 |
History and Major acomplishment
Latinos United of Carroll County, Inc
P.O. Box 561
Carrollton, GA 30117
Tel. (770)214-2698
admin@lucc.org
P.O. Box 561
Carrollton, GA 30117
Tel. (770)214-2698
admin@lucc.org
Latinos United of Carroll County, Inc. (LUCC) has been most successful at recognizing and empowering natural
immigrant leaders to build upon the community’s strengths. Via LUCC, local Latinos are beginning to learn what is
involved in improving the quality of their lives. By initiating specific organized efforts, LUCC has been increasingly
successful at raising awareness in students and in the larger community, as well as in creating a forum where
progressive and committed people from various constituencies come together and work in partnership.
According to the U.S. census, the number of Latinos in Carroll County rose more than 278 percent between 1990 and
2000. Despite this rapid growth, this was an invisible, voiceless community living in substandard conditions. Many
found themselves feeling alienated, ostracized, and facing myriad problems in getting health care and other services.
This grim situation was obvious to anyone who opened their eyes. A few efforts to change the circumstances of Latino
existence in Carroll County had been tried before.
LUCC grew out of the Brookwood Coalition’s (currently referred to as The Multi-Cultural Alliance) effort to coordinate
community services for Latinos. In December of 2000, Dr. Elena Mustakova-Possardt and her team of graduate
psychology students began weekly Latino community meetings . They soon found out that the Latinos in Carrollton
had little sense of community and felt fearful and isolated. These weekly Community Meetings, emphasizing rapport
and empowerment from within, gave students first-hand experience and assisted local Latinos in developing a voice,
an identity, and a presence in Carrollton, the county seat. County representatives, incluidng Police and Carrollton
Housing Authority, were invited to these meetings to respond to resident concerns and improve mutual cross-cultural
understanding.
Regular participants are now better able to rise above their circumstances. Fear no longer renders them invisible and
isolated.
Out of that security, Latino leadership and ownership has mushroomed. For example, LUCC's Treasurer, Maria
Ponce, hosted a Latino community meeting with U.S. Congressional Candidate Bob Herriott at her restaurant, La
Fiesta. She yearned to organize a Latino voters’ registration drive. In addition, on May 6th, 2002, Dr. Evangelio
Gonzalez, Chair of the LUCC governing board, organized a groundbreaking public meeting that was attended by
religious and business leaders, state representatives, prominent local civic, and strategic planning board chairs, to
discuss Latinos' most pressing needs. Furthermore, as a result of the efforts of LUCC and Attorney Richard Allen,
the SUWG has become much more aware of the importance of considering the needs of the Latino community in
Carrollton, largely concentrated in the SUWG’s back yard. It now recognizes the educational potential and civic
significance of a possible deeper commitment.
In 2001, LUCC focused on empowering the Latino community from within. Hispanic immigrants were severely
marginalized and lacked a sense of community, with rampant fear, self-isolating and self-destructive behaviors as
major impediments. Hence, the initial effort was to establish rapport and encourage Latinos to come forward and
begin to develop an identity and voice as a community. In July 2001, LUCC became one of 12 nation-wide recipients
of the Mott grant for Emerging Latino Community Initiatives by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR)--the largest
national Latino organization in the U.S. The grant included financial support and technical training in strategic
development by NCLR staff. LUCC focused heavily on administrative matters, such as and funding, organizing a
board, a mission statement, bylaws, incorporation, record-keeping, estabishing non-profit status. The weekly
community meetings organized by the SUWG's Psychology Department team achieved that task. However, these
initial efforts were perceived as troublesome by some town leaders and employers. In September 2001, a strong and
active Governing Board comprised of nine members, and a growing Community Council of 10 grass root leaders,
representing most Latino countries present in the local populace, assumed control.
Eventually, citizens of Carroll County began to see the enormous benefit of helping the Latino community emerge
from its marginalization, organize itself, and integrate more successfully into the life of the county. This change in
partner relationships climaxed into a groundbreaking public meeting in September 2001 between university faculty,
Latino community leaders, state representatives, and prominent local civic, religious, and business leaders, to discuss
the Latino community’s urgent situation.
By Fall 2001, the focus shifted to the administrative establishing and organizing of the grass-root Latino community
organization, LUCC, building of a Latino governing board, articulating a mission and bylaws, seeking and gaining
incorporation, non-profit status and funding, and formulating a ‘Latino Agenda’ as a broad cross-section of Latino
concerns and plans to advance solutions. All of this was done with the assistance of the Mott Grant of NCLR, as well
as their technical assistance. The Latino community also hosted a meeting with Congressional candidates.
Before long, LUCC addressed the critical need for health care and a Latino community center. In August of 2002,
local family practitioner Dr. González, with the assistance of the Carrollton Housing Authority, students and faculty
from nursing and psychology, volunteers from town, and significant help from fellow Latino community members,
opened and began operating a free medical Healthcare Clinic. In October 2002, the Latino Community Center opened
and began offering a range of programs.
In 2003, LUCC focused on consolidating the already developed programs and developing a more extensive plan for
the long-term psychosocial education and integration of the immigrant Latino population. As a growing number of
university and larger community members recognized the significance of this task, the partnership is poised for a new
level of growth.
As evidence of the success of LUCC efforts, a growing number of students, townspeople, and Latinos are becoming
aware of the level of social injustice that allows undocumented Latino immigrants to often work under unacceptable
conditions at below minimum wage, live in substandard housing, and used as a scapegoat for social ills. At the same
time, Latinos are frequently rendered invisible when it comes to participation in strategic decision making, public
discourse, and resource allocation. A growing number of students and townspeople are developing appreciation for
the unique cultural expressions of health and human connectedness that Latinos contribute to American culture. The
foundation is being laid for healthy cross-cultural enrichment and social transformation in Carroll County.
LUCC is committed to creating a space in which Latinos from different backgrounds can reclaim and celebrate their
common cultural heritage and fostering a safe environment in which Latinos throughout the county can begin to
negotiate the challenges of their new cultural integration.
Dr. Elena has described LUCC as "an effort to take education beyond information and knowledge, into the cultivation
of love as the only way to really know. As we truly recognize our interdependence in this turbulent century of massive
migrations and a deepening gap between wealth and poverty, and as we learn to act on it from our best intellectual
and heartfelt understanding, we move closer to the possibility of a peaceful world.”
immigrant leaders to build upon the community’s strengths. Via LUCC, local Latinos are beginning to learn what is
involved in improving the quality of their lives. By initiating specific organized efforts, LUCC has been increasingly
successful at raising awareness in students and in the larger community, as well as in creating a forum where
progressive and committed people from various constituencies come together and work in partnership.
According to the U.S. census, the number of Latinos in Carroll County rose more than 278 percent between 1990 and
2000. Despite this rapid growth, this was an invisible, voiceless community living in substandard conditions. Many
found themselves feeling alienated, ostracized, and facing myriad problems in getting health care and other services.
This grim situation was obvious to anyone who opened their eyes. A few efforts to change the circumstances of Latino
existence in Carroll County had been tried before.
LUCC grew out of the Brookwood Coalition’s (currently referred to as The Multi-Cultural Alliance) effort to coordinate
community services for Latinos. In December of 2000, Dr. Elena Mustakova-Possardt and her team of graduate
psychology students began weekly Latino community meetings . They soon found out that the Latinos in Carrollton
had little sense of community and felt fearful and isolated. These weekly Community Meetings, emphasizing rapport
and empowerment from within, gave students first-hand experience and assisted local Latinos in developing a voice,
an identity, and a presence in Carrollton, the county seat. County representatives, incluidng Police and Carrollton
Housing Authority, were invited to these meetings to respond to resident concerns and improve mutual cross-cultural
understanding.
Regular participants are now better able to rise above their circumstances. Fear no longer renders them invisible and
isolated.
Out of that security, Latino leadership and ownership has mushroomed. For example, LUCC's Treasurer, Maria
Ponce, hosted a Latino community meeting with U.S. Congressional Candidate Bob Herriott at her restaurant, La
Fiesta. She yearned to organize a Latino voters’ registration drive. In addition, on May 6th, 2002, Dr. Evangelio
Gonzalez, Chair of the LUCC governing board, organized a groundbreaking public meeting that was attended by
religious and business leaders, state representatives, prominent local civic, and strategic planning board chairs, to
discuss Latinos' most pressing needs. Furthermore, as a result of the efforts of LUCC and Attorney Richard Allen,
the SUWG has become much more aware of the importance of considering the needs of the Latino community in
Carrollton, largely concentrated in the SUWG’s back yard. It now recognizes the educational potential and civic
significance of a possible deeper commitment.
In 2001, LUCC focused on empowering the Latino community from within. Hispanic immigrants were severely
marginalized and lacked a sense of community, with rampant fear, self-isolating and self-destructive behaviors as
major impediments. Hence, the initial effort was to establish rapport and encourage Latinos to come forward and
begin to develop an identity and voice as a community. In July 2001, LUCC became one of 12 nation-wide recipients
of the Mott grant for Emerging Latino Community Initiatives by the National Council of La Raza (NCLR)--the largest
national Latino organization in the U.S. The grant included financial support and technical training in strategic
development by NCLR staff. LUCC focused heavily on administrative matters, such as and funding, organizing a
board, a mission statement, bylaws, incorporation, record-keeping, estabishing non-profit status. The weekly
community meetings organized by the SUWG's Psychology Department team achieved that task. However, these
initial efforts were perceived as troublesome by some town leaders and employers. In September 2001, a strong and
active Governing Board comprised of nine members, and a growing Community Council of 10 grass root leaders,
representing most Latino countries present in the local populace, assumed control.
Eventually, citizens of Carroll County began to see the enormous benefit of helping the Latino community emerge
from its marginalization, organize itself, and integrate more successfully into the life of the county. This change in
partner relationships climaxed into a groundbreaking public meeting in September 2001 between university faculty,
Latino community leaders, state representatives, and prominent local civic, religious, and business leaders, to discuss
the Latino community’s urgent situation.
By Fall 2001, the focus shifted to the administrative establishing and organizing of the grass-root Latino community
organization, LUCC, building of a Latino governing board, articulating a mission and bylaws, seeking and gaining
incorporation, non-profit status and funding, and formulating a ‘Latino Agenda’ as a broad cross-section of Latino
concerns and plans to advance solutions. All of this was done with the assistance of the Mott Grant of NCLR, as well
as their technical assistance. The Latino community also hosted a meeting with Congressional candidates.
Before long, LUCC addressed the critical need for health care and a Latino community center. In August of 2002,
local family practitioner Dr. González, with the assistance of the Carrollton Housing Authority, students and faculty
from nursing and psychology, volunteers from town, and significant help from fellow Latino community members,
opened and began operating a free medical Healthcare Clinic. In October 2002, the Latino Community Center opened
and began offering a range of programs.
In 2003, LUCC focused on consolidating the already developed programs and developing a more extensive plan for
the long-term psychosocial education and integration of the immigrant Latino population. As a growing number of
university and larger community members recognized the significance of this task, the partnership is poised for a new
level of growth.
As evidence of the success of LUCC efforts, a growing number of students, townspeople, and Latinos are becoming
aware of the level of social injustice that allows undocumented Latino immigrants to often work under unacceptable
conditions at below minimum wage, live in substandard housing, and used as a scapegoat for social ills. At the same
time, Latinos are frequently rendered invisible when it comes to participation in strategic decision making, public
discourse, and resource allocation. A growing number of students and townspeople are developing appreciation for
the unique cultural expressions of health and human connectedness that Latinos contribute to American culture. The
foundation is being laid for healthy cross-cultural enrichment and social transformation in Carroll County.
LUCC is committed to creating a space in which Latinos from different backgrounds can reclaim and celebrate their
common cultural heritage and fostering a safe environment in which Latinos throughout the county can begin to
negotiate the challenges of their new cultural integration.
Dr. Elena has described LUCC as "an effort to take education beyond information and knowledge, into the cultivation
of love as the only way to really know. As we truly recognize our interdependence in this turbulent century of massive
migrations and a deepening gap between wealth and poverty, and as we learn to act on it from our best intellectual
and heartfelt understanding, we move closer to the possibility of a peaceful world.”
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |