Research Institute

About the Research Institute

CLLARO Research Institute conducts community-engaged research that can inspire, inform, and impact action toward improving the lives of Latinos in Colorado. Our core values are rigor, accessibility, and prioritizing Latinos.

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WHY A RESEARCH INSTITUTE?

Currently, Latinos make up over 20% of Colorado's population and about 34% of the Denver metropolitan area (Source). Despite this, there is a lack of research on Latinos in Colorado that is conducted by Latinos and that focuses on their experiences in the state. As a Latino-led organization with 60 years of service to the community, CLLARO believes it is uniquely positioned to harness the intellectual capacity of our community and produce research that is rigorous, accessible, and authentic to the diverse experiences of Latino communities in Colorado.

Data from the CLLARO Research Institute has the power to inspire new thinking on challenges facing Colorado's Latinos and influence evidence-based solutions. This work is crucial, as Latinos are the fastest-growing population in the state, comprising a growing share of voters, workers, consumers, retirees, youth, and the aging population (Source). Our ultimate goal is to impact Colorado's political, economic, and social systems to help Latinos thrive.

OUR APPROACH

1. Rigor is our promise to produce reliable and valid research. This includes, but is not limited to, tailoring our methods to match our research questions, obtaining ethics approval, utilizing the most current and credible resources available, and being transparent about our process.

2. Usable (accessibility) means that we are committed to engaging our communities as partners rather than subjects. We aim to reach as many Latinos as possible– including policymakers, advocates, and the broader public. We invite the community to collaborate and provide feedback and commit to sharing our work in ways that are easily understood; including clear, concise language, a range in formats (e.g. videos, infographics, etc.), and a commitment to have all materials in both Spanish and English.

3. Prioritizing Latinos: We prioritize the needs, interests, and perspectives of Latinos in all aspects of our work and seek to include a full range of Latino identities. We elevate the contributions of Latino intellectuals by partnering with Latino academics, emphasizing partnerships with Latino-serving organizations, and centering research on Latino communities in Colorado.