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the Institute |
and Planning Committee |
Institute Program |
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| The
Origins of
Social Change Across Borders The Institute concept emerged as a result of joint organizing by Santa Cruz and Bay Area community leaders and faculty from the Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS) program at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). After meeting together for almost a year, the group hosted a two-day retreat for nearly 80 California Latino community leaders, where it was decided that we move forward with the idea of a Summer Institute. With the support of the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, UCSC's Center for Justice Tolerance and Community, Merrill College and private donors, the Institute has been able to move from concept to reality in a unique collaborative process. |
I think the Institute’s uniqueness is rooted in the complimentary nature of the program, in a complete vision of providing spaces for analysis, reflection, and developing goals, as well as training for carrying out the work. -Participant Evaluation
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first Summer Institute, held in September 1998, was a resounding success
and was followed by another extraordinary retreat in 1999, with participants
hailing from a wide range of communities in places such as Texas, Arizona,
California, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.
After a year off for future planning, the Institute was held again in August
2001, and received similarly enthusiastic evaluations, with many participants
noting that the Summer Institute's focus, "Transnational Organizing for
Social Change", encourages broader, cross-sectoral discussion as well as
specific best practices. One participant labeled the Institute experience
"...of excellent quality... the mix of theory and practice was magnificent."
Building on the experiences of the past three Institutes, we developed a successful model for bringing together activists working in Latino and Latin American communities from all over the hemisphere. Participating in a program with a dynamic and challenging curriculum, participants were able to create a mutually enriching space for discussing all aspects of the organizing experience; from the conceptual to the personal, and from the practical to the spiritual. Planning for the Institute continues to be guided jointly by a group of activists and academics, many of whom will also facilitate workshops and sessions during the retreat. |