Puentes New Orleans Inc.

Puentes is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the Latine population in New Orleans since 2007. We are currently focused on youth education, leadership, and development through our Escalera, Pioneras en STEM, L.U.N.A (Latines Unides en Nueva Orleans en Acción) and Padres Comprometidos programs. Our mission is to build bridges that support successful paths for Latine youth, and our vision is to uplift the next generation of Latine leaders. Puentes has established itself as one the two nonprofits in the region focused exclusively on Latin American youth and one of the few focused specifically on immigrant youth. Puentes programming centers Latine parents and families by addressing the growing number of Latine students in the local school system and the gap in educational attainment for Latine youth compared to other youth demographics. According to the 2020 national census, over 25.7% of youth under 18 in the United States are Latine. According to public-school enrollment data from the Louisiana Department of Education, as of February 1st 2025, in Louisiana 77,674 of the 673,801 students enrolled in the public school system are Latine (11.5%); of the 43,517 students enrolled in Orleans Parish, 5,707 are Latine (13%); and; of the 47,459 students enrolled In Jefferson Parish, 18,604 (39%) are Latine. It is in the best interest of governmental and non-governmental institutions to ensure Latine students and their parents understand students’ rights to education in the school system and have access to post secondary education and career pathways to prosper economically. The gap in educational attainment for Latine students and English Learners is further demonstrated by the fact that in Louisiana, only 41% of English Learners graduate high school.