Native or foreign-born, they represent countries as diverse as Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Peru and Colombia, countries with different national interests and agendas. It's a diverse group, yet they find themselves united by their experiences as Latinos in the United States.
Differences tend to dissolve.
It is the only public policy institute in New England to focus on an improved understanding of the experiences of Latino communities in the Commonwealth. According to Torres, the foremost issue is lack of visibility in the political process. Presently, there is not a single member of the Latino community in the Massachusetts House of Representatives or the Senate. So a priority for the Institute will be to facilitate a dialogue on what a Latino political agenda will look like. Numerous other activities and projects are also underway.