the meeting, according to Peninsula 360 Press, a publication focused on migrant voices.  

The San Francisco meeting, called ‘La Tertulia’, is the start of future meetings aimed at strengthening collaboration between community organisations in the Bay Area of the US West Coast.  

The upcoming US presidential elections were reported as a concern, with organisers hoping to use simple and accessible language to attract a greater number of Latino voters.  

Shafi Musaddique is the news editor at Alliance magazine.