The Indiana Latino Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to serving Latino communities in Indiana. Established in 2001 as a statewide effort to aid Latino-serving organizations, the Indiana Latino Institute originally focused specifically on health-related programming. Over the years the organization has grown to address many issues of importance to Latino communities, including education.
According to the 2020 federal census, Marion County had 129,286 Latinos, the state’s highest concentration (13.2 percent) and, at 53 percent, the highest growth rate of any racial or ethnic group since 2010. The organization’s programming efforts target Latino students in the Indianapolis Public School system and other Marion County schools with large Latino populations.
The Institute uses a four-pronged approach labeled HEAR (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Research) in its programming structure. Dedicated to college access, college success, and workforce development for Latino high school and college students, the Institute’s educational programming serves as a holistic approach to make system changes that address structural barriers Latino students face in their educational and professional lives. The students are supported through one-on-one mentoring, scholarships, internships, and fellowships to prepare them to become influential leaders in the community.
In 2014, the Indiana Latino Institute partnered with the to bring more targeted programming to Latino students in IPS. It has hosted a college fair through the Indiana Latino Education Summit where students meet college representatives and learn strategies to navigate the college application process. The Institute offers paid internships for Latino students over their summer break and college scholarships.
In 2019, the Indiana Latino Leadership Circle was launched to increase the pool of Latino leaders within Indiana to further the development of communities throughout the state. This newly established program mentors young, emerging Latino leaders in the community and equips them with the necessary tools to provide that same kind of guidance to others.
Through education and advocacy efforts, the Institute’s health program continues to focus on tobacco prevention and cessation in the Latino community statewide. The program’s priority areas include decreasing tobacco use rates, increasing the proportion of Hoosiers not exposed to secondhand smoke, and maintaining a state and local infrastructure necessary to lowering tobacco use rates.
Since its creation, the Indiana Latino Institute’s programs and initiatives have impacted Latinos throughout the state. The organization’s proven individual, family, and community successes, coupled with leading research and visible advocacy efforts, allow the Indiana Latino Institute to be a trusted voice for the Indiana Latino community.
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