Introduction

The Introduction to this volume situates the work in this edited volume within the context of social equity, public administration, and civic engagement among Spanish-speaking communities in the United States. It highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed systemic disparities in access to linguistically and culturally appropriate services and information, and it introduces key themes explored throughout the volume including identity, language, representation, and structural inequities. This edited volume calls for equity-centered governance and culturally competent public service, arguing that inclusive civic engagement must move beyond procedural access to include meaningful participation. This introduction contains key features such as Innovations in Action and Inequity in Action boxes. Together with Chapters 1 and 2, this introduction presents the foundations for the volume, setting the stage for deeper discussions on representation, language justice, and democratic inclusion across sectors and systems in the fulfillment of Public Administration’s social equity pillar.