Spurred by President Obama’s promises of legislation to grant undocumented immigrants legal status, students both documented and not are rallying to bring about reform.

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Latinos believe education and hard work are key to a successful future, but they are more likely than other young people to drop out of school and live in poverty, according to a new Pew Hispanic Center study being released today.

The study, based on a survey of more than 1,200 Latinos ages 16 to 25 and an analysis of census data, presents a portrait of the assimilation of a rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population, one that will have a significant effect on the nation’s politics and economics in coming years. Young Latinos make up 18% of all young people in the nation and 42% in California.

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Assemblyman John Pérez, an openly gay Latino Democrat from Los Angeles, has made history by becoming the first openly gay person of color elected to the state legislature. Pérez, was unanimously chosen by the Assembly’s Democratic Caucus to succeed Karen Bass as the lower house’s leader.

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John Pérez will assume Assembly leadership early next year. Photo: Rich Pedroncelli / AP