100 days and counting! I feel tremendously blessed at this moment to be at the helm of the Latino Community Foundation as we build the civic and economic power of Latinos and make our democracy stronger. Our partnerships with amazing non-profits throughout California, as well as the work we do directly through our Latino Nonprofit Accelerator, the Latino Giving Circle Network, and our Rest Is Power Sabbatical program, are shifting power to a Latino community that represents a critical component of our multiracial democracy in California and our nation.
During my first three months on the job, I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the passion and love of community that our partners bring to their work. Leaders like Dr. Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga of Ayudando Latinos a Soñar (ALAS) and Luz Gallegos of Training Occupational Development Educating Communities (TODEC), who are doing amazing work with farmworker families in their respective communities of Half Moon Bay and the Inland Empire, and Jacob Martinez, who’s doing inspiring work at Digital Nest to provide young Latinas and Latinos in the Central Coast career-boosting technology learning centers. My favorite moments from my visits have been hearing the stories of generational success and appreciation that abound in our Latino community—farmworkers who speak with so much pride about their children who are studying in college, and students who speak with reverence about the parents and grandparents who sacrificed so much for them to be where they are.
Our goal for 2024 is to deepen our impact in California and expand to other communities in states with large Latino populations. The grants we propose today accomplish both these goals. We are investing a sizable portion of our grants in the Central Valley and other parts of the state traditionally underinvested in. And, in a first for LCF, we’re making investments for civic engagement work in Arizona and Nevada, two neighboring states that will play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of November’s presidential election. These investments represent a modest but important first step to establish LCF’s footprint outside of California.
The Latino community continues to grow in every way a community can grow—in its numbers, accomplishments, voting power, economic impact, and aspirations. That means the destiny of our country is intertwined with the destiny of our Latino community more than ever. It also means LCF’s work has never been more critical, and we plan to grow with the community.
I hope you will follow our progress, tell others about our work, and consider getting involved in our efforts. Visit our website to learn more about our investments, the Latino Giving Circle Network, and the numerous ways in which we support Latina and Latino non-profit leaders.
By: Julián Castro, CEO
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