UnidosUS Launches National Economic Prosperity Agenda

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Mar 05, 2026, 06:00 ET

Building a Broad Cross-Sector Campaign Ahead of Midterms to Advance Shared Prosperity

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- UnidosUS, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, launched its Economic Prosperity Agenda, unveiling a national campaign to unite leaders across various sectors — government, philanthropy, corporations, advocacy and local communities — around solutions to strengthen economic mobility and shared prosperity for the country. Among its key findings, UnidosUS's economic agenda estimates that raising the federal minimum wage to $17 would deliver $70 billion annually to 22 million workers, including 5 million Latinos. Research shows this could boost GDP by roughly $160 billion over 10 years.

"Over the past year, UnidosUS crisscrossed the nation and sat down with families, workers, small business owners, community leaders and what emerged was a picture of an economy that is leaving too many people behind," said UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía. "Our Economic Prosperity Agenda has their priorities at its core, because investing in Latino prosperity is not a side bet, it is the central economic strategy that will power America's economic future."

The Economic Prosperity Agenda is currently backed by over 30 endorsing organizations, including UnidosUS Affiliates and national partner institutions such as the Center for Responsible Lending, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, National Fair Housing Alliance, National Skills Coalition, National Urban League and Prosperity Now, US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among others.

As the organization sets the stage for sustained engagement in the months leading up to the midterm elections and beyond, the initiative aims to shape conversations and inform decisionmakers and candidates about the economic priorities of Latino voters — a decisive constituency in razor-thin races whose affordability challenges increasingly influence national debates about growth, stability and the future of the middle class.

The agenda is being launched at the UnidosUS Prosperity Forward Convening in Washington, DC on March 5, 2026, where approximately 200 leaders from across several sectors and communities — including members of Congress such as U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) — are gathering to implement solutions that respond to the current economic challenges facing families nationwide.

As the issue of affordability continues to shape both policy debates and electoral outcomes, UnidosUS leaders believe the agenda responds to a growing national reality: economic challenges long experienced by Latino and working families — from rising housing costs to barriers to quality jobs and entrepreneurship — have been felt broadly across the country for many years, while becoming more apparent recently.

Latino Prosperity as a National Economic Imperative

Drawing on nearly 60 years of grassroots efforts, community partnerships, as well as research and polling, the UnidosUS Economic Prosperity Agenda underscores a broader truth: America's economic trajectory is inseparable from the rising fortunes of Latino families — the youngest and fastest-growing segment of the workforce, essential contributors to economic expansion and key drivers of community stability.

Rather than reflecting a rejection of American values, UnidosUS leaders convey that today's economic frustrations represent a demand for the nation to live up to its promise of fairness, freedom and opportunity.

The initiative aims to:

Drive widespread education and engagement around economic solutions.
Elevate promising practices already delivering results in communities.
Expand endorsements across nonprofits, corporations and public leaders.
Build a lasting movement across sectors focused on shared economic prosperity.

Agenda Framework: Four Pillars to Advance Economic Opportunity

The agenda outlines practical solutions across four interconnected pillars:

Housing
Closing the Latino homeownership gap over the next decade would create approximately 2.9 million new homeowners, representing 9.8 million people who could collectively grow their wealth by more than $650 billion.

Key solutions include:

Expanding affordable starter homes for working families.
Supporting first-generation homebuyers through fair credit access, down payment assistance and trusted guidance.

Labor and Workforce
Raising the federal minimum wage to $17 could deliver $70 billion annually to 22 million workers — including 5 million Latinos — and potentially boost GDP by approximately $160 billion over ten years.

Priority actions:

Expanding access to quality jobs through workforce training — including digital skills and AI literacy — and job quality improvements.
Strengthening worker voice and power through innovative models such as worker ownership and representation.

Entrepreneurship
Latinos represent one in five Americans. Closing gaps in business ownership could generate an additional $11 trillion in business revenue and $2.5 trillion in worker pay over ten years.

Key strategies:

Expanding access to capital and fair financing tools.
Strengthening small business support through mentorship, technical assistance and entrepreneurial networks.

Family Security
The expanded Child Tax Credit demonstrated significant economic impact — reaching 61 million children, boosting consumer spending by $28 billion, creating 500,000 jobs and contributing more than $230 billion annually to GDP.

Solutions include:

Ease the process to enroll in and maintain health coverage while providing tax credits.
Increase investment in new and growing families to allow parents and caregivers to be present without risking their livelihoods.
Reducing the financial burden of caregiving and family formation.

A Call to Action

UnidosUS is calling on policymakers, employers, funders and community leaders to commit to bold solutions that rebuild pathways to upward mobility.

Endorsing Organizations

So far, the UnidosUS Economic Prosperity Agenda is supported by over 30 organizations, including:

Association House of Chicago

Adelante Mujeres

Building Skills Partnership

Center for Responsible Lending

Clean Power Institute

Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy & Research Organization (CLLARO)

Conexión Américas

Congreso de Latinos Unidos

East LA Community Corporation

El Centro de la Raza

El Centro Hispanic Inc.

El Concilio California

Hispanic Unity of Florida

HOLA Ohio

Ibero-American Action League Inc.

Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)

Latino Memphis

La Plaza de Encuentro Gathering Place (Encuentro)

Lawrence Community Works

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

Mi Casa Resource Center

Mission Economic Development Agency

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development

National Fair Housing Alliance

National Skills Coalition

National Urban League

Orange County Community Housing Corporation

Prosperity Now

Raza Development Fund

The Unity Council

US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Valley Initiative for Development Advancement (VIDA)

Organizations interested in endorsing the agenda and working together for a stronger America can learn more here.

About UnidosUS
UnidosUS is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that serves as the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. Since 1968, we have challenged the social, economic and political barriers that affect Latinos through our unique combination of expert research, advocacy, programs and an Affiliate Network of nearly 300 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico. We believe in an America where economic, political and social progress is a reality for all Latinos and we collaborate across communities to achieve it. For more information on UnidosUS, visit www.unidosus.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and Threads.