Press Releases

Washington, D.C. With nearly 30 percent of Latino children living in poverty and in need of dramatically increased medical and social services, the Children's Defense Fund urges Latino families to use their enormous political power to hold politicians accountable for this shortfall. At the time of the 2000 election, more than 4.2 million Latino children lived in households with at least one U.S. citizen who did not vote. If most of those missing voters come to the polls this year, it could affect the outcome of the hotly-contested presidential election and state and local races nationwide.

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15, the Children's Defense Fund salutes the increasing political power of voters from America's fastest growing ethnic group. Government figures have charted explosive growth in the population of Latino children over the last 10 years, from 9.46 million in 1993 to 13.73 million last year—a phenomenal 45.1 percent increase. Federal officials say that 18.8 percent of children in the United States are Latino, and that is increasing as well.

Although they have made many gains in the past two decades, Latinos lag behind White non-Hispanics in many measures of health care, education and economic status, according to government statistics. Political leaders must commit significant new resources to eliminating social, economic and educational discrepancies that put these children at a disadvantage the day they are born, said CDF President Marian Wright Edelman. The obstacles they face are so significant that even hard-working individuals and those who have attended college often cannot overcome them, she said.

"America is the richest nation on earth, but we leave millions of children behind by not investing in an effort to end child poverty," said Edelman. "Latino children are held back from the beginning, and it is essential that the adults in their communities hold government accountable at the ballot box on Nov. 2." About 3.5 million Latino children are without health insurance, and every 11 minutes a Latino baby is born to a mother who received inadequate prenatal care. Infant mortality rates remain troubling, and more than one out of four Latino 2-year-olds are not up-to-date in their immunizations. The list of disparities is long, said Edelman.

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The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick, into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations. We have never taken government funds.