Reconstituted commission to map 40 years of Latino policy work, hire intern to compile timeline

At a meeting of the Commission on the Status of Latinos and Latinas in Massachusetts (meeting date not specified in the transcript), commissioners and invited researchers reviewed archival material from a 1985 Hispanic commission and agreed to immediate steps to gather and synthesize four decades of research and policy work.

Dr. Rivera, who described recent documents obtained from the Massachusetts State Archives and the Gaston Institute’s holdings, told commissioners that the earlier commission established task forces on migration, education, employment, housing, health and youth and left comprehensive research and policy recommendations. "There was some really rich information that I invite both the public and our committee members ... to look at," Dr. Rivera said, urging the group to use existing reports before commissioning new studies.

The commission agreed it should begin by asset mapping and compiling a timeline of work from the 1980s to the present to identify both gaps and "bright spots"—policies or programs that demonstrably helped Latino communities. The chair said Amplify is preparing an updated report on the economic impact of Latinos (including Brazilian communities) with the Gaston Institute and the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation; the chair said the report is expected in late Q1 or early Q2 2025.

To accelerate that work while an executive director is hired, the chair proposed hiring a graduate student intern or short-term consultant to gather archival materials, assemble an asset map and draft the timeline. "Perhaps hire somebody to help us gather all this data, someone to serve as a consultant contractor, while we were able to hire a full time staff person," the chair said, proposing a scope of work that would include mapping assets, assembling published reports, and cataloging policy recommendations and implementations.

Members offered possible sources of support. Dr. Rivera said she could mobilize graduate students and interns from UMass Boston and other local institutions. Commissioners discussed practical timing, noting limited work during the December holidays and agreeing to review job descriptions and the proposed scope of work at the commission’s next meeting. The group confirmed its next meeting for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 10:00–11:30.

Commissioners also discussed broadening the commission’s research frame. Representative Mendez urged inclusion of Brazilian and Portuguese-speaking communities in the mapping exercise, saying past research often omitted that population. "I would like to see if we can add some of the Brazilian population as well," Representative Mendez said, noting the value of capturing data on small-business impacts and community resilience.

Members proposed statewide listening tours—coordinated where possible with the Governor’s Latino Empowerment Council—to gather community input, and discussed tracking implementation of recent legislation, including an economic development bill the commission described as a $4,000,000,000 package passed earlier this year. Commissioners said tracking implementation would help ensure funding and programs reach Latino communities and would allow the commission to highlight successful policies as potential models.

The commission discussed other research priorities raised in the meeting, including Latino youth (mental health and education), gaps in nonprofit service capacity since the 1980s, and a proposal to catalog Latino elected and appointed leaders as an inspirational and advocacy tool. Members identified local partners and data sources—Gaston Institute, Amplify, Boston Foundation, Chelsea Collaborative, Roca, Boys & Girls Club, municipal public health departments and consulates—for the mapping work.

A motion to adjourn was made, seconded and the meeting ended at 11:31. The commission will return on Jan. 8 to review job descriptions and scope of work for the proposed intern/consultant and to continue planning listening tours and legislative-tracking priorities.