Política / Politics

UCLA receives funding for research resources on Latino policy by MARISOL RAMOS

LOS ANGELES, CA | UCLA LUSKIN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS | August 16, 2021 - The UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative has received an 18-month, $2.5 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The funding will support two new research databases that will help identify and analyze the unique public policy issues surrounding Latinos.

Ultimately, research based on the information in the databases should help decision-makers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors understand how policies that improve the lives of Latinos will benefit the entire nation. “As the largest nonwhite minority group in the United States, Latinos are integral to building a prosperous future for all Americans,” said Sonja Diaz, founding director of the Latino Policy and Politics Initiative. “Yet Latinos face significant barriers to economic opportunity, political representation and social mobility. This funding will enable us to reliably collect data that brings Latinos and the issues that impact them out of the shadows and to create real policy solutions that build a truly inclusive economy and democracy.” Both databases will be freely available to policymakers, advocates, scholars and the public as a comprehensive resource to broaden understanding of issues affecting the Latino community. The first database, the Latino Data Hub, will contain data from verified sources on demographics, socioeconomics and civic participation that will help policymakers, community organizations, philanthropists and businesses design and promote policies that benefit Latino communities. Drawing on UCLA’s unparalleled depth of expertise on issues that impact the Latino community, the database is intended to become a go-to resource for national, state and local data. It also will include statistics and information on climate change and the environment, economic opportunity and social mobility, education, health and housing, all of which contribute to Latino well-being. As it evolves, the hub will enable users to track progress and setbacks in efforts to ensure a more equitable nation for Latinos. The importance of clear, reliable and actionable data on Latino communities has been demonstrated repeatedly by the Latino Policy and Politics Initiative, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past 18 months, the group has produced research reports focusing on safe access to voting, the costs of excluding undocumented workers from socioeconomic relief programs and other critical issues. “The global pandemic has laid bare long-standing inequities that permeate virtually all our systems and institutions,” said Ciciley Moore, program officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “It also opened a door of opportunity to correct this legacy of inequity, and now is the time to be proactive in building the future we want. Investing in the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Initiative to provide cutting-edge data and research resources means investing in the future where equity is realized.” The second database, the Latino Research Redistricting Hub, will include statistical, geographic and historical data and analyses to help illuminate how the drawing of state and federal electoral maps affects Latino communities. Redistricting impacts a wide range of issues, from the number of parks in a neighborhood to congressional representation, and the hub will be a resource for officials engaged in redistricting decisions. Its goal is to ensure fair representation in politics and government for the nation’s diverse Latino communities. “Before we can address inequity, we must tell the truth about our conditions, and that is what data does,” Moore said. “We are proud to invest in creating tools that help us see our biggest challenges clearly and identify equitable solutions that enable us all to thrive.” Other recent research by the Latino Policy and Politics Initiative has highlighted the growing political power of the Latino electorate and paths to creating long-term engagement among Latino voters. The initiative also helped secure court victories around voting rights in Texas and Pennsylvania and pushed for the creation of a Latino-focused Smithsonian museum.

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT AMHERST FINE ARTS CENTER continued from page 12

and, through his efforts to attract national talent and create a vibrant and diverse campus, the Fine Art Center’s beloved founding director emeritus, Dr. Frederick Tillis was recruited to join the faculty. The name of the building may change, but the Fine Arts Center’s mission to serve as a cornerstone for the campus and larger community will not. Fine Arts Center Director Jamilla Deria says, “We are honored that the Fine Arts Center building will be named after such a visionary leader as Chancellor Bromery. As he was so instrumental in diversifying the UMass Amherst campus, it seems fitting that a building that houses so many creative endeavors by our diverse community of students, faculty and professionals alike should bear his name and continue this legacy.” Devastating as the pandemic was to the UMass Amherst campus, the 2020/21 lockdown nevertheless gave University administrators the necessary space and time to address other overdue infrastructure concerns. The college’s administrative team applied for and received state and federal grants to provide for a more accessible box office and improved air quality in the Bowker Auditorium via a new HVAC system. Additional grant funding has allowed the university to increase the program budget and purchase new infrastructure with the intention of providing increased outdoor programming and the ability to commission artist residencies in service of new work exclusive to the university. With these strategic enhancements, the Fine Arts Center has become a multiplatform presenter, bringing high quality performances and exhibitions to the community through a carefully balanced panoply of digital, in-person, and open air venues. Amherst students and residents can expect an increasing degree of world-class performance and visual arts from the Fine Arts Center this year and in forthcoming seasons. As previously noted, UMass Amherst’s 2021-22 policy requires all faculty, staff, and students to be vaccinated, and until further notice, all patrons, and visitors to Fine Arts Center in-person performances, the University Museum of Contemporary Art, Augusta Savage Gallery and Hampden Gallery must wear a face mask. As both UMass and Massachusetts’ state safety guidelines for public gatherings quickly change in response to the ongoing success of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination program, UMass Amherst continues to reassess its on-site protocols for upcoming shows with the intention of safely accommodating attendees. For the most current guidelines, program updates and additional venue information and restrictions, please visit umass.edu/coronavirus.

GALLERY AND MUSEUM HOURS

Admission is free to all Fine Arts Center galleries and museums. COVID NOTICE: Based on current state and University Covid-19 restrictions, Fine Arts Center venues including Bowker Auditorium, the Concert Hall, Augusta Savage Gallery, Hampden Gallery, and the University Museum of Contemporary Art, are only open for in person visits to the on-campus UMass community. For more complete information about our virtual events, please visit our FAQ page. Timed entry tickets

are required for Augusta Savage Gallery and the University Museum of

Contemporary Art. Note: Hours are for the academic year. The galleries and museum are closed when the university is not in session.

University Museum of Contemporary Art

Tues-Fri, 11am to 4:30pm UMass Community Only Closed during State and University holidays. tel: (413) 545-3670

Augusta Savage Gallery

Tues-Fri, 2pm to 5pm UMass Community Only tel: (413) 545-5177

Hampden Gallery

Currently closed Closed during State, Federal and University holidays. tel: (413) 545-0680