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PRESS ARCHIVE


RESEARCH LIBRARY


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PRESS ARCHIVE


RESEARCH LIBRARY


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LATINA FUTURES,
2050 LAB
STRATEGIC PLAN

JOIN FOR UPDATES
JOIN FOR UPDATES


PIONEERING RESEARCH TO
ACHIEVE EQUITY FOR LATINAS BY 2050

Latinas have been systematically overlooked in academia and policy discussions.
Despite their significant contributions to diverse communities’ labor force and
well-being, Latinas remain significantly underrepresented in influential
sectors, including law, media, business, science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM). Taking an intersectional approach, Latina Futures, 2050 Lab (LFL)
responds to persistent inequalities experienced by Latinas and similarly
situated populations.

In a landmark move, the California Latino Legislative Caucus’s Unseen Latinas
Initiative allocated $15 million to UCLA in the summer of 2022 to establish LFL,
a pioneering initiative that envisions a society where Latinas have an equal
opportunity to lead, and where everyone thrives.

LFL investigates and addresses the experiences of Latinas’ in the labor market,
their engagement in civic leadership, and their well-being. This research is
driven in part by the stark wage gap Latinas continue to face and their severe
underrepresentation in critical fields that will determine the future of our
state, country, and planet.

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WE ARE SETTING OUR SIGHTS ON ACHIEVING MEANINGFUL POSITIVE CHANGE BY THE YEAR
2050. BY BRINGING TOGETHER SCHOLARS, PRACTITIONERS, AND POLICYMAKERS, WE SEEK TO
IDENTIFY VIABLE APPROACHES TO EFFECTIVELY TACKLING SYSTEMIC INEQUALITIES IN OUR
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS.


DR. VERONICA TERRIQUEZ,
LFL CO-FOUNDER
UCLA CHICANO STUDIES RESEARCH CENTER DIRECTOR




WE ARE SETTING OUR SIGHTS ON ACHIEVING MEANINGFUL POSITIVE CHANGE BY THE YEAR
2050. BY BRINGING TOGETHER SCHOLARS, PRACTITIONERS, AND POLICYMAKERS, WE SEEK TO
IDENTIFY VIABLE APPROACHES TO EFFECTIVELY TACKLING SYSTEMIC INEQUALITIES IN OUR
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INSTITUTIONS.


DR. VERONICA TERRIQUEZ,
LFL CO-FOUNDER
UCLA CHICANO STUDIES RESEARCH CENTER DIRECTOR




THE LFL STRATEGIC PLAN:
CHARTING OUR PATH TO EQUITY

The LFL Strategic Plan serves as a roadmap for this groundbreaking five-year
project. The Plan addresses the multifaceted Latina experience in the U.S. by
contextualizing key facts about Latinas and shares the origins of LFL and LFL’s
vision, mission, and focus areas. The Plan also details our notable achievements
to date, ongoing research, and goals for the future.

While our central focus is California, the impact of LFL research extends far
beyond state borders. Our findings will inform policies and decisions that
influence the economic, social, and political lives of Latinas across the United
States. By offering a unique Latina perspective on policy challenges and
opportunities, we aim to amplify the power and influence of Latinas across both
private and public sectors.

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VISION

In envisioning a society in which Latinas have an equal opportunity to lead, and
everyone thrives the Latina Futures, 2050 Lab aims to accelerate full inclusion
through rigorous research, community partnerships, and leadership development.




MISSION

The Latina Futures, 2050 Lab seeks to center diverse Latina experiences in
informing and guiding initiatives that advance effective leadership, full
inclusion, and authentic narratives.


EMPOWERING LATINAS ACROSS ALL SECTORS

The Latina Futures, 2050 Lab highlights the importance of Latinas and their
intersectional identities in the US and uses research to enhance opportunities
for representation, visibility, and influence across different sectors.

Rigorous Research: We conduct comprehensive research that embraces the diverse
facets of the Latina demographic, serving as the foundation for impactful policy
recommendations on issues affecting Latinas and allied groups, including women
of color, immigrants, low-wage workers, transgender women, and those in STEM
professions.

Community Partnerships: Our commitment to community engagement and partnerships
ensures that our research remains firmly rooted in the diverse needs of Latina
communities. We engage our extensive networks to actively disseminate our
findings to inform policy and practice.

Leadership Development: Informed by research, our collaborative efforts with
stakeholder groups will encompass leadership development programs aimed at
enhancing Latina capacities to drive positive transformations within
institutions and workplaces, fostering greater equity and inclusivity.




THROUGH THE LATINA FUTURES, 2050 LAB, WE ARE CRAFTING A NARRATIVE OF PROGRESS,
EMPOWERMENT, AND LIMITLESS POTENTIAL. OUR WORK IS A TESTAMENT TO THE UNWAVERING
PERSEVERANCE AND STEADFAST DETERMINATION OF LATINA LEADERS. WE ARE NOT MERELY
SHAPING POLICY; WE ARE SCULPTING A FUTURE WHERE EVERY VOICE IS NOT JUST HEARD
BUT CELEBRATED. TOGETHER, WE’RE TURNING THE INVISIBLE INTO THE INSPIRATIONAL.”


SONJA DIAZ,
LFL CO-FOUNDER
FOUNDING DIRECTOR, UCLA LATINO POLICY AND POLITICS INSTITUTE




THROUGH THE LATINA FUTURES, 2050 LAB, WE ARE CRAFTING A NARRATIVE OF PROGRESS,
EMPOWERMENT, AND LIMITLESS POTENTIAL. OUR WORK IS A TESTAMENT TO THE UNWAVERING
PERSEVERANCE AND STEADFAST DETERMINATION OF LATINA LEADERS. WE ARE NOT MERELY
SHAPING POLICY; WE ARE SCULPTING A FUTURE WHERE EVERY VOICE IS NOT JUST HEARD
BUT CELEBRATED. TOGETHER, WE’RE TURNING THE INVISIBLE INTO THE INSPIRATIONAL.”


SONJA DIAZ,
LFL CO-FOUNDER
FOUNDING DIRECTOR, UCLA LATINO POLICY AND POLITICS INSTITUTE


JOIN FOR UPDATES

Empower Latina Futures: Join the movement today and be part of the
transformation.

 * YouTube

Contact: LFL@chicano.ucla.edu

THERE IS NO AMERICAN AGENDA
WITHOUT A LATINO AGENDA



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LATINA FUTURES, 2050 LAB

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MISAEL GALDÁMEZ, MCP

Senior Research Analyst
UCLA LPPI

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Misael Galdámez serves as LPPI’s Senior Research Analyst for economic
opportunity and social mobility. In this role, he supports the development,
management, and execution of LPPI’s research portfolio. Previously, Misael
worked at the Milken Institute’s Center for Regional Economics, where his
research work highlighted strategies to support growth and economic opportunity,
including a policy brief on California’s Hispanic essential worker population.

Misael has a strong interest in workers, wages, and inclusive economic growth,
and completed a master’s degree in City Planning at MIT’s Department of Urban
Studies and Planning in 2019. His thesis research developed a methodology for
living wage estimations in Mexico City under Dr. Amy Glasmeier and in
partnership with the Universidad Iberoamericana. Prior to graduate school,
Misael was a division and projects coordinator at the International Monetary
Fund, where he worked on several research projects related to remittances and
migration in and from Latin America. He holds a bachelor’s degree in
International Affairs from American University.

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SILVIA R. GONZÁLEZ, PH.D.

Director of Research
UCLA LPPI

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Silvia R. González directs climate, environmental justice, and health research
at LPPI.  She has worked extensively as a researcher and consultant with
nonprofit, community-based, and government organizations on projects related to
neighborhood change and gentrification, anti-displacement policies,
environmental equity, and climate planning. Her academic research focuses on how
the places we live in influence socioeconomic inequality and environmental
health outcomes along racial lines. At LPPI, Gonzalez has co-authored multiple
reports analyzing the neighborhoods most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,
including Left Behind During a Global Pandemic: An Analysis of Los Angeles
County Neighborhoods at Risk of Not Receiving COVID-19 Individual Rebates Under
the CARES Act.

Previously, Silvia worked as the founding assistant director at the UCLA Center
for Neighborhood Knowledge where she led projects that examine racial inequality
in Los Angeles. More recently, she co-directed community-based and environmental
equity research projects at the Luskin Center for Innovation to advance the
Human Right to Water and Community-led Climate Investments in California. She
continues to be affiliated with these centers. She holds a BA in
Geography/Environmental Studies and a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning
with a focus on Economic Development from UCLA. Silvia received her PhD from
UCLA in Urban Planning in 2020.

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ROY CHAN

Director of Neighborhood &
Place-Based Strategies at the National Coalition for Asian
Pacific American Community Development

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Roy Chan is the Director of Neighborhood and Place-Based Strategies at The
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National
CAPACD).

Prior to his role at CAPACD, Roy was the Community Planning Manager at Chinatown
Community Development Center in San Francisco, and before that, he was the
Co-Executive Director at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. He has also worked
in community development organizations in both New York and Los Angeles. Roy
holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree
in Urban Planning from UCLA. Currently, he serves on the Cultural Affairs
Commission for the City of Oakland.

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JULIAN CAÑETE

President & CEO of the
California Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce

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Julian Cañete serves as the President and CEO of the California Hispanic
Chambers of Commerce (CHCC). Through its network of more than 80 Hispanic
chambers and business associations, the CHCC is a leading voice on issues
impacting business in California. 

Julian previously served as the Director of Public Policy and Strategic
Partnerships for the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce and as
President and CEO of CHCC from 1999 to 2006 and again from 2009 to 2012.

He is currently a member of the California Department of General Services Small
Business Advisory Board, Californians for Affordable & Reliable Energy (CARE),
CalTrans Small Business Council, CA Secretary of State Voters’ Choice Act Task
Force, the Small Business Development Center Northern CA Network Advisory Board,
and the CalVet Foundation. 

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FRANCISCO PEDRAZA, PH.D

Associate Professor, ASU’s
School of Politics and Global
Studies

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Francisco Pedraza is an Associate Professor in Arizona State University’s School
of Politics and Global Studies and is a faculty affiliate of LPPI.

He examines political attitude formation and political behavior among racial and
ethnic minorities in the United States, and the consequences these portend for
public policy. His research uncovers links between immigration policy and health
policy, and he specializes in the design of survey items in English language and
Spanish language.

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LASHONDA BRENSON, PH.D

Senior Researcher at Joint
Center for Political and Economic
Studies

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Dr. LaShonda Brenson is the Senior Researcher at the Joint Center for Political
and Economic Studies. Prior to her current role, she served as the Senior Fellow
of Diversity and Inclusion at the Joint Center.

Before working at The Joint Center, Dr. Brenson was a Civil Rights Analyst at
the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. At the Commission, Dr. Brenson organized
national briefings and wrote reports on municipal fines and fees and their
impact on minority communities, minority voting rights, and women in prison.
Previously, she was the Research Director at Project Vote, a national,
nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded on the belief that an organized,
diverse electorate is the key to a better America.

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PAUL SALDAÑA

President and Principal of
Saldaña Public Relations

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Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Paul Saldaña has spent more than 25 years in
local government affairs, public policy, public relations, and political
consulting. 

Paul is the Co-Founder of Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin (HABLA),
a local Hispanic Think Tank group committed to developing sustainable solutions
to quality of life issues. He serves as a President and Principal of Saldaña
Public Relations, a strategic consultant, advisor, and contributor on quality of
life issues, including public education, voting, economics, healthcare,
redevelopment, gentrification, and affordable housing to governmental entities,
clients, and the media.

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MARLENE OROZCO, PH.D

CEO and Founder of
Stratified Insights

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Marlene Orozco is the CEO and Founder of Stratified Insights, a research
consulting firm. Dr. Orozco’s deep subject-matter expertise includes a decade of
research experience in reducing systems-level bias facing people of color,
women, and other historically underrepresented groups in entrepreneurship,
finance, and the digital economy. 

Dr. Orozco has co-authored and authored an academic volume, academic
publications in peer-reviewed journals, and several industry reports and
research briefs.

Dr. Orozco formerly served as Associate Director of entrepreneurship research
initiatives at Stanford Graduate School of Business and led Global Policy
Research at Meta.

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MONICA VILLALOBOS

President & CEO of the Arizona Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce

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Monica Villalobos is the President and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce.

Monica previously served as the Vice-President and Foundation Executive Director
for seven years. In this role, she was responsible for the strategic growth
initiatives of the chamber. She is also the operator of the Phoenix Minority
Business Development Agency and the founding principal at ResearchByDesign, a
marketing research firm specializing in primary qualitative and quantitative
research.

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CLARINDA LANDEROS

Director of Public Policy at the National
Association for Latino Community
Asset Builders

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Clarinda Landeros is the Director of Public Policy at the National Association
for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB).

Clarinda leads NALCAB’s public policy efforts and works to advance the policy
priorities of its members. Clarinda is a seasoned policy professional with more
than a decade of Capitol Hill experience. Prior to joining the NALCAB team,
Clarinda worked for Congress for the U.S. House Small Business Committee and
Representative Nydia Velázquez, where she served as Deputy Chief of Staff and
Legislative Director.

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CHHANDARA PECH, MURP

Deputy Director
UCLA CNK

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Chhandara Pech is the Deputy Director at the UCLA Center for Neighborhood
Knowledge and has a master’s in Urban and Regional Planning. His expertise is in
spatial and statistical analysis. He has conducted research on housing and
transportation inequality, neighborhood change and gentrification, wealth/income
disparity, and sustainability.

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PAUL M. ONG, PH.D.

Faculty Affiliate
UCLA LPPI

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Professor Paul M. Ong has done research on the labor market status of minorities
and immigrants, displaced high-tech workers, work and spatial/transportation
mismatch, and environmental justice. He is currently engaged in several
projects, including an analysis of the relationship between sustainability and
equity, the racial wealth gap, and the role of urban structures on the
reproduction of inequality.

Previous research projects have included studies of the impact of defense cuts
on California’s once-dominant aerospace industry, the impact of immigration on
the employment status of young African Americans, and the influence of car
ownership and subsidized housing on welfare usage.

Dr. Ong is the Director of the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and editor of
AAPI Nexus, and has served as an advisor to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, and
to the California Department of Social Services and the state Department of
Employment Development, as well as the Wellness Foundation and the South Coast
Air Quality Management District.

He received a master’s in urban planning from the University of Washington, and
a Ph.D. in Economics, University of California, Berkeley. Along with his
quantitative research, his professional practice includes teaching and applying
visual forms of communication. He is Professor Emeritus in the Departments of
Urban Planning, Social Welfare, and Asian American Studies. He is affiliated
with the Institute of the Environment & Sustainability, Luskin Center for
Innovation, and Asian American Studies Research Center.

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SONJA DIAZ, JD

Founding Executive Director
UCLA LPPI

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Sonja Diaz is a practicing civil rights attorney and policy advisor. As Founding
Director of UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute (LPPI), Diaz co-founded the
first multi-issue policy think tank focused on Latinos in the University of
California. Diaz is responsible for overseeing all aspects of LPPI, including
strategy, research, mobilization, and leadership. With a deep background in both
policy and advocacy, Diaz is a regular contributor to the organization’s
research portfolio, co-authoring  The Power of the New Majority: A 10 State
Analysis of Voters of Color in the 2020 Election, a report that emphasizes the
critical role of voters of color in American politics, and The Current State of
the Latino Physician Workforce: California Faces a Severe Shortfall in Latino
Resident Physicians, which provides further evidence that California’s
healthcare workforce pipeline is broken.

Prior to LPPI, Diaz served as policy counsel to U.S. Sen. Kamala D. Harris
during her first and second terms as California’s attorney general, managing
legal and policy issues of statewide and national importance, including civil
rights, consumer protection, criminal justice, immigration, and privacy and
technology policy. During her tenure, Diaz served as co-counsel on an
industrywide investigation of for-profit online charter schools that garnered a
$168.5 million settlement from K12, Inc., was lead counsel on a voting rights
investigative package, and directed all aspects of the attorney general’s 21st
Century Policing, Immigrant Rights, and Cyber exploitation working groups.

In 2016, Diaz directed a robust voter protection program to support Democratic
candidates in Virginia as part of the Clinton-Kaine presidential campaign’s
battleground state apparatus, including a commonwealth-wide election monitoring
program for language minorities. Diaz has also managed domestic policy
portfolios at three California nonprofits, clerked in the White House’s Domestic
Policy Council under President Barack Obama, and supported litigation efforts at
MALDEF, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and
California’s Bureau of Children’s Justice.

Diaz routinely briefs state legislators and local elected officials from across
the U.S. on evidence-based governance and emerging trends in domestic policy.
Her research and commentary have been mentioned in major news outlets, including
The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, NBC, NPR, Politico, and Univision.
She is a contributing political analyst to KTLA 5, a benchmark of Los Angeles
news television, for the 2020 Election.

Diaz received her J.D. from UC Berkeley’s School of Law, holds a M.P.P. from
UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, and a B.A. in politics from UC Santa
Cruz. She is a University of Michigan Public Policy & International Affairs
fellow, valedictorian of People for the American Way’s Frontline Leaders
Academy, and LatCrit’s unanimous student scholar awardee for her paper on Latino
voting rights.

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RODRIGO DOMINGUEZ VILLEGAS, PH.D.

Director of Research
UCLA LPPI

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Dr. Rodrigo Dominguez-Villegas serves as LPPI’s Director of Research. He is
responsible for developing, managing and executing LPPI’s research portfolios as
well as for mentoring LPPI’s policy fellows. 

Previously, Dr. Dominguez-Villegas worked at the Institute for Social Science
Research at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where he provided
consultations on research design and statistical methods to scholars across
various disciplines. He was also a research consultant for the Migration Policy
Institute in Washington D.C. and conducted research projects on international
migration in North and Central America, return migration, and Mexico’s migration
policy. Dr. Dominguez-Villegas’ publications and policy reports have been
covered in over 50 national and international media outlets including the New
York Times, NPR, NBC News, Al Jazeera, Reforma, El Universal, and El Pais.   

Dr. Dominguez Villegas has a strong interest in immigrants’ rights and is
involved in initiatives to strengthen public policies that support deported
migrants in Mexico and Central America. He has testified as an expert witness
before the Canadian Parliament and as a country expert in deportation cases in
the United States. He holds a PhD and an MA in Sociology from the University of
Massachusetts-Amherst, and a BA in Economics and Geography from Middlebury
College. 

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ROSARIO MAJANO, MS

Research Analyst
UCLA LPPI

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Rosario Majano joined LPPI in June 2022 as a Research Analyst. She is
responsible for supporting LPPI’s growing portfolio of community engaged
research at the intersection of health, the environment and economic mobility.

Rosario has a strong interest in occupational health and safety as a human right
and a background in utilizing mixed methods to answer research questions. As a
graduate student at UCLA, her thesis focused on sexual harassment in cannabis
dispensaries. She also worked as a graduate research assistant with the UCLA
Labor Occupational Safety and Health program to shed light on the injuries
experienced by domestic workers and day laborers.

Previously, she worked as a Research Analyst at the non-profit Community Health
Councils, Inc. In that role, she managed evaluation and research projects with
partners including First5LA, LA County’s Office of Violence Prevention and USC.
She holds a Master of Science in Community Health Sciences from UCLA’s Fielding
School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Science in Global and Public Health
Sciences from Cornell University.

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JULIA SILVER, MS

Research Analyst
UCLA LPPI

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Julia Silver is a transdisciplinary research professional with knowledge in
public policy, education, civic engagement, and sustainability. She joined LPPI
in June 2021 as a Research Analyst. Julia is responsible for designing,
managing, and implementing LPPI’s research in health and sustainability. Prior
to working with LPPI, she served as a Researcher for Arizona State University’s
(ASU) Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, where she collaborated with Latino youth
to explore anti-immigrant policies and politics, subtractive schooling
experiences, creative expression as a response to discrimination, and civic
engagement participation. 

Trained in Critical Race Theory, Julia is particularly interested in the ways in
which policy and politics intersectionality impact Latinos’ and other
communities of color’s lived experiences in the U.S.. She holds a Master of
Science degree in Sustainability from ASU, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in
Communication Studies from Loyola Marymount University (LMU).

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