Welcome to the new website of the NALEO Educational Fund, the nation's leading nonprofit organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the American political process, from citizenship to public service. A nonpartisan 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) organization first established in 1981, we carry out our mission through programs that integrate Latinos fully into American political society, provide professional development opportunities and technical assistance to the nation's more than 6, 000 Latino elected and appointed officials, and monitor and conduct advocacy on issues important to the Latino community and our political participation. In 2005 the Latino population in the United States reached 41.9 million. About one out of seven Americans are now Latino. It is critical to the strength of our democracy that the second largest population groups in the nation have full access and opportunity to participate in civic life. Our work is dedicated to fulfilling this goal. We invite you to explore our entire website and learn more about the work we are doing to ensure Latinos are full stakeholders in American society and to enhance the leadership skills of Latino elected officials as they increasingly represent diverse communities across the country. We also invite you to visit us often as we will continue to enhance the information and tools available on the site and update frequently.