La Voz : Latinos engaging for family and community advocacy : process and development framework

Abstract

The current political, social, and economic landscape in the United States is in constant flux, and when coupled with immigration issues, the families most affected are those with the greatest vulnerability to change. For researchers, practitioners, community social and service organizations, and local agencies, we must ask ourselves how to best understand the impact of these current events on Latino families. How do we support these families through the work that we do or should be doing? How can we ensure we are integrating all voices in our communities to address their needs and concerns? This paper outlines a multi-method evaluative process to develop a framework which could be used to understand Latino communities’ current experiences. The project used minimal financial resources, yet the outcomes and results were rich with the voice of the Latino community and provided researchers with a direction to better serve and support Latino families in Washington State.