Whereas the Latino population in the United States has grown significantly over the years on a national basis and Latinos accounted for more than 62,500,000 residents in 2021; Whereas the number of Latinos enrolled at an institution of higher education has increased from 2,900,000 in 2010, to 3,600,000 in 2019; Whereas Latinos are responsible for 78 percent of the growth of the United States labor force since the recession of 2007 to 2009; Whereas the Latino population is growing more rapidly than the non-Latino population, and has a younger median age of 29.5 years, as compared to 40.6 years among non-Latinos; Whereas the overall number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this resolution as STEM ) graduates increased, but Latino workers remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce, making up 18 percent of total employees across all occupations, but only 8 percent of all STEM workers; Whereas the percentage of Latino workers in STEM occupations has increased, but the increase has only been 1 percent annually since 2016; Whereas the attractiveness of STEM career paths is evidenced by the fact that the number of bachelor’s degrees in STEM increased for all citizens of the United States by 62 percent between 2010 and 2018 in comparison to a 20-percent growth for all other degrees; Whereas while surveys indicate that Latino students are interested in STEM education and aspire to STEM careers at similar rates as overrepresented groups, they make up a disproportionately low share of the STEM workforce; Whereas many Latino students are not adequately prepared or well-positioned to take full advantage of financial aid opportunities to attend an institution of higher education