The Latinx Community-University Research Coalition will host its second conference on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Indianapolis Urban League, 777 Indiana Avenue, Indianapolis. The conference will provide opportunities for discussing, networking, collaborating and advancing future research, programming and advocacy on the well-being of Latino populations across Indiana.
Latinos are the fastest growing and youngest minority in Indiana. The recent Indiana Latino Community Profile study conducted by the Indiana University Public Policy Institute for the Indiana Latino Institute Research Project shows that the proportion of Latino population in Indiana increased from 1.8 percent in 1990 to 6.8 percent in 2014, and that currently the median age of Latinos is 24.4 years. The study also shows that 37% of Latinos (25+) have not completed high school, fewer than 15% have a college or professional degree, and nearly 30% live below poverty level. In terms of health, the Indiana State Department of Health reports that Latinos are 70% more likely than non-Latino whites to be diagnosed with diabetes, and 1.6 times more likely to have end-stage kidney disease. The prevalence of obesity is also higher than whites.
This data shows the need for efforts to serve the community. The Latinx Community-University Research Coalition of Indiana aims to connect university faculty, students and staff interested in working with Latinos, with community organizations that serve this population. The purpose of the Coalition is to address equity and well-being across the state of Indiana through interdisciplinary collaborations for research and programmatic service aimed at improving the well-being of the Latino population in the state.
The Latinx Community-University Research Coalition conference will bring together faculty, administrators, policy leaders, community organizations and community leaders to catalyze and advance community-engaged research, and programmatic collaborations that are respectful of the needs, cultural identity, and interests of the Latino population and to help remove barriers to resources and/or services.
To learn more about the Coalition, contact Silvia Bigatti, associate professor in the Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI at sbigatti@iu.edu. The conference cost is $30 to cover breakfast and lunch, and registration is required at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-latinx-coalition-conference-tickets-41778569827?aff=affiliate1