Institute for Latino Progres history

In 1985, a group of Hispanic students, professors and administrators initiated a series of open discussions between the Cornell student community and the Vice Provost for the establishment of an Hispanic Studies Program.

In the spring of 1987, a proposal for the establishment of an Hispanic Studies Program was submitted.

Founded in 1990, HF seeks to empower and advance the Hispanic community, support Hispanic families, and strengthen Latino institutions through work in the areas of education, health, immigration, civic engagement, economic empowerment, & the environment.

The Latino CORE Initiative is established and grows to become the premier regional Latino grant making program in the nation. (1993)

Located on West Campus in the Class of '22, the Latino Living Center welcomed its first group of students in August 1994.

HF establishes the LUCES coalition to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Latino community, helping to secure millions for Latino HIV Service providers. (1995)

More than 350,000 new voters have been registered by HF since then. (1996)

HF will lead the transformation of LFC into the National Latino Funds Alliance. (1997)

HF has since provided more than $3 million dollars in disaster-relief assistance. (1999)

The Federation responds to the 9/11 and Flight 587 tragedies by creating an emergency cash-assistance program that distributes more than $2 million to support affected families. (2001)

HF works with Latino Commission on AIDS and its LUCES coalition to create National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD). NLAAD grows to become a focus of Latino HIV prevention activites in over 200 cities across the nation. (2003)

In February 2005, the Latina/o/x Student Success Office (LSSO) grew out of a student and faculty vision to improve support and access to Cornell’s excellent educational resources for Latina/o students.

HF acquires a permanent home in the Financial District and opens it Las Americas Conference Center—the very first Latino nonprofit conference facility in the Northeast. (2006)

HF launches a foreclosure prevention program to help struggling Latino homeowners affected by the nation’s mortgage crisis. (2008)

HF launches a historic public education and community mobilization campaign to drive Latino participation in the 2010 Census. (2010)

Back in 2012, Porras, together with a small group of Stanford GSB Latino alumni, had formed the Latino Business Action Network (LBAN), an independent nonprofit based in Palo Alto.

The Federation opens a satellite office in Connecticut to deepen its service and commitment to Latino communities across the state. (2013)

On March 26, 2015, the change from Latino Studies Program to Latina/o Studies Program was approved by the College of Arts and Sciences and reported to the Office of the Provost and Board of Trustees.

In the fall of 2017, LSSO, formerly Latina/o Student Success Office, changed its name to Latina/o/x Student Success Office in an effort to institutionalize our commitment as an inclusive space.