Nov. 17 Event Celebrates Accomplishments of Effort to Increase Latino Civic Engagement

San Marcos, CA – Hundreds of area residents involved in an ambitious federally funded project anchored at Cal State San Marcos to boost Latino civic engagement will be celebrated during a Nov. 17 gala highlighting accomplishments made during the effort’s first year.

The project, Cultivando Liderazgo (Nurturing Leadership), was launched through a partnership led by CSUSM and the CSUSM-based National Latino Research Center. The federal Corporation for National and Community Service is providing nearly $1 million for the three-year project, which includes $100,000 that was recently awarded for photo documentation and an oral history project on how Latinos are civically engaged in non-traditional ways.

Cultivando Liderazgo is aimed at uncovering how Latinos engage in civic society, identifying barriers keeping Latinos from civic participation, and determining the most effective methods to overcome those barriers. Educational seminars to increase engagement is a key component of the effort, and more than 200 community members so far have enrolled in an eight-week civics course for low-income, Spanish-speaking residents.

The Nov. 17 gala begins with a 5 p.m. reception at Centro Cívico Universidad Popular, 1234 N. Santa Fe Ave., in Vista. Dinner and the program begin at 6:30. Guests must register through this link by Nov. 11.

Special guests include Asim Mishra, chief of staff at the Corporation for National and Community Service; Mary Hyde, director of research and evaluation at the Corporation for National and Community Service; and Andrea Robles, the organization’s research analyst. Also on hand will be Arcela Nuñez-Alvárez, research director at the National Latino Research Center, and Marisol Clark-Ibáñez, a CSUSM sociology professor and faculty director at the National Latino Research Center.

Cultivando Liderazgo evolved from Universidad Popular, or the People’s University, in which CSUSM students and professors led seminars at libraries and community centers on topics ranging from the importance of education to Chicano history and culture. Interest spiked when Universidad Popular tackled the subject of Latino civic engagement, and Cultivando Liderazgo was born.

About California State University San Marcos 

Building on an innovative 26-year history, California State University San Marcos is a forward-focused institution, dedicated to preparing future leaders, building great communities and solving critical issues. Located on a 304-acre hillside overlooking the City of San Marcos, it is the only public four-year comprehensive university serving North San Diego, Southwest Riverside and South Orange Counties.

The University enrolls over 15,000 students. With approximately 2,000 employees, the institution is a Great College to Work For® (The Chronicle of Higher Education). As a recipient of the annual HEED Award since 2014—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—CSUSM is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment.