Chicano Latino Professional Associations
Professional Associations are an excellent way to network and get to know more about various fields of your interest. Furthermore, professional associations can provide a picture on what the experience is like for a Chicanx Latinx identified individual in any particular field. Below are a series of Professional Chicanx Latinx Associations across the country. To find out more on the association click on the title.
Affordable Colleges Online
AffordableCollegesOnline.org produces resources and tools related to higher education with an eye on affordability and accreditation. Helping students and prospective students make the right choices for their unique situations.
In an effort to support our Hispanic community, AffordableCollegesOnline.org has created a guide that provides 35 scholarships available for Hispanic students, information on Hispanic Serving Institutions, affordability tips, and additional resources for children of migrant workers, undocumented students, & first-generation students.
Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA)
The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies is "to grow, strengthen and protect the Hispanic marketing and advertising industry by providing leadership in raising awareness of the value of the Hispanic market opportunities and enhancing the professionalism of the industry.”
Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA)
ALPFA is the leading national professional association dedicated to enhancing opportunities for Latinos in the business, accounting, finance and related professions. ALPFA is a not-for-profit entity registered with the Internal Revenue Service.
The Latin American Council of Social Sciences ( CLASCO )
The Latin American Council of Social Sciences ( CLASCO ) is an international non-governmental institution. .Currently, gathers more than 300 research centers and more than 600 graduate programs in Social Sciences and Humanities (masters and doctorates), based in 25 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, United States and Europe. The Council's objectives are the promotion and development of research and teaching of Social Sciences, as well as strengthening exchange and cooperation between institutions and researchers from within and outside the region.
Consortium on Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP)
CLASP’s mission is to promote all facets of Latin American studies throughout the world. Its broad range of activities include the encouragement of research activities, funding of professional workshops, advancement of citizen outreach activities, and development of teaching aids for the classroom.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI)
In 1978, a small group of Hispanic members of Congress established the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) to develop the next generation of Latino leaders with a clear vision of a strong America made possible with the many contributions of educated and civic-minded Latino leaders engaged in and contributing to all aspects of U.S. society. This vision was founded on three cornerstones for success: education attainment and college access, leadership development programs in D.C., and access to a powerful network of Latino leaders in the United States.
HISPA USA
A nonprofit association whose purposes are to encourage, foster and promote the study and research in all areas related to Hispanic culture and society in the United States, as well as fostering the interrelationship between U.S. Hispanic world States and Spain.
Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)
HOPE is an advocacy organization whose platform promotes opportunities that advance Latinas. From this broad platform HOPE has selected key issue areas on which to focus: Education, Health Care and Economic Empowerment.
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
Today, HACU represents more than 400 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Latin America, and Spain. Although our member institutions in the U.S. represent less than 10% of all higher education institutions nationwide, together they are home to more than two-thirds of all Hispanic college students. HACU is the only national educational association that represents Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).
Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR)
The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) is one of the most influential advocacy organizations in the nation representing 16 national Hispanic organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Our mission is to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America at a level commensurate with our economic contributions. To that end, HACR focuses on four areas of corporate social responsibility and market reciprocity: Employment, Procurement, Philanthropy, and Governance.
Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA)
The Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) is an incorporated, not-for-profit, national membership organization that represents the interests of the more than 100,000 Hispanic attorneys, judges, law professors, legal assistants, and law students in the United States and its territories. From the days of its founding three decades ago, the HNBA has acted as a force for positive change within the legal profession. It does so by encouraging Latino students to choose a career in the law and by prompting their advancement within the profession once they graduate and start practicing. Through a combination of issue advocacy, programmatic activities, networking events and educational conferences, the HNBA has helped generations of lawyers succeed.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to Latino students, as well as related support services. HSF seeks to give students all the tools they need to apply to college, do well in their course work, graduate, enter a profession, excel, help lead our nation going forward, and mentor the generations to come.As the nation’s largest not-for-profit organization supporting Hispanic American higher education, HSF has awarded over $400 million in scholarships and provides a range of ancillary programs for candidates, scholars, and their families.HSF further strives to make college education a top priority for every Latino family across the nation and to mobilize our community to proactively advance that goal – each individual, over a lifetime, in every way he/she can.
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)
The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) is a national organization representing the interests of approximately 2 million Latino/a trade unionist throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. LCLAA aims to promote participation by Hispanic trade unionists in a more responsive labor movement. LCLAA builds political empowerment of the Latino family, supports economic and social justice for all workers, and promotes greater cultural diversity at the workplace.
The Latin American Association
Asociación Latinoamericana or The Latin American Association's mission is to help Latino individuals and families achieve their aspirations for academic, social and economic advancement. LAA aims to help Latinos achieve self-sufficiency, put down roots, build a better life for themselves and their families, and contribute to strong, thriving communities.
Latin American Jewish Studies Association (LAJSA)
LAJSA serves as a network for scholars who are working on related themes but who are geographically distant from one another. Members maintain contact with one another through membership directory, the listserv LAJSA-List and the semiannual Latin American Jewish Studies, which carries news of professional activities, critical reviews of new scholarly work, and current bibliography. Our members and subscribers include major research libraries as well as individual scholars and others with expertise in the field.
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
LULAC is the largest and oldest Hispanic Organization in the United States. LULAC advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 900 LULAC councils nationwide. The organization involves and serves all Hispanic nationality groups.
A National Latina Organization (MANA)
MANA, A National Latina Organization, is a national grassroots membership organization with chapters, individual members and affiliates across the United States. It was founded in 1974 as the Mexican-American Women's National Association, with the original intent to provide a voice for Mexican-American women at the national, state and local levels. Since then, the organization has expanded into a diverse group of Latinas in all areas of political, social and professional fields.
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF)
Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization. Often described as the “law firm of the Latino community”, MALDEF promotes social change through advocacy, communications, community education, and litigation in the areas of education, employment, immigrant rights, and political access.
Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS)
Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS, Women Active in Letters and Social Change) is an organization of Chicanas/ Latinas and Native American women working in academia and in community settings with a common goal: to work toward the support, education and dissemination of Chicana/ Latina and Native American women’s issues.. MALCS—as an all-volunteer, national organization of Chicana, (Afro/Asian)-Latina, Indigenous women and gender non-conforming people—strives to represent and support such groups in our communities as well as in institutions of higher learning.
Mexican American Political Association (MAPA)
MAPA is a grassroots based coalition with an organizational structure that functions as a collective of communal circles working together, at different levels, towards political empowerment, self-determination and sustainability of the Latino community’s future.
MAPA is officially a non-partisan organization and welcomes members of any political affiliation. Currently, members partake in various parties including Democrat, Republican, Green Peace and Freedom as well as others. The association is composed of members of Mexican, Chicano, Latino and Meso-Native American Heritage. Although the majority of members are Democrats as it is the case with most Latinos in the United States, all members understand the common issues that must be tackled to ensure a healthy and strong future for all Latinos in the Nation.National Association of Latino Arts and Culture (NALAC)
The National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) is an arts service organization that serves the needs of the diverse Latino arts and cultural communities in the United States. NALAC is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to the promotion, advancement, development, and cultivation of Latino arts.
National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS)
The National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies is the academic organization that serves academic programs, departments and research centers that focus on issues pertaining to Mexican Americans, Chicana/os, and Latina/os. The Association was formed in 1972, during the height of the Chicana/o movement, calling for the development of a space where scholarship and Chicana/o students could develop their talents in higher education. For more than 30 years, students, faculty, staff, and community members have attended the NACCS annual conference to present their scholarly papers--many of which have spun into important intellectual pillars.
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry. The association strives to organize and provide mutual support for Hispanics involved in the gathering or dissemination of news, encourage and support the study and practice of journalism and communications by Hispanics, foster and promote the fair treatment of Hispanics by the media, further the employment and career development of Hispanics in the media and foster a greater understanding of Hispanic media professionals’ special cultural identity, interests and concerns.
National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials empowers Hispanics to participate fully in the American political process, from citizenship to public service. NALEO carries out this mission by developing and implementing programs that promote the integration of Hispanic immigrants into American society, developing future leaders among Hispanic youth, providing assistance and training to the nation’s Hispanic elected and appointed officials and by conducting research on issues important to the Hispanic population.
National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR)—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. Through its network of nearly 300 affiliated community-based organizations, NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas—assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health. In addition, it provides capacity-building assistance to its Affiliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families.
National Hispanic Corporate Council (NHCC)
NHCC is a unique membership organization comprised of Fortune 1000 corporations providing leading-edge corporate best practices, research and network opportunities for the benefit of its corporate members. NHCC is the premier resource on effectively maximizing the Hispanic Market opportunity through marketing, community relations, human resources, and procurement within the foundation of corporate social responsibility.As a leading national, non-profit organization, NHCC’s goal and function is to foster knowledge exchange, professional development, networking and business to business opportunities for companies with mature programs to companies interested in talent development and reaching the Hispanic market.
National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA)
The National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) is the leading national organization working to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families and their caregivers.
National Hispanic Institute (NHI)
The National Hispanic Institute (NHI) provides Latino young people with the structures and settings to envision themselves as future community leaders. Practice their skills in leading and working with others, and engage them in critical discussions to define their calling while preparing themselves for the mission of changing lives. Dedication to personal excellence, a strong belief in family and culture, and service to others are the core values and beliefs that drive the work of the Institute and embrace its vision.
National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)
The mission of the National Medical Association is to empower Hispanic physicians to lead efforts to improve the health of Hispanic and other underserved populations in collaboration with the state Hispanic medical societies, resident and medical student organizations, and other public and private sector partners.
The National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP)
The National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP) is a nonpartisan center established in 1982 in New York City, originally as the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy (IPR). NiLP provides a unique approach and voice to the policy analysis and advocacy needs of the Latino community in the United States.
National Latina/o Law Student Association (NLLSA)
The National Latina/o Law Student Association (NLLSA) is an organization run by Latina/o law students and provides a forum for national discussion on issues affecting the Latina/o community.
National Latina/o Psychological Association (NLPA)
The National Latina/o Psychological Association (NLPA) is a national organization of mental health professionals and students whose objective is to generate and advance psychological knowledge and foster its effective application for the benefit of the Hispanic/Latino population. Interested in the mental health needs of individuals who have a Latina/o background and live in the U.S; and addressing the clinical work, research and training of our members to better serve those.
National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA)
The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) is the premier Hispanic business organization dedicated to building and advancing Hispanic leadership through graduate management education and professional development. Recognized as the nation’s most prestigious Hispanic organization, NSHMBA has 39 chapters in the U.S. and Puerto Rico serving over 25,000 members since 1988.
North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA)
The North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1966 that works toward a world in which the nations and peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean are free from oppression and injustice, and enjoy a relationship with the United States based on mutual respect, free from economic and political subordination. To that end, our mission is to provide information and analysis on the region, and on its complex and changing relationship with the United States, as tools for education and advocacy - to foster knowledge beyond borders.
Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, Inc. (SACNAS)
Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, Inc. (SACNAS)SACNAS is a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists—from college students to professionals—to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in science. SACNAS achieves mission impact through outcome-based programming and initiatives.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1974 by a group of engineers employed by the city of Los Angeles. Their objective was to form a national organization of professional engineers to serve as role models in the Hispanic community. Today, SHPE enjoys a strong but independent network of professional and student chapters throughout the nation. SHPE changes lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support and development. SHPE's vision is a world where Hispanics are highly valued and influential as the leading innovators, scientists, mathematicians and engineers.
Tomas Rivera Policy Institute
The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute was founded as an independent, nonprofit research organization to foster sound public policies and programs relevant to the Hispanic community.
United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC)
The USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of 3.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses across the United States that together contribute in excess of $468 billion to the American economy each year. It also serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers and business associations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI)
The mission of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) is to fulfill the promises and principles of democracy by promoting education, research, and leadership development, and empowering Latinos and similarly disenfranchised groups by maximizing their civic awareness, engagement, and participation.
