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 Bienvenidos/Welcome:
On behalf of the National Latino Children’s Institute (NLCI) I would like to thank our partners the National Education Association, Office of Minority Health, Univision, Ford Motor Company Fund & Community Services, Kraft Foods, Aetna Foundation, Southwest Airlines and the Century Council. Without their support the forum and report on the forum would not be possible. I welcome you to our First Public Forum Report: Creating a Nation of Hope for Latino Children−Effecting change on behalf of those who will build the future−Our Children.
As we were working to put this forum together, I reflected on my life and why I made the choices I did and how I got to this place—the daughter of farmworkers. I realized it was because people believed in me causing me to believe in myself. There was also hope for a better future.
Today, I fear there is the opposite feeling--Latino youth in many communities are feeling such a sense of hopelessness and that no one cares. This is not true in every community but it is the reality in which many youth are living; and it needs to be acknowledged and addressed. We need to work with community, including children and families, at the grassroots level and see how we can support the work that will restore our children’s hope and optimism, because they have the answers. NLCI will assist by providing guidance and tools and advocate on their behalf to create safe, healthy communities for Latino children to flourish.
During this historic time when our national leaders are seeking new strategies for addressing the continuing inequities in health and education that impede the advancement of Latino children, through the forum we showcased best practices by grassroots organizations that successfully provide effective strategies. They do so by implementing prevention programs and creating access to opportunities that are making a difference in the lives of thousands of Latino children. NLCI has long supported and recognized the work of community-based organizations and their commitment to improving not only their clients, but also their neighborhoods and towns.
Since 1997, NLCI staff has learned that the most successful public policies are those that are truly collaborative partnerships. They engage local leaders from the first step and remain closely linked to real life needs. NLCI’s work is dedicated to increasing alignment between local community actions and the public policies that guide programs by providing technical assistance and dissemination of best practices that improve policies and programs for Latino children to address the disparities and inequities.
Additionally, NLCI developed avenues that would increase the young Latino’s visibility. April 30, 2009 marked the 10th Anniversary of El Día de los Niños−Celebrating Young Americans and was celebrated in over 150 communities with over half a million participating throughout the nation on this day and through the weekend. El Día de los Niños has become an important tool for bringing together community leaders and families; working side-by-side to be open to dialogue and establishing relationships as they share ideas about improving life in their own community for and with their children, as we have begun to do through this public forum.
This is a first step as we build an ongoing strategy to further the advocacy work that began with this forum. Together let us create a nation of hope for our Latino children. ¡Que vivan los niños!
Sincerely,
Josephine F. Garza
Executive Director
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