Luz Corcuera She’s the Executive Director of UnidosNow whose mission is to “Elevate the quality of life of the growing Hispanic/ Latino community in the Manatee and Sarasota region through education, integration and civic engagement.” Their results can best be seen at their recent Future Leaders Academy graduation where 100 per cent are going off to college. “Education is critical,” Luz states. 16 WEST COAST WOMAN <strong>AUGUST</strong> <strong>2022</strong>
Luz is Spanish for “light.” And as executive director of the forward-thinking organization UnidosNow, she lights the way for Hispanic and Latino youth desiring to get a college education and achieve success in life. But Luz would be too humble to consider that compliment and would insist instead it’s a team effort at her nonprofit though there are just four staffers including herself at Unidos- Now which is located in the Glasser/Schoenbaum Human Services Center in Sarasota. From their website: “UnidosNow’s mission is to elevate the quality of life of the growing Hispanic/Latino community in the Manatee and Sarasota region through education, integration and civic engagement.” Since inception, UnidosNow has served over 3,000 low-income Hispanic/Latino students and their parents through their elementary, middle, and high school-based programs and parent leadership. Simply put, Luz and her staff want to “empower Latinos to achieve their American Dream.” The path to that American Dream is education and that’s what UnidosNow nurtures, encourages and guides young people towards while raising up their families who may have never had a college graduate, let alone a high school graduate in their family. Education, Luz says, is one of the most important things for a child to attain. It can lead to “Integration into the fabric of the community…it gives you a seat at the table.” The commonly use “melting pot” analogy she feels isn’t quite accurate. “Don’t lose your identity; add your identity,” she explains, preferring the analogy of a “fruit salad” with its many colorful and unique ingredients. Based on 2020 Census figures, the Hispanic population in Sarasota County runs about 10% while in Manatee County it’s closer to 17%. It’s the fastest growing minority group in the country. And Luz points out that those official numbers undercount many who the Census didn’t reach. In the past 10 years those numbers have grown by 370 percent. “They come alone, then reunite with family, while others have planted roots,” she explains. The majority, she notes, are not Mexican workers. Instead, theirs is a diverse group from Central America, South America, Mexico and other places. UnidosNow was founded in 2010 by Kelly Kirschner and attorney CJ Czaia (both current board members) who wanted to create opportunities for the Hispanic and Latino communities they felt were underrepresented in the community. Kirschner was UnidosNow’s first Executive Director. He approached Luz to be the next ED, but she declined due to other commitments. Prior to UnidosNow, Luz had leadership roles with numerous organizations, including Healthy Start Manatee and the Florida Department of Health in Manatee County, where she developed and oversaw diverse community-based initiatives to empower underserved and at-risk populations, while also building community partnerships across sectors, according to the UnidosNow website. UnidosNow continued and had two more executive directors until they approached Luz again and she accepted and came on board in 2016. One of her goals was to have the organization “go deeper, not broader” and include not only elementary age and middle school children, but also the families of all the children and adults in the UnidosNow program making it multi-generational. “Education is critical,” Luz often states but so is involving the family. Luz came onboard with those goals knowing it was “the perfect organization to give back to” since she herself had an excellent education. Luz grew up in Peru with seven siblings. Her parents were well-educated and stressed higher education for their children. Luz emigrated to Canada and practiced as a psychotherapist for 16 years before moving to Florida in 2000. She holds master’s degrees in Pastoral Ministry and Psychology. Luz and her husband Luis have two daughters, Mariella and Daniella. Mariella is an electrical engineer working in Luxembourg who went to Duke University on a full scholarship. Her other daughter lives in Canada and has an MBA and JD also from prestigious schools and has talked to UnidosNow students about her experiences in getting a scholarship and, how as a minority, you have to prove yourself. Luz is also a grandmother of two. Can there be anyone better suited to run UnidosNow than someone who knows firsthand the cultural and social challenges of integrating successfully into a new community? Luz understands their struggles, but also knows there is reward for hard work. A 501(c) (3), UnidosNow has one fundraiser a year. The rest comes through grants, foundation and donations—also Luz’s responsibilities. One who knows Luz well is Susie Bowie, Executive Director, Manatee Community Foundation. “Luz Corcuera is trusted by many in our community. Her knowledge and track record of supporting and advocating for Hispanic Latino students is exceptional. Luz’s unique ability to share information with people in a way that helps them understand the truth in a situation and how they can help have made a difference beyond what we can ever quantify in a grant report,” she shares. UnidosNow’s results can perhaps best be seen at their recent Future Leaders Academy graduation where 100 per cent are going off to college. Hector Tejeda, a Harvard-educated businessman, ran UnidosNow for a while and he created the Future Leaders Academy. UnidosNow assisted college-prep Future Leaders Academy students in accessing over $8 million in post-secondary scholarships and educational grants for the 2021-<strong>2022</strong> class. “With our Future Leaders Academy, we are empowering our leaders of tomorrow to create circles of opportunities for generations to come through college preparation, leadership training, and community service.” She explains that the UnidosNow goal is “…to inspire young people…to visualize and reach their full potential, leading our community to be the best it can be for everyone.” Students have gone on to prestigious schools like Harvard, Stanford, Duke, Princeton, Cornell and Yale. During the school year, 24-25 students are coached and mentored, but the number reaches close to 200 when parents and grandparents are factored in. Parents, Luz says, “are inspired by their children.” They often go with their children to visit campuses And the kids, Luz notes, inspire their parents to pursue other opportunities. Parents have the opportunity to acquire English language skills, understand how the U.S. education system works, connect to community resources, and become ambassadors in the community. The impact of guiding a young person and inspiring them to go to college or pursue their dreams cannot be understated. They may go to college, but they raise up their family as well. “For first generation Latinos, this is a big achievement. The kids become better versions of themselves.” The important thing Luz explains is to “dream big,” adding, “It’s important for them to choose a place that’s a good fit and for some that may mean being closer to family.” “Dreams are dreams,” she says with a smile, and UnidosNow has found the “secret sauce” she says of how to make that happen. If you want to learn more, visit https:// www.unidosnow.org/. Luz is also available for tours. STORY: IMAGES: Louise Bruderle Evelyn England Revisit your Investment Philosophy Let me guide you through the process. Call 941-914-1560 for an appointment. Amanda E. Stiff, MBA Financial Advisor AccessAdvisorsLLC.com 941 914-1560 Astiff@AccessAdvisorsLLC.com 1800 Second Street Suite 895 Sarasota, FL 34236 1305 Langhorne Road Lynchburg, VA 24503 Securities are offered through Level Four Financial, LLC a registered broker dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services are offered through Level Four Advisory Services, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Level Four Financial, LLC, Level Four Advisory Services, LLC and Access Advisors, LLC are independent entities. Neither Level Four Financial, LLC, Level Four Advisory Services, LLC nor Access Advisors, LLC offer tax or legal advice. <strong>AUGUST</strong> <strong>2022</strong> WEST COAST WOMAN 17
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