Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! Hispanic and Latinx people make up 22% of the homeless population and 18.5% of the overall U.S. population. In 2016, more than 59,600 unaccompanied minors were apprehended at the U.S. southwest border with Mexico. Unaccompanied children and women are at greatest risk on the migration journey, easy prey to traffickers, criminals, organized gangs, security forces, and others who abuse, exploit, or even kill them, according to UNICEF. Under its “Zero Tolerance” policy, in April 2018, the U.S. government sought to criminally prosecute adults who entered the country without authorization and separated them from their children. Such a policy leaves children vulnerable to exploitation and abuse and can cause toxic shock, with long-term negative impacts on the children’s development. Last year, 5% of the youth served by Covenant House Nola were Hispanic/Latinx. The Hispanic/Latinx homeless community is commonly under-represented in homelessness statistics due to staying with friends, family, or being in the foster care system. While the Hispanic and Latinx community is small at Covenant House Nola, we work to acknowledge the heritage of all youth and provide care and resources for everyone no matter the size of the community. #endhomelessness #endyouthhomelessness #covenanthouse