It is an interesting thing to note that every third person in Pasadena identifies as a Latina or Latino. The range of education, experience, and political party can be as varied as their linguistic ability in either English or Spanish. There are folks who are members of the Job Center and those who are members in Chamber of Commerce. You write a zip code and you'll find Spanish surnames there -
which is often a surprise to those who are new to the area. In the summer of 2011 Alex Nogales, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, took the lead in convening a coalition of groups that serve the community. And thus the Pasadena Latino Coalition came to be. As groups go it's a young coalition.
But members of the group have connections with the League of Women Voters, All Saints - Office of Creative Connections, Planned Parenthood, El Centro de Accion Social, Pasadena Latino Forum, Pasadena Youth Center, Flintridge Center, Boys and Girls Club, and Latino Heritage, as well as Mother's Club, and A Noise Within. Some are groups primarily focused on Latinos and others have a large portion of their group that is Latino.
The group is continuing to grow. It should. Working as a coalition, focused on the concerns and needs of a third of a city allows for a lot of opportunities for problem solving and bridge building.
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