Between the lingering impacts of last year’s economic shutdown and emerging variants of the coronavirus, the long-term effects of the pandemic on the workforce are still uncertain. Texas employment has returned to pre-pandemic levels, but recovery has been uneven, e.g., disproportionately impacting black and Hispanic low-skilled workers, and low-to-medium income households.
Author: texaslatinopolicy2019
How Stressed Are Health Providers During the Covid-19 Pandemic?
Latina front-line Covid-19 health workers and providers experience negative effects in the workplace and at home. Their care to farmworkers, immigrants, the homeless, and people living in poverty led to high levels of stressors and anxiety and depressive symptomatology. Policy and program interventions are urged to address their need and well-being.
A Reflection on the Latino Vote in Texas
Political pundits have tried to make sense of the disappointing 2020 outcome in Texas for those of us who have wanted to see the state turn blue. In this essay, I provide my analysis of what happened, the challenges that we face, and the opportunities that we have in turning Texas blue….
Immigrants Economically Vital But Disparaged and Unjustly Treated
Immigrants are a vital part of Texas’ economy. Their consumer spending power totaled 120.3 billion dollars, and they paid $40.6 billion dollars in local, state, and federal taxes. They are significant economic contributors to every Congressional District….
Latino Enrollment in Obama Care Insurance Marketplace: American Rescue Plan ‘Expansion’
Over 1 million Texas Latino are estimated to be eligible for expanded and new subsidized Qualified Health Plan (QHP) coverage under ‘Obama Care. ENROLL by August 15, 2021. Enrollees who received tax credits in 2021 dropped by 79% – from $550 to $120 monthly –
Texas Legislature, Advocacy, and Latino Interest
One would expect Latino interests and concerns among the 87thLegislative Session’s budget priorities given they represent 40% of the states’ population and are a major reason for the state gaining 2 congressional seats: however, …
Latino Professors Over-Perform and Underpaid
Latino faculty representation and leadership is crucial across Texas’s higher education system. Yet, Latino/a faculty is experiencing wage inequities regardless of equivalent and better qualifications. A group of Latino/a professors at UT Austin have been leading efforts to redress the extensively documented promotion and pay inequities that cut across the UT Higher Education System.
Milestone of Misery
More than 100,000 Latinos have now lost their lives to COVID-19. This past week we went over this lamentable threshold. It took about ten months for 50,000 Latinos to die from the pandemic, but it only took four months to add another 50,000. More than 29,000 Latinos have died in California and more than 23,000 […]
Electoral Power and Latino Family Economic Mobility
Latino electoral power is necessary to achieve structural policy change and real economic mobility. Recent record high voter turn-out must fuel year-round organizing efforts for voter participation to shift the states’ power structure as is beginning in Georgia and Arizona.
Improve Health and Economic Security: Expand the Medicaid Program
Latinos comprise over 62% (3.2 million) of Texas’s uninsured population. It includes over 2.5 million and 674,000 Latino adults and children respectively. These numbers do not include Covid-19 related loss of employment-based health insurance coverage.