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Live-cast and streamed online for the first time ever, L’ATTITUDE 2020 showcased the economic impact of the Latino cohort as well as the contributions of that community to politics, business, science, media, and technology. As a proud media partner of L’ATTITUDE 2020, we have highlighted some of our favorite moments from the annual conference and celebration.
Release of the Latino GDP Report
To kick off the conference, L’ATTITUDE Cofounder Sol Trujillo joined Ana Valdez (executive president of the Latino Donor Collaborative), Dr. Matthew Fienup (chief economist at the Center for Economic Research & Forecasting), Dr. David Hayes-Bautista (chief demographer at the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture), and Almar Latour (CEO of Dow Jones and publisher of the Wall Street Journal) for a presentation of and discussion on the US Latino GDP report.
As Fienup summarized, this report reveals a Latino economic contribution that is “extraordinary in size and extraordinary in growth.” In 2018, he noted, the total economic contribution of self-identified Latinos was $2.6 trillion. On a global level, this translates to the eighth-largest GDP in the world.
But the Latino GDP is also fast growing—in fact, in the past year, Fienup pointed out, it was the single fastest-growing GDP out of the ten largest GDPs in the world. As the panelists explored the significance of and reasons for these findings, they emphasized the key role that the Latino GDP will play in the United States’ economic recovery.
“There’s an extraordinary story here about the strength and resilience of Latinos in the United States, and the extraordinary economic contribution that they make. [Because of them], we have a reason for hope in a really trying year,” Fineup offered.
The State of Latinos in America
In this data-driven report on the American economy, L’ATTITUDE Cofounder Sol Trujillo revealed that, even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the United States was not on track for economic success.
The stock market may have had high points in recent years, Trujillo acknowledged, but that is a misleading measure of the nation’s economic stability and success. Indeed, statistics show that the US GDP has fallen precipitously, the number of small businesses being created has stagnated, income inequality has increased, the labor force has diminished, and immigration (including the percentage of immigrants who are Latino) has declined.
On the other hand, both the Latino labor force and the Latino GDP are thriving and growing.
The United States is “impaired, not empowered,” Trujillo explained, and the restart and rebound of the economy depends on the nation’s willingness to catalyze and invest in the US Latino cohort.
The Unveiling of a Business Plan for America and L’ATTITUDE 2020
L’ATTITUDE Cofounders Gary Acosta and Sol Trujillo, along with their new partner Emilio Estefan, outlined their aims for the conference as well as the Latino community.
Through L’ATTITUDE, Acosta, Trujillo, and Estefan hope that companies and business leaders alike will have opportunities to make important connections, find the capital they need to help power the US economy, identify corporate and board leaders, and learn about the true impact of the US Latino cohort.
Celebrity Special Appearance: Jessica Alba
Actor, entrepreneur, producer, social justice advocate, author, and “proud Latina” Jessica Alba joined L’ATTITUDE to help celebrate the Latinx community.
As a business and entertainment leader as well as a member of the new mainstream economy, Alba urged the Latinx community to continue building on the profound contributions it makes to the nation every single day.
“It’s crucial to future generations that we lift up and support our community across all sectors that impact our lives,” Alba said. “I believe that if we all show up as a community and support one another, we can be the change we want to see for our kids and the world we hope to leave for them.”
ALPFA Presents: The 50 Most Powerful Latinas in America
In this session, ALPFA (Association of Latino Professionals For America) CEO Damian Rivera introduced the organization’s list of the most powerful Latinas in the nation.
Along with his cohost, two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist Adriana Loya, Rivera detailed the impact and power of “triple threat” Latina leaders in the entertainment sector as well as Latina board directors, entrepreneurial icons, corporate trailblazers, corporate culture developers, healers, and technology visionaries.
These Latinas, Rivera noted, are uniquely qualified to lead us through 2020 and beyond. “They are changing the narrative on what is and can be. They exemplify what it means to take charge and be leaders in a whole new world, which is exactly what we need in these unprecedented times.”
A few of the Latina leaders recognized by ALPFA include Jessica Alba, Adela Cepeda, and Monica Gil.
Red Table Talk – The Estefans
In October 2020, Facebook Watch launched a new talk show starring Gloria, Emily, and Lili Estefan. Modeled after Jada Pinkett-Smith’s show, Red Table Talk – The Estefans features candid conversations about family, love, sexuality, celebrity life, and more.
In this session, Toby Faulkner—head of unscripted original programs at Facebook Watch—interviewed Gloria, Emily, and Lili about their experiences on the show. The three women agreed that, while their show is undoubtedly a form of entertainment, it was also a way for them to learn about each other, talk, and heal.
“You can Google any of us, but none of what we talk about at Red Table are you going to find on Google,” Gloria said. “We were ready to be honest and to talk about things that we’ve never talked about in public.”
