Community Spotlight is on:

North County Latina Association (NCLA)

Mission:

NCLA’s mission is to create a better quality of life for all Latinas by empowering Latinas socially and economically through education.

Organization:

NCLA is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization. It was founded by a group of Latina community women in North San Diego County, CA, in 1990. NCLA focuses on mentoring young Latinas by educating them about higher education opportunities, community service, and self development. Each year, they organize a fabulous Adelante Mujer conference without the benefit of paid staff.

Youth:

The Adelante Mujer conference is a 1-day event for Latinas ages 12 to 18 and their mothers. It is held on a college campus and includes a Latina keynote speaker and three workshop tracks focusing on career and self development. The Adelante Mujer conference offers as many as 80 workshops throughout the day primarily presented by Latina professionals, including lawyers, judges, engineers, medical doctors, nurses, counselors, and college professors. Participants—consisting of presenters, volunteers, NCLA members, students, and moms—average about 1,000 every year.

During the year, NCLA also holds four self-development workshops throughout North San Diego County for young Latinas. NCLA is highly visible and collaborates with several community organizations, such as MANA of San Diego. NCLA has created opportunities for young Latinas by offering scholarships to area residents—the most recent being the Quinceañera scholarship. Ten Latinas are awarded $1,500 each when they turn 15. The money is then held in an account until they attend college.

Initiatives:

SAMHSA’s Hispanic/Latino Initiative materials have helped NCLA empower parents and young Latinas by providing positive information that supports, motivates, and instructs families to do more for their children. The ¡Soy Unica! ¡Soy Latina! materials inspire young Latinas to feel good about themselves and their identities as Latinas.

Contact:

North County Latinas-NCLA
P.O. Box 2212
San Marcos, CA 92079
Voice mail: (760) 599–7689
E-mail: mailbox@sd-ncla.org
Web site: www.sd-ncla.org
E-mail: minervag@csusm.edu

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