Latinos in DC Metro Area

This is a quick demographic profile of Latinos residing in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area. The factsheet includes recent statistics from the US Census, reputable research institutions or local and federal government on nationality, immigration status, geography, employment, housing, income and poverty, language proficiency, etc.


A Place at the Table: Latino Civil Rights Ten Years after the Mount Pleasant Disturbances, Conclusions and Recommendations of the Civil Rights Review Panel
Washington Lawyers' Committee, 2004
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On the anniversary of disturbances in the Latino neighborhood of Mount Pleasant more than ten years ago, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee and ten area law firms released a series of reports analyzing and documenting the civil rights barriers faced by Latinos in the Washington, D.C. area. The areas studied as part of this effort were: 1) access to justice; 2) police abuse and communications with police; 3) access to education; 4) access to health services; 5) employment discrimination; 6) housing discrimination, and; 7) immigration policy. A Civil Rights Review Panel, composed of national and local experts on Latino issues, including CARECEN’s Executive Director, Saul Solórzano, guided the preparation of the reports. Representatives from the Latino community, formed in a Community Advisory Group, also provided important input and case examples to assist in the development of the reports.


Education Issues in the Latino Community: Latinos are Dropping out of High School at an Alarming Rate
CARECEN, 2005
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This report is the result of months of work performed by students from Cesar Chavez Public Policy Charter School, under the supervision of CARECEN's Citizenship and Civic Participation program staff. The students dedicated themselves to not just learning about the issues that affect their community, but also work towards implementing solutions that could have an impact on them. The report deals with the alarming rate of Latinos dropping out of high school. Year after year, Latino Youth continue to represent the majority of high school dropouts. Students understand that in order to succeed in this country, one has to be able to take advantage of all the opportunities that are available, but without an education, those opportunities diminish.


The State of Latinos in the District of Columbia: Trends, Consequences and Recommendations
Council of Latino Agencies, September 2002
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Latinos contribute in unique ways to the social, economic and cultural growth of the District of Columbia. Combining the spirit of struggle for human rights and self determination in Latin America with the legacy of the African American civil rights movement in the United States, Latinos have worked alongside other DC residents to seek fairness in treatment and a better quality of life for all. However, tracking the characteristics, challenges and contributions of the District's Latino community has been restricted by the unavailability of data on indicators such as Latino student achievement, housing conditions, employment, health status and access to services. This report combines statistical data, qualitative research findings, and policy analysis to fill these information gaps, identify areas for further research, and generate critical, strategic debate on the future of the city's development.


Racial and Ethnic Tensions in American Communities: Poverty, Inequality, and Discrimination. Volume I: The Mount Pleasant Report.
A Report of the United States Commission on Civil Rights by Patricia Orloff, 1993
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Civil rights issues affecting the Latino community in Washington (District of Columbia) were explored in a 3-day fact-finding hearing involving the sworn testimony of more than 100 witnesses. Information from extensive field investigation and research was also included. The District's Latino population is a small but rapidly increasing minority group that is predominantly low skilled, poor, and in need of social services. Most are either undocumented immigrants or Salvadorans. Police community relations are strained in part due to the District's Civilian Complaint Review Board's inability to investigate and process citizen complaints of police misconduct. In addition, Latinos entering the District court system face severe disadvantages due to ignorance and language barriers. Despite Latino pressure to increase the number of Latinos in the city government, the number of Hispanics in government is proportionately low. Language and cultural barriers limit access to health and social services for Latino residents. Further inadequate low-income housing and lack of educational services are major problems for inner city Latinos. Barriers to educational opportunity such as insufficient bilingual and English-as-a-Second-Language programs; unequal immigrant access to public schools, especially for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students; the resort to corporal punishment by frustrated teachers; problems connected with Latino eligibility for in-state tuition; and communication problems among parents, teachers, and school administrators are considered. A pattern of police misconduct, government resistance to hiring Hispanics, and failure to address bilingual service needs exist. The report includes dissenting views by Commissioner Carl A. Anderson, a police department response to the report, and correspondence.