Welcome

The Luz Coalition serves the entire community of Clark County, However, the Luz Coalition has a special focus for the Latino community, and therefore, additional comparisons to the Latino community is discussed in the demographic information that follows. 

Total Population

            The estimated population for Clark County for 2008 is 2,079,802.   The Nevada State Demographer’s Office estimates that Clark County’s population will grow to 3,045,813 by 2020 (Nevada State Demographer’s Office).

Race/Ethnicity

            Estimates for Clark County for the years 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020.  When reviewing the data, one can see that the population estimates for the Hispanic community increase from 27.6% in 2008 to 33.2% in 2020.

Luz Community Development Coalition

The Luz Community Development Coalition was formed in 2003 to serve needs of the Latino/Hispanic Population in Las Vegas/Clark County.  While Clark County is a very diverse community, the Latino community itself in Clark County is also internally diverse, from new families to those whose ancestors have lived in the United States for many generations, to other Latino populations who originate from dozens of different Spanish speaking countries.  The coalition quickly realized that the community would have to be addressed both as a whole and as a group of autonomous sub-cultures. Latino communities and families have been identified as:

• First Generation Latinos are born outside the United States or on the island of Puerto Rico. Attitudes and values of this group are considered to be conservative in nature. First generation Latinos are much more likely to identify with their countries of origin and less likely to have a good grasp of the English language. 
• Second Generation Latinos are born in the United States to immigrant parents. They are more likely to attend some college or graduate from college. They are also more likely to be English proficient.
• Third or Higher Generation Latinos are born in the United States to U.S. born Latinos parent. This group is primarily English speaking and reading, or bi-lingual.

            Time spent in the United States is only one factor that plays a role in creating sub-cultures within the Clark County Latino Community.  Age, gender, income, country of origin, place of residence (suburban, urban, or rural), political party, religion, citizenship, and primary language all play roles as well (Pew Hispanic Research Center).