Despite the social, cultural, political, and economic contributions of Latinos to the “American” way of life, they continue to endure a great deal of resentment, discrimination, and marginalization. Several issues plague the Latino community: immigrants—particularly “illegal” immigrants—are often criminalized and viewed as a burden; accents and surnames are still used to position them as perpetual foreigners; “English Only” policies are zealously upheld to exclude and silence them; and deceptive stereotypes frequently inform their depiction as menacing and untrustworthy. Nevertheless, Latinos continue to thrive in the U.S. and they have a vested interest in improving our nation’s future.
Due to the exponential growth of the Latino community in Maryland, the Latino Providers Network (LPN) is a coalition of individuals and organizations that provide support and services to the Latino community within the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. Each month, LPN members come together to discuss current needs and future trends impacting Latinos and to explore the manner in which obstacles and opportunities exist and to what extent.
The LPN’s overarching mission is to maximize resources in the Latino community through networking, advocacy, and education.
