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Study Abroad with Edúcate Ya!!!
Join our guided trip to Oaxaca, Mexico this summer!!!
Study Spanish at Becari during the day.
Take advantage of cultural opportunities.
Learn about pre-Hispanic culture, as well as Latin American
history, culture and literature.
August 16th to September 7th
You can choose to go for 1, 2, or all 3 weeks!
For more information contact:
Maggie Hawk - Full Immersion Coordinator
503-238-5790 or maggie@educateya.org
Announcing Dando Bailando, our 3rd annual gala!
September 13th, 6 pm - Midnight
Norse Hall, NE 11th and Couch
Dancing! Dining! Silent Auction!
$50 per person
For information, call (503) 238-5790 or email info@educateya.org
Mission Statement
The mission of Edúcate Ya, Inc. is to foster social change, cultural integration, professionalism, and wellness education in the Latino communities. Our objective is to educate and create awareness about cultural, social, economic, and health concerns in the different Latino communities, as well as the broader community.
Vision
Latinos Furthering Education Through Participation
About Us
Edúcate Ya, Inc. is a non-profit Latino community based organization committed to empowering Latinos educationally, professionally, socially, culturally, and in wellness. In 2000, Rafael Arellano-Barrera founded the organization in response to a lack of Latinos in leadership and managerial roles. His vision was to create an organization that would educate Latinos on how to navigate the western system in order to achieve better jobs and heath care, and helping them to eventually become leaders in American society. Although educating the Latino community was a step in the right direction, Rafael realized that he would have to begin by trying to break down larger barriers of language, racism and prejudice in order for Latinos to succeed.
There are several programs Edúcate Ya offers to accomplish these goals. To motivate and help Latinos find success in leadership, Edúcate Ya offers a free program called Personal Development which helps Latinos analyze their life goals and the direction of their lives. If they decide its time to change careers, the project helps them build a resume or even guides them back to school. To create leaders in not only the Latino community, but in all communities of color, Edúcate Ya's Leadership Development program provides workshops and trainings that show how to be a leader and the options for potential leaders. The ESL and Spanish classes Edúcate Ya offers help to break down the language barrier inhibiting Latinos from receiving valuable services and entering into positions of leadership. Edúcate Ya also puts on cultural presentations to educate local organizations and the general public about the diversity within Latinos and their different cultures.
Although Edúcate Ya is relatively new, its list of accomplishments and connections with the non-profit and Latino community is extensive. In 2003, Edúcate Ya collaborated with Multi-Cultural HIV/AIDS Alliance of Oregon (MHAAO) and the Sussanah Maria Gurule Foundation (SMG Foundation) to administer a $100,000 federal grant to research HIV/AIDS awareness within the Latino community in the Portland Metropolitan Area. In 2004, partnered again with MHAAO and the Department of Human Services (DHS) to conduct a year-long health educator training program. By the end of the grant, Edúcate Ya had trained ten Latino health educators who in turn conducted ten culturally sensitive workshops on HIV prevention to approximately 200 Latinos in Portland.
At this time, Edúcate Ya is working to duplicate the health educator program, by increasing the number of health educators to 30. One of our goals is to eventually provide case management services to Latinos who are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
We are currently teaching 25 Spanish Classes and tutoring 33 individuals with private one-on-one Spanish instruction. We have paired 23 volunteers with Spanish students who meet once a week for two hours for one-on-one English instruction. There are 4 individuals currently participating in our Personal Development program. Additionally, we are working to develop the boards of 4 other local Latino non-profits.