Sociedad Latina Inc

SOCIEDAD LATINA WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO CREATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LATINE LEADERS WHO ARE CONFIDENT, COMPETENT, SELF-SUSTAINING AND PROUD OF THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS MISSION, WE HAVE DEVELOPED AN INNOVATIVE, MULTI-SERVICE MODEL CALLED PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS, WHICH ENGAGES YOUTH OVER THE LONG-TERM (AGES 11-21) TO BUILD SKILLS IN: EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND ARTS & CULTURE. THESE FOUR CONTENT AREAS ARE INFUSED INTO EACH PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT ALL YOUTH WHO ENGAGE WITH SOCIEDAD LATINA HAVE THE BROAD SKILL SETS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. WE IMPLEMENT AN ASSET-BASED APPROACH TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, SUPPORTING YOUTH TO DEVELOP POSITIVE CULTURAL IDENTITIES WHICH SERVE AS PROTECTIVE FACTORS, PROMOTE RESILIENCY, AND CONTINUE LATINE CULTURAL TRADITIONS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR SUCCESS RELIES ON DEEP PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES AND CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERS ACROSS BOSTON.

OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMMING ENCOMPASSES OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STEM PROGRAM; COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAMMING THAT INCLUDE TUTORING, MENTORING, EXTERNAL WORKPLACE INTERNSHIPS AND COACHING THROUGH THE FIRST YEAR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. 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 (ARTS + ACTIVISM) TO CALL ATTENTION TO INEQUITIES CONNECTED TO HEALTH, FOOD, CLIMATE, EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH, BULLYING PREVENTION, LACK OF ACCESS TO ARTS, THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS OF RACISM AND A WHOLE HOST OF SERVICES AND RESOURCES INCLUDING LACK OF LATINE REPRESENTATION ACROSS ALL FIELDS AND SECTORS. 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. 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 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 LATINE LIVES, OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES. WE ENGAGED CLOSE TO 300 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. YOUTH LEADERS ARE FOCUSED ON CAMPAIGNS RELATED TO EDUCATION REFORM, CLIMATE JUSTICE, PROMOTING HYDROPONIC GARDENING, LACK OF ADEQUATE AND MULTICULTURAL & MULTILINGUALS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS FOR YOUTH, THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL TOLL OF SOCIAL MEDIA INCLUDING THE WHITEWASHING THAT OCCURS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND RACIAL JUSTICE. YOUTH HAVE ORGANIZED MANY SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS INCLUDING PASSAGE OF POLICIES.

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 (STEM + ARTS) WITH A FOCUS ON LATINE CULTURAL TRADITIONS. WE ENGAGE OVER 800 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.