Latinos United for Change and Advancement

Participants:

Gladis Benavides - Facilitator, Salvador Carranza, David Duran, Dan Guerra, Alfonso Zepeda-Capistran, Peter and Pam Munoz, Adin Palau, Rachel Rodriguez, Yolanda Bohorquez, Ed Rico, Stephanie House, Pedro Albiter, Carmen Clark

Vision

"The Vision of LUChA is to achieve equality, economic self-reliance, political representation and civil rights of the Latino community."

Mission

"The Mission of LUChA shall be to advocate for the involvement of the Latino Community and the Community at large in addressing and resolving critical issues affecting the Latino community."

LUChA shall:

- Advocate
- Connect
- Participate
- Represent
- Collaborate
- Engage
- Empower
- Influence

Values/Principles

- Broad community representation
- Represent the community interest
- Use all legal, civic and political means to achieve our mission
- Collaborate constructively with other organizations
- Facilitate empowerment of our Community

Strategic Priorities

What are we going to engage in the following year?

1. Immigration is overarching issue/long term.(Policy Issues)

- Drivers certificates
- Housing protections
- Residence status for undocumented kids
- No-match letters
- Health-care eligibility issues

Strategic Priority No. 1

Engaging Participants: Salvador Carranza, David Duran, Ed Rico

(a) Membership

- Update data
- Reconnect with present members
- Keep membership informed by sending updates on issues quarterly

(b) Non-members

- Develop an outreach plan
- Contact volunteers
- Develop a workgroup approach to addressing issues to engage members and non-members

(c) On-going presence in the Latino Community

- Door to door approach to neighborhood contact
- Meet at different sites and neighborhoods to increase participation
- Develop outreach programs and initiatives
- Get involved
- in community organizing

Strategic Priority No.2

Leadership Development: Adin Palau and Rachel Rodriguez

(a) Development of leadership opportunities for members

- Create opportunities for different individuals to assume leadership re projects, initiatives, development of issue papers, etc.

- Identify areas of interest of the members by surveys, questionnaires, E-mail communications and others.

(b) Develop opportunities for leadership within our community

- Partner with organizations that promote youth and adult leadership

- Identify initiatives and programs that can be develop which stress community leadership and skill building

- Offer members the opportunity to mentor youth and adult community members interested in assuming leadership positions in the Latino community and the community at large.

Strategic Priority No. 3 Alfonso Zepeda-Capistr¡n and Stephanie House

Develop Topical Workgroups

(a) Education

- Seek the involvement of individuals in the community that represent a variety of perspectives, live and professional experiences and knowledge and skills.
- Develop a plan of action to address educational issues such as teachers' cultural competency standards, bilingual programs, educational disparities and others.
- Develop a position paper to be shared at local and State level.
- Seek to engage in collaborative efforts with other organizations addressing the educational needs of people of Color and in particular, Latinos.

(b) Safety

- Seek the involvement of individuals that represent a variety of perspectives, experiences, and professional backgrounds as well as natural and appointed leaders.
- Develop a Plan of Action to address issues including, but not limited to, Violence among youth, racial profiling, domestic abuse, legal representation and others.
- Develop a position paper to be shared with decision makers at local and State level.
- Seek and engage in collaborative efforts with organizations addressing issues of safety particularly related to People of Color.

(c) Immigration

- Identify and participate with those organizations already extensively involved in all aspects of Immigration in order to avoid duplication and achieve maximum results.
- If necessary develop a workgroup that will address issues such as drivers' certification, housing, residence status, no match letters, health care and others.
- Develop a position paper to be shared at local and state level.

NOTE All activities will be conducted by developing a Work Plan that will include action steps, benchmarks and time lines.

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