Nonprofit Spotlight: El Pueblo

Giving

In November 2021, PennyLoafer donors collectively gave to El Pueblo.

The Rundown

• Years founded: 1995

• Leadership: Iliana Santillan, Executive Director, is a first-generation Latina immigrant from Mexico. She’s been advocating for the Latinx population her entire career, including 4 years spent as an organizer for El Pueblo.

• Issue they address: injustices faced by the Latinx community.

• What they do: build collective action to create positive social change for the Latinx community in North Carolina.

• How they do it:

• Advocacy and Policy Change: register voters, foster direct action and civic engagement, organize and advocate for equitable polices.

• Leadership Development: they have both adult and youth leadership development programs to build skills, learn about social justice work and develop community advocates.

• Cultural Celebration: host La Fiesta del Pueblo, the area’s largest Latin heritage celebration, among other events.

Why they were chosen

El Pueblo’s leadership and team demonstrate a deep commitment and understanding of community needs. This past year, they quickly pivoted to help with food distribution, vaccination stations, and vaccine education.

• The org works tirelessly to support their community, promote Latinx culture and advance their rights in the state, organizing around better education, health and immigration policies.
• In 2019 alone, they fought 14 separate anti-immigrant policies from moving forward in the NC General Assembly.
• They integrate youth leaders into their governance, operations and program design process.

Learning

📈  North Carolina’s Hispanic / Latinx population grew by 40% between 2010-2020, compared to 23% nationally. They are the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the state.

Money Talks

💸  Latinx-led grassroots nonprofits receive just 1.1% of total philanthropic funds.

⛔  And although Latinx-owned businesses are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. small business ecosystem, they are significantly less likely to get a bank loan approved than their white counterparts.

Behind the Term Latinx

👂 While Hispanic and Latino are the two dominant pan-ethnic labels used in the U.S., Latinx is a newer, gender neutral alternative.

• This article dives into the history of the different terms that have tried to encompass an incredibly diverse population.
• According to Pew Research, only 23% of U.S. adults who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino have heard of the term, and just 3% say they use it to describe themselves. (El Pueblo uses the term Latinx).

If you enjoyed this and want to get involved, you can support the Racial Justice cause on PennyLoafer, starting with as little as $5/month. Each month, you’ll support and learn about a different nonprofit creating a more equitable world.