Over the past weekend, the Latino Community Fund (LCF Georgia) concluded its second Civic Participation Fellowship Program. This three-day in-person initiative aimed to empower Latino youth and community members across Georgia. The program provided mentorship, practical training, and networking opportunities with established leaders in the field. This initiative demonstrates LCF Georgia’s commitment to cultivating a strong cohort of community-driven leaders dedicated to fostering positive change.
The fellowship equipped 21 fellows with essential skills and knowledge in community organizing, civic leadership, and voter engagement. Participants engaged in training sessions covering the history of Latinos in Georgia, a Latino electorate overview, strategies for community mobilization and engagement, civic participation, and mobilization.
The cohort, which included college students, professionals, and community members from various cities in Georgia, now has the opportunity to apply for up to $2,500 in funding to support a community service project benefiting the Latino community directly or to join the team at LCF Georgia as Community Navigators.
The program featured esteemed local leaders and academics, including Representative Phil Olaleye, House District 59 (the first Afro-Latino elected to the Georgia House), and the Senior Assistant District Attorney for the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit (the first Latina elected to any legislature in the Southeast of the U.S.), who shared their insights and experiences with participants.
