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LAYC's History Celebrated in New Case StudyWith Dignity, Hope & Joy Captures LAYC’s Rich History
Anyone who works with young people or in a community-based organization will find much of interest within as will funders, local officials, and service providers who support youth development agencies. 137 individuals were interviewed: DC government employees, representatives from foundations, former executive directors and LAYC Board members and alumni, academics, and consultants with extensive youth development experience. “Each day at LAYC there is a fresh success to celebrate, an obstacle overcome, a new mountain scaled. LAYC is honored to share these amazing stories,” said Lori Kaplan, LAYC’s Executive Director. “The stories in the oral history capture the great work our staff do to make a positive change in youth, their families, and the community,” continued Kaplan. “I invite you to learn more about our youth, staff, and the work we do.” With Dignity, Hope and Joy, a companion Oral History with extended interviews from which selections for the case study were chosen, and a Summary document are available at our website, www.layc-dc.org, or click here. 2008 Graduation Season of Academic SuccessThroughout May and June, LAYC and the Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers (MMYC) celebrated several graduations to commemorate the academic success of participants. Amongst friends and families, ten Upward Bound graduates received awards and certificates during an awards ceremony and Upward Bound senior send-off celebration. Partnering organizations National Council of La Raza and George Washington University also attended the event. All Upward Bound graduating seniors have been accepted to colleges across the nation: University of Virginia, George Washington University, Delaware State University, and many others. The graduates received approximately $150,000 in scholarships. |
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Meet the graduates: Upward Bound Ngozi has been part of LAYC’s Upward Bound program for the past three years. She is a dedicated member of the Upward Bound family and her community. She is also a well versed poet, who uses her talents as a writer as a means to uplift others. Ngozi’s most memorable moment of the Upward Bound program is visiting universities while in Atlanta. Ngozi will be studying Mass Communications with a concentration in Print Journalism at Virginia State University this coming fall. Walter has been part of the Upward Bound program since the summer before his freshman year of high school. Walter is a very sociable young man and has been involved in numerous community services projects. He has done work with juvenile justice, efforts to “re-green” D.C., and as a physician assistant. Visiting different college campuses is Walter’s favorite memory of the program. Walter will be studying Biology at Allegany College this coming fall and plans to become a teacher. To learn more about other LAYC Upward Bound graduates click here. More LAYC Graduations The YouthBuild Public Charter School ceremony featured special guests City Council member Jim Graham and former Chief Medical Officer for Washington, DC, Dr. Ivan Walks. Both thanked students for YouthBuild’s contribution to the community. Learn more about YouthBuild Public Charter School in Grant Helps Low Income Youth Earn GEDs, Develop Job Skills, and Serve Their Communities. The Next Step Public Charter School held a three-part celebration. During a morning event, students received certificates, read poems, and heard remarks from teachers and other staff. “Always keep on moving forward and strive for the best,” said Juan Carlos Martinez, acting principal. A reception to honor the students followed, and a dance party closed the celebration. Next Step/El Próximo Paso Public Charter School founded in 1996 offers teen parents and other young people who have dropped out or have never been to school in this country a flexible, individualized education that can include instruction in English, high school equivalency courses (GED), and work experience.
“It is important to keep up-to-date with technology,” said Terreno. “We all have the same opportunities; it is just a matter of going after them.” Maria Cardona representing AT&T, Brent Wilkes from the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Mario Acosta-Velez from Verizon addressed the graduates and congratulated them on their successes. All three organizations provide funding and technical assistance support to the Computer Literacy Lab. LAYC’s Computer Literacy Lab offers bilingual professional computer instruction to youth and their families. The goal is to provide knowledge and skills by working with the latest software and hardware in a fun environment. The comprehensive program provides a wide array of classes ranging from Intro to PC and Windows to Graphics & Publishing and certifications in Microsoft Office and Internet Bard@LAYC, which offers an intensive college-level introduction to the humanities for low-income adults who wanted to attend college but never had the opportunity, paid homage to graduates of the 8th class as they successfully completed their course. “The professors really helped spark the knowledge,” said Charmaine Shade, one of the 17 graduates. “If you can believe, you can achieve it,“ she added. Among the graduates were LAYC staff members Ali Lizandro Diaz, Maria Inma Iglesias, Lita Trejo, and AmeriCorps member Jennifer Zuniga. Many Bard@LAYC students use the program as an educational stepping stone and to be an example for their children. Program graduates have enrolled at schools such as Stanford University, American University, University of Maryland, University of the District of Columbia, Southeastern University, and Prince George’s Community College. Approximately 100 people gathered to commemorate 42 graduates from LAYC’s Family-to-Family Mentoring and Responsible Fatherhood programs in mid-June. Among the graduates were seven YouthBuild Public Charter School. Both programs match mentees with mentors who have successfully achieved self-sufficiency. The programs also provide young parents with a range of essential parenting skills and other supports, from workshops in child development and family budgeting to computer literacy classes. “Thanks for the opportunity you have provided me with,” said L. Santo. “This is a very unique program in DC and I hope [LAYC] continues to have more programs like this.” A laptop was presented to a student with extraordinary attendance throughout the duration of the program. Kydy Zapata, the lucky laptop winner, will be able to utilize her new computer skills learned through the program’s computer instruction. The programs are a success thanks to the contribution of staff members Alezandra Russell and Shayna Scholnick from Family-to-Family and Wilbert Quintanilla, Gina Fognani, Alvin Alvarado, and David Stephenson from Responsible Fatherhood. LAYC’s Family-to-Family Mentoring, funded by DC’s Department of Human Services, and Responsible Fatherhood, funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, offer essential parenting skills and other assistance to young parents. Mentee families are paired with mentors who have successfully achieved self-sufficiency. Mentees receive fourteen to sixteen weeks of training in the areas of parenting and life skills, including topics such as child development, child discipline, self-esteem, stress management, budget management, job interviewing skills, family planning, substance abuse, and domestic violence. English and computer classes are also provided to assist participants in increasing their life skills and becoming more self-sufficient. Mentee families also receive weekly case management services to help them achieve their personal and professional goals. LAYC, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s Office on Latino Affairs and Columbia Height’s Best Buy Undertake Summer Initiative
The Summer Leadership Institute provides 25 low-income and minority youth with advocacy and public speaking training. The young people will set forth issues they want to address and will receive the tools needed to construct proactive campaigns for change. “Partnerships among the private, non-profit, and government sectors create amazing opportunities for our young people to ensure no one stays behind. It is through collaborations like this that we can make a difference. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty’s and OLA’s commitment to ensure young people get heard is remarkable,” said Lori Kaplan, LAYC’s executive director. “LAYC collaborated with OLA in the Mayor’s Latino Youth Summit. We are excited to work with them again. We are also fortunate to have Best Buy’s support. They provided employment for our youth and now are extending their hands again to help young people become true leaders,” added Kaplan. “At Best Buy, we support the communities in which employees work and live through volunteerism and grants that benefit children and education,” said Robert Delissio, general manager. “We are here not just to make profits but to help the community flourish. I am confident that through this collaboration LAYC and OLA will train our youth to become the leaders they can be.” Best Buy donated funds to support the Summer Leadership Institute. The Summer Leadership Institute was created in part as follow up to the successful Mayor's Latino Youth Summit. “The Summit gave Latino youth a voice that needed to be heard. The Summit recognized that it is youth who really know and understand issues affecting them and who may have a better solution to address these issues,” said Mercedes Lemp, OLA’s executive director. The Latino Youth Committee that emerged from the Mayor's Latino Youth Summit is taking part in the Summer Leadership Institute and will use what is learned to continue its work long after the summer. Youth trained in the Summer Leadership Institute will use their skills to serve as advocates for the youth of Washington DC and to ensure the Summit was not a one-day event but an event with impact well into the future. “Young people have a voice, and it needs to be heard. Through the Summer Leadership Institute we will learn a more effective way to get heard,” said participant Edgar Martinez.. “I’m honored and excited to be a part of this group because I want to improve my leadership skills so I can make a difference in the community.” Young people are concerned about their families and neighborhoods and want to learn how to make a difference. “The Institute will help youth believe in themselves and provide them the knowledge and skills to take control of their lives in a positive way,” said Ricardo Flores, LAYC’s Advocacy Director. Grant for LAYC's YouthBuild Public Charter School Helps Low-Income Youth Earn GEDs, Develop Job Skills, and Serve Their Communities
“This generous grant will enable us to expand our capacity so that LAYC’s YouthBuild Public Charter School can serve 100 low-income youth, which is nearly double the number we are able to serve now. Every year we have more than five times the number of applicants than we can serve, so expanding our capacity is meeting a vital need in our community,” said Patricia Bravo, YouthBuild Public Charter School executive director. In YouthBuild programs, low-income young people ages 16-24 work toward their GEDs or high school diplomas. In addition to their work in the classroom, students learn job skills by building affordable housing for homeless and low-income families and participating in leadership development activities in their communities. LAYC’s former headquarters is being renovated with help from YouthBuild Public Charter School students to provide transitional housing for homeless teen mothers with children. “YouthBuild has helped me see life differently, and working on the home for homeless mothers has been meaningful to me,” said student Joana Reyes. “Homeless shelters rarely accept women with children. This transitional living home built with the assistance of YouthBuild students will make a dramatic difference in the lives of many families in the community,” added Lori Kaplan, LAYC's executive director. “The Wal-Mart Foundation is committed to providing opportunities so people can live better,” said Ray Bracy, Senior Vice President of U.S. Public Affairs and Government Relations for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. “Through this grant, we are supporting young people in their efforts to improve their own lives as well as improve the living conditions of low-income families here in Washington, D.C. and across the country.” LAYC's Youth and Staff Participate in Community Activism EventsThroughout the year, LAYC advocates to influence public policy on issues affecting young people. During May and June, LAYC participated in events aimed at securing immigrant rights, employment opportunities, and increased funding to house homeless youth.
Dozens of LAYC youth attended; for many, this event represented their first advocacy effort. Participants called for unity in the immigration movement, an end to raids, a pathway to citizenship, and for civic participation for the upcoming presidential election. This event was one of many peaceful and energetic gatherings held in more than 30 cities across the United States on May 1st. Marching for Summer Youth Employment Opportunities As the economic stimulus package was being debated in Congress, youth and advocates demanded legislators include $1 billion for summer youth employment programs. According to DCAYA, a recent report forecasts that 65.8% of American youth 16 to 19 years of age will be jobless this summer For more information on the rally click here: http://usmayors.org/uscm/us_mayor_newspaper/documents/06_02_08/pg11_youth_jobs.asp In addition to rallying, LAYC is among many organizations attempting to solve the problem of youth unemployment by participating in DC’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) and through the Maryland Multicultural Youth Center’s Summer Work Skills & Internships in Montgomery (SWIM) which places young people in jobs and provides a range of educational opportunities. More than 150 youth have been placed in jobs by LAYC this summer through SEYP and around 100 through SWIM and other MMYC summer employment programs. Advocating for More Funding for Homeless Youth Cynthia provided powerful and compelling testimony about the reasons she was pushed to leave her home. She described the shelter and other services and supports she has received through LAYC’s Extended Housing Program, which is a program of youth who have completed LAYC’s Independent Living Program and the Transitional Living Program but aren’t ready to live on their own. Each night, approximately 1,400 of youth in the nation’s capital are without shelter. Youth Making News
Dalila’s Milagros: Her mother--a hard-working immigrant from Guatemala striving to provide her children with a better life--was deported from Washington, DC to her native country. Claudia is one of approximately five million U.S. children with at least one undocumented parent. Why should an innocent child have to suffer because of our nation’s broken immigration system? Immigration raids and deportations are separating our families and tearing apart our communities. Claudia is only 15 years old. She is at a tender age when she really needs her mother the most. She is at an age all children need their parents. It breaks my heart to see her suffer. She is no longer the happy child I once knew. Her grades have dropped. She is depressed, and she is now under the care of people she does not know. More than a decade ago, Claudia’s mother came to the United States with a dream. And that immigrant dream is the American dream. My Milagros is simple: I wish that no other child like Claudia gets separated from their parents because of immigration raids. And families that have been torn apart could be reunited. I wish that the next President works with Congress to pass immigration reform in their first 100 days in office. Young Americans are the future. But what does the future hold for children traumatized because of the broken immigration system? Without immigration reform there is no healthy tomorrow for millions of young Americans like Claudia. Art Changed My Life According to Ronald Chacon, Arts Coordinator at the Arts + Media House, Alvaro’s work is tender, pure, vivid and filled with imagery of what is to come and what is gone. “Alvaro is a prolific painter and has created numerous works of arts that decorate the walls of various LAYC programs,” said Chacon. Alvaro, native of Mazatenga, Guatemala, moved to the United States almost three years ago with his parents and two sisters. He is currently working towards obtaining his GED. He excels in learning languages and has the quickly become bilingual. In addition to being an exceptional artist, he is a talented and innovative cook; in his spare time, Alvaro often cooks for his housemates. When he is not at school or work, Alvaro enjoys gardening and spending time outdoors. Alvaro aspires to attend college to pursue arts studies. For more information on the art display or to purchase Alvaro’s or other youths’ art, please contact Ronald Chacon at 202-319-7312. Exhibits at the Corner Gallery change bi-monthly. The Gallery is made possible by support from Target. In Alvaro's own words: My family began to have problems. I could not stand being home while my mom and dad fought, so I had to find another home where I could have the possibility of having a better future. I felt like I was alone in this world, and I needed someone or something where I could express my feeling and thoughts. I went to the Colombia Road Health Services where they provided me with counseling services. I told my counselor about my situation at home, and she suggested I visit the Latin American Youth Center. I went to the Latin American Youth Center, and they provided me with the opportunity to temporarily live in the SOP [Street Outreach Program], which provides emergency shelter, among other things, to runaway and homeless youth. As I attended school, I discovered my ability to make art. Through art I have learned to view the world from another perspective. Painting has helped me control my anger and my weaknesses as a way of focusing on something better. Painting has motivated me, and now I would like to pursue this field as my career. I consider art to be everything you feel, see, and experience. I don’t know what I would be doing at this time if it wasn’t for the TLP program, which has provided me with the opportunity to discover and pursue art. I am happy because at the TLP and other houses, my art projects are displayed all over. Teresa, who also participated in February in the coordination of DC’s first Latino Youth Summit, spoke about the need for the police department to assign community police officers back in the Columbia Heights neighborhood---an LAYC priority advocacy issue. Teresa also spoke about the personal and community benefits she was able to experience due to community policing. Community policing is a law enforcement strategy based on the idea that officers who genuinely value and practice community interaction and relationships are better able to do their jobs: prevent crimes before they happen, identify suspects after the fact, and see overall issues as they arise in their community. This is the second time an LAYC participant testified at Mr. Gray’s monthly meetings. Teresa’s testimony: I would like to speak about the issue of police officers in my neighborhood. For many years, there were a number of police officers assigned to the Columbia Heights area that worked out of an office on Park Road. Some of the officer’s names were Sergeant Aguilar and Officer Andres Marcucci. They were good officers who cared about the youth and the community. They made themselves available to us anytime we needed them, and they were always walking and driving around in the neighborhood. For some reason the police department decided to send these officers downtown, and they are no longer working in the neighborhood. We don’t really see them around anymore, and it is harder to keep in touch. Also, there are more gang incidents in my neighborhood. MS-13 and other gangs have been more active because they don’t see officers they know on the streets as much, or see the officers who used to reach out to them and the community. I’ve had the personal experience of having the help and support of Officer Marcucci. He has often talked to me over the phone telling me to do the right thing, for example, when other youth wanted to start a fight or making problems with who I hung out with. One time, he helped me get eyeglasses. I have seen him help other girls and boys at the Center, too. I would like you to please consider getting the police department to put the community police officers back in my neighborhood. Community police help individuals like me and the community as a whole. Thank you for your time and consideration. LAYC's Website Gets Youthful Young LAYC/Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers Artists Beautify Langley Park
With the goal of giving out-of-school youth a unique learning experience and exposure to art, Arts on the Block, MMYC, other community-based organizations, and law enforcement paved the way for the “Turning Point” project over a year ago. Brandon Pellecchia, a Montgomery County police officer, and Gretchen Hilburger of the Maryland International Corridor CSAFE know first-hand the dangers of gang “taggings” in a community. This unique collaboration garnered additional support from individuals and businesses to create opportunities for underserved youth. “Turning Point” apprentice artists under the direction of Arts on the Block lead artist Carien Quiroga have been given a chance to contribute to the community in a lasting way, as well as a chance to change their lives for the better. The mural is a stunning display of creativity and captures the unique artistic skills of the youthful apprentice artists. Using public art as the basis for learning, the “Turning Point” mural project offered life skills, leadership development, job readiness training, and stipends to out-of-school, at-risk youth in Langley Park, Long Branch, and surrounding communities. The project harnessed the creative energies of 22 youth and contributed to urban revitalization by creating a permanent mural at Piney Branch Road and New Hampshire Avenue, an intersection that is in both Prince George's and Montgomery Counties. The prominent 4,500 square foot retaining wall had been a site of gang markings, which can promote gang involvement and imply geographical ownership by gangs, making residents, businesses and commuters feel unsafe and wanting to leave the area. Two neighboring apartment complexes organized to supply materials for the power washing, priming, and painting of the wall and prepared it for mural installation. To read more about the young artists click here. LAYC’s Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers Make Employment Opportunities Available to Montgomery County Youth
The job fair provided young people between 16 and 21 years old with one-stop exposure to employment opportunities, internship and apprenticeship information, and community resources. Youth participating in Let’s Get It Started had the opportunity to participate in on-site interviews with over 50 employers. Bringing potential employers together under one roof proved beneficial for the participants. “You get to meet a lot of different people at once, and you get their immediate reaction,” said Raul Aleman, 18 years old, a Montgomery College student who attended the fair with a friend. “It is much better here [than finding jobs at other places] because everyone is in one room,” added Kevin Tapia, 16. Youth who pre-registered were offered interview and job readiness workshops to prepare for the job fair. Those who registered the day of the fair still had the opportunity to attend 10-minute power workshops that covered basic interview tips. Adwaoa Bempa, 16, who learned about the youth job fair from an announcement at school, attended the fair to find her second summer job. She knew that with summer underway extra cash was going to come in handy. Just as the young participants found the job fair useful, so did the employers. The Montgomery County Police Department singed up to recruit youth for the County’s explorer program, learning for life’s career education program for young people 14 to 20 years old with an interest in a career in law enforcement. According to Officer G. Stephens, fairs of this magnitude are important because both the employers and the youth are able to see what’s out there. “I know how important it is for kids to find something positive. If they find what they are looking for, they will continue to come,” said Officer Stephens. Employers and organizations at the fair included Best Buy, Gap Busters, Baskin Robbins, The Limited, National Guard, Job Corps, Godiva Chocolate, Gap store, Hope Child Care Center, Charles River Laboratories, Global Tech Bilingual Institute, and many others. Barbara Kaufmann, director of the county’s Workforce Investment Board, said “The youth job fair is part of Montgomery County’s commitment to its youth, along with programs throughout the year to assist youth gain a GED or a high school diploma and receive training to prepare for jobs.” The job fair would have not been successful without the relentless support of the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth, and Families; Maryland’s Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation; Montgomery Works One-Stop Workforce Center; Montgomery County Department of Recreation; Montgomery County Ride On; Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers; El Zol 99.1 FM; TransCen; YMCA, and State Farm, who pitched in as sponsors of the event. LAYC Celebrates Foster Care Month
LAYC’s foster care program provides foster care to infants and children up to 18 years old who have been temporarily removed from their parents or guardians due to neglect or abuse. Foster care parents, those who have completed LAYC’s training and licensing program but have not yet received a foster youth, families, and friends joined LAYC staff at an appreciation dinner at which they were saluted for their caring commitment and continuing support. “Thank you for being special, for opening your hearts and home,” said Lori Kaplan, LAYC’s executive director. “My son is already an adult. I have plenty of time and willingness to provide care and love to a child in need,” said Ochoa who completed the 30-hour training for potential foster parents. LAYC is the only community-based agency in DC authorized to recruit, train, and license Latino foster care parents. “The young people whom I have met are my motivation to become a foster parent,” said Altman. “I know sometimes young people just need a nurturing person to succeed.” Once participants pass the 30-hour training, they can be licensed to become foster care parents. Elizabeth Jenkins-Sahlin, LAYC family resource specialist for the foster care program, notes that without the ongoing efforts of foster parents, relative caregivers, mentors, advocates, social workers, and volunteers, too many children will face life’s challenges all alone. Lita and Freddy Trejos were selected by LAYC as foster parents of the year for their dedication to DC youth. The Trejos have been foster parents for the past 11 years, opening their hearts and doors to more than 15 children from the foster care system. “Even after the children leave, they keep coming back to the Trejos’,” said Jessica Yepez, LAYC social worker. “Our doors are open for many more kids,” said Freddy Trejos, who is convinced that to become a successful foster parent, all that is needed is the yearning to make the difference. In Brief NewsLAYC in Hispanic Business Magazine’s Top 25 LAYC was selected as one of the top 25 largest Latino nonprofits in the United Sates by Hispanic Business Magazine. The complete list appears in the magazine’s May edition. If you would like to support these activities and programs, click here to securely donate online. The LAYC Family of Organizations is a network of youth centers, schools, and social enterprises with a shared commitment to helping youth become successful and happy young adults, with the skills they need to succeed educationally, professionally and personally. For more information, please go to www.layc-dc.org. |
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After a year of comprehensive research and interviews, extraordinary stories of people impacted by the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) and the organization’s history are captured in With Dignity, Hope and Joy. Researched and written by Dr. Marcia Bernbaum, who volunteered her time for this project, and with assistance from Isaac Castillo, LAYC’s director of Learning and Evaluation, With Dignity, Hope and Joy narrates LAYC’s birth, growth and lessons learned through the eyes of youth, staff, and numerous individuals from the community. The report takes its title from LAYC’s mission: to support youth and their families in their determination to live, work, and study with dignity, hope, and joy. 
Ngozi Agbara
Walter Alvarez
LAYC’s Computer Literacy Lab’s sixteenth graduation was a first for Inocencio Terreno, a 69-year- old DC resident. After several years dropping in to chat with LAYC staff, Mr. Terreno enrolled in the Computer Literacy Lab and became one of 319 participants to graduate on June 20. 
LAYC, Columbia Height’s recently opened Best Buy, and the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA) joined efforts to launch a leadership program for youth in the District of Columbia.
Students and staff from LAYC’s YouthBuild Public Charter School excitedly gathered together o receive this grant of $30,000 from the Wal-Mart Foundation.
Rallying for Immigrant Rights
Dalila Huaracho, former participant in LAYC’s Upward Bound, spoke at a press conference organized by the National Latino Children’s Institute in partnership with LAYC to commemorate el Dia de los Niños (Young Children’s Day). Adults and youth spoke about the importance of children across the nation. As part of the press event, children and youth presented their dreams and hopes in form of hand crafted Milagros (Miracles). Dalila read her heart-wrenching Milagros/Miracles, which touched upon one of the biggest issues affecting the country: immigration.
From June to July, LAYC’s Corner Gallery, at the intersection of 14th Street and Columbia Road NW, highlighted the creative work of youth enrolled in classes at the Art + Media House. The current exhibition is the first solo show at the Gallery: paintings by Alvaro, 19 year old student at LAYC’s Next Step Public Charter School, the Art + Media House and a participant at the transitional living program, one of LAYC’s residential houses.
LAYC Youth Speak Up on Community Policing
Decimos
LAYC’s Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers (MMYC) and Arts on the Block were joined on Tuesday, June 17, by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson, State Senator David C. Harrington, State Senator Jamin B. (Jamie) Raskin, other elected officials, and community members in a celebratory event to mark dedication of the “Turning Point” mural. The theme of the mural is transformation: transformation of lives and the landscape of a community.
More than 1500 young people from Montgomery County—twice as many youth as last year--attended the third annual Let’s Get it Started youth job fair on May 31. The annual job fair is organized by the Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers (MMYC) and the Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board’s Youth Council, along with other partners.
Each May during National Foster Care Month, LAYC’s Foster Care Program honors the compassionate people who make a difference throughout the year in the lives of DC children and families.