Latino faith leaders are reaching out to members of Congress urging action on climate change, which is worsening the fires that are choking their neighborhoods with smoke.

The poor air quality also compounds the suffering of COVID patients who struggle to breathe.

HAF's Hispanic Leadership Network is an intensive 10-month mentoring and leadership program to support young, mid-career and experienced Latino pastors serving high-need rural and urban congregations across the U.S. We are proud to announce our new class of Latino faith leaders. 

At the core of what it means to be comunidad is to help address community needs today and to build our capacity to respond to those needs and challenges into the future, which is why Hispanic Access Foundation is excited to be partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to promote participation and ensure that all Latinos count in the 2020 Census.

HELPING DREAMERS, TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS AND UNDOCUMENTED LATINO COLLEGE STUDENTS

Hispanic Access Foundation’s initiative, “Our DREAMS Scholarship” (Dedicated Resources for Emergency Aid & Means for Success) provides monetary relief and educational resources to Dreamers and other partially protected (TPS) or undocumented students.

Dreamers are those whose parents brought them into the United States before their 16th birthday (and were under the age of 31 in 2012) without proper documentation. Now, Dreamers are in school, have a degree, or are serving in the military. But, the costs are steep – and we’re not just talking about just the filing fees. Even though the Supreme Court allowed DACA to continue, there are new burdens being placed on the program that create more challenges for the Dreamers.

Dreamers are part of our community, and they contribute to our country’s prosperity. Over the next 10 years, Dreamers will contribute an estimated $433 billion to the GDP, $60 billion in fiscal impact, and $12.3 billion in tax dollars directly to Social Security and Medicare if they are allowed to continue to work legally in the U.S.

As we’ve seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most vulnerable communities are people who are undocumented people. People still have bills to pay. Because our undocumented youth already have limited resources, we want to mitigate that by providing emergency aid funds.

Roberto A. Salazar Legacy Scholarship:

Hispanic Access Foundation is excited to announce the first-ever Roberto Salazar Legacy Scholarship to provide monetary assistance in the amount of $10,000 to a young undocumented student pursuing higher education. The scholarship was created this year to honor founding board member Roberto A. Salazar, his legacy and his passion for helping Latino students.

Who is eligible?
Undocumented high school seniors and current undergraduate students who are pursuing a college education in Fall 2024 with a 3.0 GPA or higher.

What is the purpose of the scholarship?
Hispanic Access Foundation is passionate about catapulting the Latino community into action. Our unique mission is to provide Latino leaders with the access, capacity, and the belief to create big changes. Through this scholarship, we hope to provide monetary assistance and relief to an outstanding Latino student who resonates with Hispanic Access’ core values.

What is the amount of the scholarship?
We will be awarding $10,000 to the student to use towards their college education. The scholarship will be disbursed per semester/quarter.

What do I need to apply?
Unofficial transcripts confirming current school enrollment. 

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Latino faith leaders from Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF)’s network recently connected with elected officials in Washington D.C. virtually to discuss why Congress should turn the climate action plan proposed by the House of Representatives Select Committee on the Climate Crisis (SCCC) into legislation. They shared the importance of climate change policy and its impact on Latino communities. 

HAF will hold a series of virtual film screenings of its short film "I Am Cheo" followed by roundtable diiscussions with experts in a variety of conservation, health, and communiity fields. The events are free and open to the public and the first 100 registered will receive a special "CHEO Care Package" in the mail. 

Hispanic Access Foundation is pleased to announce the hiring of Karina Meza, who will serve as the Communications Manager. She will plan and implement HAF’s communications strategy, which includes drafting and submitting press releases, conducting media outreach, managing our social media channels, and executing strategic marketing.

As the Chief of Communications at Hispanic Access Foundation, Karina oversees the communications department and focuses on developing and implementing comprehensive communication strategies aligned with the organization's goals and objectives and establishing clear branding.

As a Mexican American immigrant, Karina is passionate about connecting immigrant communities with the resources they need to enhance their lives and amplifying the voices, often unheard but who enrich our community. She is fluent in Spanish and has over eight years of experience in the communications field.

Before joining Hispanic Access in 2020, Karina was an Account Manager at On The Marc Media, where she oversaw numerous clients’ marketing and public relations needs, including developing and implementing communications strategies, media pitches, media relations, strategic social media, media kits, and strategic marketing. Karina graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned a B.A. in communications with a concentration in public relations.

Why she works for Hispanic Access…

“I first came across Hispanic Access on LinkedIn, and its name grabbed my attention. After clicking on the organization's profile and learning more about its mission, I was sold. I've always wanted to work for an organization that gives back to the Latino community. Working at Hispanic Access is not only enjoyable, but it's fulfilling as well.”

In her spare time…

“I love spending time outside. I enjoy taking walks and biking. I also like going to the gym and weightlifting.”

Her favorite book…

“My favorite book is The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. In high school, this was the first book I read that truly make an emotional impact on my life. It opened my eyes to a different kind of world from what I was used to—a world that isn't just peaches and cream.”

A person she finds inspirational…

“I've always been inspired by Selena Quintanilla. Growing up, she was the first person I found inspirational because of her ability to maintain her Mexican culture while growing up in America. She was one of the first famous people who had handled being Mexican American while in the spotlight. She was an inspiration to many little girls like me who often felt confused about their culture and not being "American" enough nor "Mexican" enough.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With Latino Conservation Week in full swing, Congress’ passing of the Great American Outdoors Act ensures this year’s celebration will be one for the ages.

A new report from Hispanic Access Foundation and the Center for American Progress finds that people of color, low-income communities, and families with children are most likely to be deprived of the benefits that nature provides. The report, which analyzes new data from Conservation Science Partners, comes as the nation’s reckoning with racism and violence against Black people has brought environmental injustices and disparities into greater focus.