National Council of La Raza is an organization that aims to improve life opportunities for Hispanic Americans. The council addresses such issues as poverty, discrimination, health, and education. It is the largest Hispanic organization in the United States, serving Hispanic nationality groups in all parts of the country. The organization began in 1968.
The National Council of La Raza uses two main approaches to meet its goals. First, it provides capacity-building assistance to community-based Hispanic organizations. Its help in management, programming, and resource development enables smaller programs to reach greater numbers of people. Second, the council conducts research and analysis on matters of government policy and public concern. It publishes many materials and holds media activities to raise awareness of Hispanic issues.
The organization takes its name from the writings of Mexican scholar Jose Vasconelos. Vasconelos originally used the term La Raza Cosmica, which roughly translates into English as The Cosmic People. The phrase reflects the diversity of races and cultures within the Hispanic community.
