“As a rapidly aging nation, the future economic health of the United States will increasingly hinge on the resources that we invest to support the early development and subsequent educational attainment and economic security of children and youth,” write Lisa A. Gennetian and Marta Tienda in their introduction to this volume of The ANNALS, which focuses attention on the circumstances and contributions of Latinx children and youth in this broader U.S. context.
In their special issue, “Investing in Latino Children and Youth,” editors Gennetian (Duke University) and Tienda (emerita, Princeton University) bring together a group of scholars with expertise in demography, public policy, sociology, and psychology, among other disciplines, to address housing, early childhood care and education, parenting practices, health and health care access, poverty, and the social safety net among the U.S. Hispanic population. While the contents of this volume focus on Latinx children and youth, the editors hope that the papers offer useful information about a broader path forward to support the positive welfare of all young people.