UnidosUS presents the National Economic Prosperity Agenda: a strategic cross-sector campaign ahead of the midterm elections
SOURCE UnidosUS
WASHINGTON, March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — UnidosUS, the largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, has launched its National Agenda for Economic Prosperity. This strategic initiative seeks to unite leaders from the public, private, and philanthropic sectors to implement nationwide solutions focused on economic mobility and shared prosperity. According to its projections, raising the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour would generate $70 billion annually for 22 million workers, including 5 million Latinos. This could boost GDP by approximately $160 billion over the next decade, according to research.
“Over the past year, UnidosUS traveled the country and met with families, workers, small business owners, and 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 puts their priorities at the center, because investing in Latino prosperity is not a side bet, but the core economic strategy that will drive America’s economic future.”
The National Economic Prosperity Agenda is currently supported by more than 30 allied organizations , including UnidosUS affiliates and national partner institutions such as the Center for Responsible Lending, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), the National Coalition for Asian and Pacific American Community Development, the National Fair Housing Alliance, the National Skills Coalition, the National Urban League and Prosperity Now, the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), among others.
With the midterm elections approaching, the organization’s initiative seeks to place the economic priorities of the Latino community at the center of the political conversation. As a key electorate in competitive districts, the affordability challenges this community faces directly impact national debates on growth, stability, and the future of the middle class.
This agenda will be officially launched during UnidosUS’ Prosperity Forward Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 5, 2026. The event will be attended by approximately 200 leaders from various sectors and communities, including prominent members of Congress such as Senator Rubén Gallego (D-AZ) and Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY). The primary objective is to implement concrete solutions to the economic challenges facing families across the country.
Given that affordability has become a key factor in public policy and election outcomes, UnidosUS leadership maintains that this agenda addresses a pressing national reality. The economic challenges that have historically affected Latino and working families, such as the high cost of housing and barriers to quality employment, have been felt across the country for many years and have become more pronounced recently.
Latin prosperity as a national economic imperative
Backed by nearly six decades of community outreach, strategic partnerships, and rigorous research, UnidosUS’s National Economic Prosperity Agenda underscores a fundamental premise: the future of America’s progress is intrinsically linked to the progress of Latino families. Representing the youngest and fastest-growing segment of the workforce, this community is not only essential to economic expansion but also a key driver of the nation’s stability.
UnidosUS leaders maintain that the economic concerns of the Latino community do not call into question American values; on the contrary, they reaffirm a collective demand for justice, freedom, and access to opportunities that define the nation’s promise.
The initiative seeks to:
- Promote education and broad involvement around economic solutions.
- To highlight promising practices that are already generating tangible results in communities.
- Expand support from non-profit organizations, businesses, and public sector leaders.
- To build a lasting cross-sector movement focused on shared economic prosperity.
Strategic framework: four pillars for advancing economic opportunity
The agenda proposes practical solutions structured around four interconnected axes:
Dwelling
Reducing the homeownership gap for the Latino community over the next decade would create approximately 2.9 million new homeowners. This progress would benefit 9.8 million people, who could collectively increase their wealth by more than $650 billion.
Lines of action:
- Expand the availability of affordable entry-level housing for working families.
- Supporting first-generation buyers through access to fair credit, down payment assistance programs, and trusted financial advice.
Work and employment
Raising the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour could generate $70 billion annually for 22 million workers, including 5 million Latinos, and potentially boost GDP by approximately $160 billion over the next decade.
Lines of action:
- Expand access to quality jobs through job training (with an emphasis on digital skills and artificial intelligence literacy) and improvements in working conditions.
- Strengthening the voice and power of workers through the implementation of innovative models such as co-ownership and labor representation.
Entrepreneurship
Given that Latinos represent one in five Americans, closing the current gaps in business ownership would have a transformative impact. This business equity could generate an additional $11 trillion in revenue and $2.5 trillion in wages for workers over a ten-year period.
Lines of action:
- Expand the reach of fair financing tools and investment mechanisms for Latino entrepreneurs.
- Consolidate support for small businesses through mentoring programs, specialized technical assistance, and the development of strong entrepreneurship networks.
Family safety
The expansion of the Child Tax Credit has demonstrated a transformative economic impact. It has benefited 61 million children, boosted consumer spending by $28 billion, created 500,000 jobs, and contributed more than $230 billion annually to the national GDP.
Lines of action:
- Optimize the processes of enrollment and continued health coverage, integrating accessible tax credit mechanisms for families.
- Increase financial support for new and growing families, ensuring that parents and caregivers can fulfill their role without risking their livelihood.
- Implement measures that reduce the financial burden associated with family care and the formation of new households.
A call to action
UnidosUS calls on legislators, employers, funders, and community leaders to prioritize structural solutions that reopen pathways to prosperity and ensure upward mobility for the Latino electorate.
Allied organizations
The UnidosUS National Economic Prosperity Agenda is supported by more than 30 organizations, including: United Lationos Congress, Hispanic Unity of Florida, Latino Memphis, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Organizations wishing to join this initiative and work together for a stronger nation can find details here: https://unidosus.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/UnidosUS-Economic-Prosperity-Agenda-2026.pdf
About UnidosUS: UnidosUS is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that serves as the largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy institution in the United States. UnidosUS promotes a nation where economic, political, and social progress is a reality for all Latinos. For more information about UnidosUS, visit www.unidosus.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and Threads.
