Listening and Learning: Our Transition from Latinx to Latine

As a learning organization, the Hartford Foundation seeks to incorporate input from our community and to respond to cultural changes. In addition, we strive to work and communicate in the most inclusive way possible. Just like culture changes over time, language does too.

Accordingly, we are no longer using the term Latinx; going forward, we will use the term Latine in our official communications. This change reflects what we learned during a months-long effort to understand what people of Latin American heritage think about these terms and how state and local government, the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors in Connecticut and across the country are doing to appropriately represent this diverse community of people of Latin American heritage.

Earlier this year, the State of Connecticut removed the word Latinx from official documents and communications and will instead use Latine.  We’ve also reached out to countless Latine stakeholders in Greater Hartford to engage in conversation, and to listen and learn from their insights. As we work with these communities, we will make every attempt to be as specific as possible. For instance, when a situation arises where the majority of people involved identify with a common national origin, we will identify them as such (Puerto Rican, Salvadorian, Peruvian, etc.)

In addition, we will continue to respect the preference of any partner organization that uses a different term. If an organization chooses to use Latino or Hispanic, we will echo the use of that word when referencing any data or narrative that measures the insight or impact on the Latine community.

As always, we welcome a conversation about this decision or any of our work.  With the ever-changing nature of culture and language, this is a decision for today. A few short years from now, we may find ourselves at a new inflection point with a different term that is preferred by large portion of the Latine community. The Hartford Foundation will continue to listen and adapt, always keeping inclusion at the center of our work.