From Friday, September 30-October 1, 2022, the University of California, Irvine hosted the American Bar Foundation (ABF)’s Western Roundtable on “The Future of Latinos in the United States: Law, Opportunity, and Mobility.” The organizer for the roundtable was Rachel F. Moran, Distinguished and Chancellor’s Professor of Law at UC Irvine and director of the Future of Latinos project. The roundtable opened with keynote addresses and accompanying white papers on the history of Latinos in the South (prepared by Professor Danielle Olden of the University of Utah), a demographic profile of Latinos in the South and nationally (prepared by Professors Douglas S. Massey and Amelie Constant of Princeton University), and the current landscape of law and policy issues facing Latinos in the Northeast (prepared by Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund). The convening brought together leading members of the Latino community from throughout the West, including law and non-law scholars, legal advocates, community activists, politicians, media representatives, foundation representatives, and emerging leaders, to imagine the different futures for Latinos that are possible by 2050. The discussion was dedicated to exploring vitally important issues that will shape the prospects for Latinos in the region in coming years. Questions of immigration, education, economic opportunity, and civic and political engagement were central to the conversations that took place over the two days.

White Papers

Latinos in the Western United States: Trends and Patterns
Amelie F. Constant & Douglas S. Massey, Office of Population Research, Princeton University

A Selective Review of the Development of Latino Civil Rights in California and the Western United States
Thomas A. Saenz, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund

Latinas/os in the U.S. West
Danielle R. Olden, Department of History, University of Utah