According to data from the 2000 census, Hispanics—to the extent that they can be considered a discrete and identifiable segment of American society—are now the largest minority in the United States, composing 12.5 percent of the population (Bureau of the Census, 2000). By 2050, Hispanics are expected to constitute 25 percent of the U.S. population (Day, 1996). Hispanic communities are no longer found in only a limited number of cities in the West, although the largest communities—as measured by census tracts in which Hispanics represent 60 to 80 percent of the population—are in the Southwest and West. Nevertheless, small but vibrant communities can be found in almost all major U.S. cities. That Hispanics make up a significant—and growing—segment of the American population and can be found in cities across the country means that issues affecting Hispanic Americans, their families, and their communities are of local, regional, and national significance.