Information is power. The way we count people, the words that we use to put them in groups, and the interpretations that we give to the data are all powerful forces. The cliche is that the powerful write history, but it could also be argued that they get to count the numbers, decide what they mean, and thus influence the future. Right now there is a debate about whether 2020’s US census should include a question about citizenship. The theory is that such a question could frighten a lot of people and push them to avoid participation. The results could be serious in many ways, not least an impact on elections or a reduction in the services that support some of the most vulnerable in our community. With the idea that data is power, I think sharing the following document is important. How many Latinos live in Boston? Where do they come from? Where do they live? What are their lives like? The following tries to answer these questions by profiling the seven largest Latino groups in the region: Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, Colombians, Mexicans, Guatemalans, and Brazilians. Said simply, good data informs our lives and credit is due to the Boston Planning and Development Agency for providing this public research.
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