There is good news for Latino communities in the United States, which are preparing to receive $635,000 in grants thanks to a new alliance between Hispanic Federation (HF) and Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo.

The resources, intended to promote digital equity among the country's Hispanic population, will be distributed through non profit organizations that support training in digital skills and the incorporation of thousands of Latinos into the workforce.

The Latino Digital Equity Centers Initiative, as this program has been baptized, seeks to strengthen the presence of Hispanics in digital markets, highlighting how this segment of the population represents 14% of the workforce, but, at the same time, constitutes 35% of workers who do not have digital skills.

Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of the Hispanic Federation said:

Everyone should have the opportunity to participate in today's increasingly digital economy. Bridging the digital divide that disproportionately impacts Latinos is key to creating economic opportunity in the Latino community and a more equitable society.

Benefited Organizations

There are 20 Latino-led non-profit -501(c)(3)- organizations across the U.S. that will receive the grant resources.

“The initiative will also work closely with grantees to create a first-of-its-kind Digital Accelerator training program designed for the Latino-led grantee nonprofits to strengthen their organizational capacity, programmatic offerings and reach in the digital workforce development space. Grantees will also launch Digital Career Centers that will offer both online and in-person training to community members seeking to increase their digital skills, and help community members get connected to employment opportunities that leverage those skills,” it is highlighted.

Latino Center of Digital Skills Excellence

The HF is also carrying out work to develop a digital skills training center with bilingual capacity that will allow, in the long term, to establish best practices to spread this type of knowledge.

The center will be available to all agencies, Latino and non-Latino, in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

“We’re excited to partner with Comcast NBCUniversal to equip Latinos with the skills they need to thrive in the workforce of tomorrow,” pointed Miranda.

A Necessary Initiative

According to figures shared through a statement, it is expected that during the next decade, 50% of tasks in all industries will be digital, thus eliminating about 39 million jobs.

They also estimate that by 2030 two-thirds of jobs will require some level of digital skills.

To avoid running a greater risk of unemployment in the future, this alliance set itself the goal of training more than 6,000 Latinos for a year, thus opening the doors for access to digital services, the creation of companies and the generation of more opportunities at the community level.

“As automation and demand for digital skills continues to reshape the workforce, for too many Latinos technology remains out of reach, leaving them shut out of opportunity. Our partnership with the Hispanic Federation will provide thousands of Latinos with skill development and training they need to better compete and pursue true economic mobility,” said Juan Otero, Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Comcast Corporation.

This is the full list of recipients:

• Allies in Caring, Hammonton, NJ
• Aspire PA, Philadelphia, PA
• Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA), Houston, TX
• HOME, Bethesda, MD
• Community Partners Center, Oakland, CA
• Latino Communities United in Services (CLUES), St Paul, MN
• Edu-Future, Alexandria, VA
• The Center of the Race, Seattle, WA
• The California Council, Stockton, CA
• Enterprising Latinas, Inc., Wimauma, FL
• Hope US, Philadelphia, PA
• Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, Grand Rapids, MI
• Latino Progress Institute, Chicago, IL
• Latin American Association (LAA), Atlanta, GA
• Latin American Community Center, Wilmington, DE
• Miami EdTech, Miami, FL
• Monument Impact, Concord, CA
• St. John Center, Hartford, CT
• Breed Services, Denver, CO
• Suazo Business Center, Salt Lake City, UT