Celebrating the legacy, embracing the future: How research can help build ties between historically African American Churches and their Latino immigrant neighbours

Abstract

In South Los Angeles, like in many low-income urban communities throughout the country, Latino immigrants are moving into historically African-American urban neighborhoods. This results in some real and some perceived competition for government resources, jobs, and political power. In such contexts, religious institutions can play a powerful role in building alliances between African-American and Latino immigrant residents. This case study aims to inform how the Second Baptists Church of Los Angeles, a historically African-American church and leader in civil rights, can begin developing ties with its Latino neighbors. Drawing on analyses of publicly available administrative data and original needs assessment data, we identify issues that might unite African-Americans and Latinos around a common agenda. This study presents a replicable model for a research-based approach to promoting multi-racial alliances in neighborhoods experiencing demographic transitions.