The statistics are staggering: students from low-income communities in the United States have a higher chance of going to jail than of getting a four-year college degree. Latinos make up 18% of the college-aged population, yet represent only 6% of the graduates at the top 400 colleges and universities. Only 13% of Latino adults have received a Bachelors degree – compared to 31% of Caucasians, 50% of Asian-Americans, and 18% of African-Americans. These statistics are not due to lack of potential; rather, they are the direct result of the lack of educational opportunities in this country for our highest-need students. For children growing up in low-income communities, educational inequity imposes heavy and often tragic life consequences. For example, high school dropouts earn 50% less than those who do graduate from high school and are eight times more likely to go to prison. We need educators in the classroom serving not only as a physical representation of the fact that one can be a successful Latino or Hispanic, but also acting as mentors with the full capacity to understand the economic and cultural implications of growing up Latino or Hispanic in America. Please join us on Tuesday, January 15th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time to learn more about the achievement gap in America and how it disproportionately affects our Latino and Hispanic students. Additionally, you will hear directly from Teach For America alumni about how corps members are positively influencing these communities in our nation and how their shared racial background enables them to have a profound additional impact on their students. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions of the alumni.
Register here to attend.
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