An Economy That Works for Latinos: Lowering Costs, Rewarding Hard Work, and Creating Opportunities

Our goals

This framework applies Equis’ research on Latino voters’ experiences and views of the economy to offer recommendations for policymakers on how to develop agendas that will resonate with the Latino community. It is built on Equis’ research and work with the Winning Jobs Narrative, which has found effectiveness with both Latino and non-Latino voters, in English and in Spanish. Instead of a comprehensive policy agenda, this framework offers a filter with four tests, drawn from what Latinos themselves say they want. Policies that pass more of the tests are the strongest candidates for closing the trust gap between Latino voters and policymakers on the economy. 

A framework for all working people, built from Latino perspectives 

For Latinos, the economy is never just about the economy. It’s deeply connected to Latino identity and cultural values. Core to many Latino families’ story in America is the belief that through hard work, they can provide a better life for their families. Three in four Latinos say honoring their ancestors’ struggles is a guiding principle, and 54% say working hard to support their family is the best way to honor them. Latinos face the same economic headwinds as everyone else, yet they are especially impacted by today’s challenges. Latinos are more likely to be in low-wage work, more likely to be caring both for children and parents, and less likely to have savings or other financial assets to absorb the shock of rapidly rising costs. While it’s true that Latinos are disproportionately impacted, Equis’ research found that appeals to “working people, including hardworking Latinos” consistently outperformed appeals to Latinos alone, and that Latinos and non-Latinos largely agree on what a successful life requires. That is why this framework is built from Latino perspectives, but is written for all working people. 

Although the brand of the “American Dream” has some negative baggage for many Latinos, the belief in hard work leading to opportunity is still strong. Most Latinos  (60%)  agree the American Dream is still possible, but nearly a third (32%) believe the American Dream “used to be achievable, but isn't anymore”. At the same time, research from More in Common has found that 81% of Hispanics believe that hard work and effort played a greater role than luck and circumstance did in getting them where they are today. Equis’ research has similarly found that Latinos strongly agree there “is a lot of opportunity in this country for people to get ahead if they are willing to work hard” (72% agree). Economic policies should speak  to these concerns, reinforcing that hard work can lead to a better life. 

What do Latinos want?

When asked what policymakers should prioritize, Latinos are clear, and their answers form the four tests of this framework. Each test also speaks to doubts Latinos express about whether policymakers are on their side: that leaders are out of touch, that economic policy does not reward work, and that a wealthy elite use unfair behavior to rig the system in their favor. These doubts show up in Equis’ polling where 83% of Latinos agree that corrupt politicians look out for themselves while supporting policies that make necessities less affordable and 84% agree that “a small wealthy elite” has too much power and influence in this country. Strong policies will speak to more than one of the following criteria:

• Lowering everyday costs. For Latinos, the headline economy and the kitchen table are telling different stories. Economic growth is strong, but worker pay has stalled, and for Latino families the numbers that matter are the ones on the receipt: groceries, utilities, rent, gas, and premiums. Equis’ research from 2025 found that nearly three in ten Latinos said they have “trouble meeting expenses” (29%) and almost a third said they “are able to just meet expenses with nothing left over” (32%), while just one in ten Latinos report “living comfortably”. Recent research from UnidosUS reiterates that Latinos face ongoing struggles affording basic necessities, with more than half saying they have given up some form of health care due to cost and 43% saying they have bought less food or switched to cheaper groceries. When asked what policymakers should prioritize, Latinos put lowering the cost of essentials first, citing lowering the cost of health care and health insurance (89%), lowering the cost of food and groceries (87%), and lowering the cost of gas (83%) as top priorities. Latinos are also concerned that AI data centers are responsible for raising the costs of utilities and say they must be better regulated (74% agree).

• Rewarding hard work. Latinos are 20% of all employed people in the United States. Their share is far higher than that in essential jobs: 55% of construction laborers, 54% of agricultural workers, 41% of cleaning and maintenance workers, 39% of cooks, and 29% of home health aides. These are jobs that pay less, which is reflected in lower weekly earnings for Latinos. Equis’ research has found that Latinos strongly identify as working people and they believe that hard work is a path to success. In late 2024 research, Latinos said they felt closest to working-class people, even more than to other Latinos or immigrants. Latinos want to see policymakers prioritize working people and develop policies that give working people the opportunity to get ahead. 

• Making the economy fair for all, not just the wealthy few. Amid rising economic uncertainty for hardworking people, Latinos say there is unfairness in the economy when it comes to wealthy elites and big corporations. Latinos say that “a small wealthy elite” have too much power and influence (84%). They reject more favors and tax breaks for big corporations, with 70% support for “ending loopholes and tax write-offs for big corporations.” They also express strong support for increased taxes on billionaires and big corporations (81% and 78% support) in order to fund programs that working people rely on like health care and nutrition. Most of all, they agree that “greedy corporations are raising prices more than they need to just to increase their profits” (87%). These views are about behavior, not success. Latinos object to companies and elites that rig prices, dodge taxes, or exploit workers, not to businesses or people doing well. Equis’ research has found that Latino voters respond better to messages that call out unfair behavior than to attacks on specific groups or people.

• Providing tools to build their future. Equis’ research has found that Latinos don’t aspire to work hard for its own sake; Latinos want the rewards that hard work is supposed to deliver - doing well for their families and being part of a larger community. Today, the median Latino household holds less than one-quarter of the wealth of the median white household. With rising costs and uncertainty about their families’ economic future, Latinos are expressing a desire for stability, security, and safety, rating “being able to live comfortably and pay for basic necessities without stress” (45% say it is essential for a successful life) well ahead of the aspirations of generations past like “owning my own home,” (27%) “owning my own business,” (9%) or “becoming wealthy” (8%). For Latinos, building a future starts with security that comes from a financial cushion, stable housing, and costs they can plan around. To achieve that stability and security, Latinos want lawmakers to offer “tools and opportunities to build a good life,” which research compiled by Equis shows consistently outperforms language about “helping” people.

Policies that fit the framework

Taken together, Latinos see working people as the engine of the economy and want policymakers to clear away what keeps hard work from paying off – costs they cannot plan around and companies that rig the rules. There are many policies that speak to these priorities, including restoring cuts to health care and nutrition programs. We have highlighted a few  below that help put money in workers' pockets so they can better afford essentials, strengthen the ties between hard work and opportunity, address power imbalances between elites and working people, and let workers save for their future. Each puts working people at the center and gives the government an equipping role to lower costs, raise incomes, and provide tools and opportunities. 

• Child care and support for families with young children. The lack of a universal child care policy hits Latino families especially hard, as they are more likely to be parenting young children while in the labor force and as a large share of the child care workforce. The high cost of care –more than public college tuition in many states– means that many families cannot afford child care. At the same time, Latinos are the fastest-growing worker group in the U.S. workforce, driving labor force growth over the last two decades. The child care workforce is also disproportionately Hispanic, making up 25% of child care workers compared to 20% of the workforce overall, while also having low wages - the median hourly wage of child care workers is just $17, compared to $25 for all occupations. Affordable child care and policies to help families with the costs of young children won’t just lower everyday costs for families, but also provide extra financial security that families can build their budgets and plans around for the future. 

• Raising wages. The federal minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2009, losing 30% of its purchasing power. Raising the minimum wage to two-thirds of the median is estimated to impact 36% of Latino workers through direct and indirect effects and would result in an average annual wage increase of about $4,200 per year. Indexing it to inflation would keep the raise from eroding again, and pairing it with stronger wage-theft enforcement makes sure workers are paid what they have earned. When wages don’t keep up with rising costs, essentials become more unaffordable and the link between work and economic security is eroded. Raising the minimum wage helps workers afford the essentials they need and it reduces inequality, directly speaking to Latinos’ concerns about the economy being rigged in favor of the wealthy. 

• Strengthening consumer protections. Latino families spend a larger share of their budgets on essentials like food, housing, and transportation. So when companies use deceptive tactics like hidden fees, surveillance pricing, and “shrinkflation,” consumers often pay more for less of the things they need. Deceptive fees and tactics can also add up quickly for families. A 2024 analysis from the Council of Economic Advisers estimated that ten kinds of junk fees cost households on average more than $650 per year. Not only does ensuring consumers are paying fair prices help people’s dollars go further, making daily life more affordable, it also addresses concerns about exploitative practices that benefit the wealthy at the expense of working people.

• Free school meals. Latinos are more likely to earn low wages and they are more likely to have children or older family members living at home. As a result, rising food prices hit Latino budgets especially hard. When schools served free meals to all students during the pandemic, families saved on groceries, and, alongside other pandemic supports, child food insecurity fell. After free meals ended in 2022, the USDA found that a third of families paying for school meals said the cost made it harder to pay other bills, including 39% of Latino families. Recent FRAC polling has found that 79% support for free school meals. Expanding free school meals would speak directly to the 87% of Latinos in Equis’ research who name lowering food and grocery costs as a top priority and it helps family budgets feel more secure and predictable, making family life more affordable. 

Implications for the near term

Latinos want to see not only that policymakers understand their economic priorities, but that they are using the power they have to make families’ lives better. Equis’ research recommends positioning leaders as challengers to a broken system rather than defenders of the status quo, and showing that they care about and deliver for working people.

• Fight the policies driving costs up. Latinos connect rising costs to choices made in Washington. Seventy-four percent (74%) say politicians are mostly to blame because they let corporations overcharge consumers, according to Somos Votantes research. They oppose higher tariffs on imported goods (58%) and cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP (80% oppose cutting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security; 76% oppose cutting SNAP), yet the Trump administration has imposed tariffs and Congress has cut Medicaid and SNAP. Policymakers should use oversight, appropriations, and other tools to hold the administration accountable for policies that have raised families’ costs and for letting businesses take advantage of consumers.

• Deliver where there are openings. Concrete wins that families can feel in their budgets show that progress is possible now. Equis’ research recommends showing working people not just that leaders care, but that they can deliver now. Showing progress on lowering costs, rewarding work, making our economy fairer, and giving Latinos tools to get ahead is essential to restoring trust and speaking to the cynicism that Latinos express about policymakers and the urgency they express about the need for change. 

• Build toward a bigger agenda. Near-term fights should point toward a larger vision that leads with policies working people will feel in their pocketbooks and daily lives, like those above. In Equis’ 2026 testing, messages that made working people the heroes, named the obstacles in their way, and offered tangible solutions resonated more strongly with Latino voters.

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About the Equis Senior Fellowship Program

The Equis Senior Fellowship Program advances a Latino-focused policy agenda grounded in community knowledge, rigorous research, and evidence-based solutions. By bringing experienced policy leaders together with Equis' research and a broad network of partners, the Fellowship bridges the gap between research, lived experience, and policymaking. Its goal is to translate these insights into actionable policy solutions that reflect the priorities of Latino communities, including family security, economic opportunity, and a fair shot for the next generation to thrive.

About Amanda Perez

Amanda Perez serves as Equis’ Senior Fellow for Economic Policy, bringing decades of experience shaping federal economic and social policy. She has served as Associate Director at the Office of Management and Budget in the Biden White House, where her portfolio included major federal programs spanning Social Security, nutrition assistance, education, and labor. Amanda also served as Labor Policy Director for the Senate HELP Committee.