The upcoming U.S. census will show that the American Latino population is now greater than fifty million, which surpasses the population of California, our largest state, as well as any other Spanish-speaking country in the world except Mexico. With this heft comes greater influence as corporations and politicians alike see Latinos as critical to their success, and so scramble to secure their support.

Latinos — entrepreneurial and social by nature — have embraced this newfound clout by flexing their $1 trillion purchasing muscle and invigorating the political dialogue by sending a growing number of their own to national office. Despite this influence, still, a recent report by the Pew Hispanic Institute shows that Latino potential in the U.S. is stymied by a lack of unified national leadership — especially around key issues like education, public health and immigration reform — that affect Latinos disproportionately and remain stumbling blocks to full equality. continue reading “Before a Latino White House, Comes a Latino Leader”