Sociedad Latina Inc

SOCIEDAD LATINA PROMOTES LATINE LEADERSHIP AND CREATES A BOSTON COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS YOUTH SUCCESS THROUGH OUR HOLISTIC "PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS" POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT MODEL, WHICH CONNECTS YOUTH AGES 11-21 TO NINE YEARS OF INTENSIVE, FREE, YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING THAT USES CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE AND SUSTAINING PRACTICES TO CAPITALIZE ON STRENGTHS AND ASSETS, SUCH AS BILINGUALISM, HIGH ASPIRATIONS, RESILIENCY AND STRONG FAMILY AND COMMUNITY TIES. OUR APPROACH WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND A WIDE NETWORK OF CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERS TO BUILD YOUNG PEOPLE'S SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE IN FOUR KEY AREAS: EDUCATION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ARTS & CULTURE AND STEM.

OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMMING ENCOMPASSES OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STEAM TEAM, HIGH SCHOOL MISSION POSSIBLE, AND ACADEMY FOR LATINES ACHIEVING SUCCESS PROGRAMS. OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTED ON THEIR JOURNEYS FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL, TO HIGH SCHOOL, AND ONTO DIVERSE COLLEGE AND CAREER POSTSECONDARY PATHWAYS. OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING PROGRAMMING USES ARTIVISM TO CALL ATTENTION TO INEQUITIES CONNECTED TO HEALTH, FOOD, CLIMATE, EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH, BULLYING PREVENTION, LACK OF ACCESS TO ARTS AND A WHOLE HOST OF SERVICES AND RESOURCES INCLUDING LACK OF LATINE REPRESENTATION ACROSS ALL FIELDS AND SECTOR. OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND STEM PATHWAYS PROGRAMMING FOCUSES ON SUPPORTING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN EXPLORING CAREER PATHWAYS THAT ARE UNDERREPRESENTED BY LATINE INDIVIDUALS AND ACHIEVING THEIR POSTSECONDARY CAREER GOALS THROUGH WORK READINESS TRAINING AND INTERNSHIPS, AND HYDROPONIC GARDENING AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. OUR ARTS & CULTURE PROGRAMMING OFFERS OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTS, CELEBRATE DIVERSE LATINE CULTURAL TRADITIONS, AND BE GUIDED ON A PATHWAY TO MUSIC MASTERY THROUGH OUR WEEKEND COMMUNITY CLASSES, HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH ARTISTS MASTERY PROGRAM, AND ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: SOCIEDAD LATINA CULTIVATES YOUTH LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND ELEVATES THEIR VOICE IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES THAT AFFECT LATINO LIVES, OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES. WE ENGAGED 260 YOUTH THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS, WITH 85% UNDERSTANDING HOW TO RUN A GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN, 91% BUILDING A STRONGER CONNECTION TO THEIR COMMUNITY, AND 91% FEEL LIKE MORE OF A LEADER. IN ADDITION, YOUTH ORGANIZED A SUCCESSFUL EDUCATION REFORM CAMPAIGN ON STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, LAUNCHED THE MISSION HILL RAPID RESPONSE NETWORK TO PROTECT THEIR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS, AND LED PEER-TO-PEER TRAININGS AND OUTREACH ON SEXUAL HEALTH, NUTRITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

ARTS & CULTURE: SOCIEDAD LATINA OFFERS YOUTH A PATHWAY TO MUSIC MASTERY AND QUALITY OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE AND EXPERIENCE ART IN THE DISCIPLINES OF VISUAL ART, NEW MEDIA, DANCE, THEATRE AND STEAM WITH A FOCUS ON LATINO CULTURAL TRADITIONS. WE ENGAGED 780 YOUTH THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS, WITH 91% BUILDING CREATIVITY AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, 85% INCREASING INTEREST AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE ARTS, AND 75% BUILDING CULTURAL PRIDE AND IMPROVING CULTURAL PROFICIENCY. WE HAVE BEEN NAMED AS A FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL ARTS AND HUMANITIES YOUTH PROGRAM AWARD, RECOGNIZING OUR HIGH-QUALITY APPROACH TO CREATIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.