Dear friends and colleagues,
The Latino population in the greater New Orleans area underwent a dramatic shift following Katrina and the levee failures. New Latino immigrants who arrived to work in the area added substantially to the pre-Katrina Latino population, nearly doubling the number of Latino residents in the area.
These immigrants increased the proportion of folks who did not speak English well, many without legal status.
Latino immigrants made vital contributions to the rebuilding of New Orleans, but local and state jurisdictions were challenged to address their needs because of language barriers and questions about their legal status.
How these post-Katrina immigrants incorporate into the New Orleans area will have an impact on the region's resilience in the face of future hazards.
Local and regional public institutions can respond proactively to ensure that this segment of the population is incorporated successfully, strengthening social ties and fostering resiliency for the whole community going forward.
To learn more, check out The New Orleans Index at Ten Collection - Latinos in Metro New Orleans: Progress, Problems, and Potential at:
Bringing you the data you need to make informed decisions,
The Data Center team
Nihal Shrinath, Rebecca Osakwe, Whitney Soenksen, Allison Plyer, and Vicki Mack
