About Us

Need Statement

The Texas Latino Policy Symposium (TXLPS) is a response to the absence of an independent non-institutional Latino policy ‘Think Tank’ focused on the Bienstar (well-being) of Latino families.

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Bienestar encompasses social determinants such as education, employment, housing, income, health status, neighborhood-built environments, incarceration, immigration, and civic/voter suppression.  These are but a few of the many salient issues impacting Latino economic mobility, and their ability to build generational wealth. Governmental policy-making permeate all these issues, and too often the Latino community has lacked enough political power and research evidence to influence the desired policy outcome. 

Vision

Policy decisions support Latino bienestar (well-being) contributing to their economic mobility, family stability, and community strengthening.  Latino-based research is continually assessed and translated to inform policy decisions and community involvement in affirming Latino perspectives and equitable solutions. 

Mission

The Texas Latino Policy Symposium is an inter-disciplinary collaborative learning environment to identify community issues, data support needs, and research efforts which can promote, inform, and influence policy decisions directed at improvements in the bienestar (well-being) of Latino families

Guiding Principles

  •  Provide a forum for policy discussions, ideas, and strategies that contributes in increasing and strengthening Latino research, communications, and organizing capacity to influence policy-making. 
  • Conduct evidence-based research that inform policy discussion and decision relevant to Latino social determinant concerns.
  • Collaborate with community organizations and activists through data, analysis, and expert support.
  • Engage policy makers at multiple governmental and private sector levels by giving voice to Latino-based research results in policy deliberations.
  • Utilize strategic communications that advances Latino stories, experiences, conditions and perspectives by developing narrative frames that nurture our community and influence policy

Advisory Board

A voluntary development board provides guidance to the production of the Texas Latino Policy Symposium’s (TXLPS) mission, work and future endeavors. The members of the board are not compensated for their time, nor do they hold a financial stake.  Potential advisers are invited to join the board based on their understanding of the TXLPS mission, vision, and principles.  Advisers are expected to be regular readers and promoters of the TXLPS’s work.  We welcome statewide representation of Advisors with an active interest in the social and economic mobility of Latinos; whether as researchers, activists, service providers, business or policy-makers.

Juan H. Flores, MUP, Health and Social Policy
[email protected] (co-editor)

Belinda Roman, PhD, Economics
[email protected] (co-editor)

Rogelio Saenz, PhD, Sociology
[email protected]

Roger Enriquez, JD
[email protected]

Noelia P. Flores, PhD (Candidate), Demography
[email protected]