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Leadership Programs
Community Education and Leadership Development (CELD)
The primary objective of MALDEF’s CELD program is to promote and develop the educational and leadership advancement of the Latino community through free community workshops across the nation. MALDEF works to secure equal access to quality education with an emphasis on public K-12 education and college admission. This includes expanding access to resources, eliminating barriers and empowering youth, parents and community members with the knowledge of their rights and responsibilities. MALDEF CELD programs offer Latino parents the ability to more fully participate as advocates for their children; provide high school students with critical information to pursue a college education, and help pay for it; develop cadres of immigrant leaders with new-found knowledge to participate and thrive as community leaders and entrepreneurs; and, help prevent domestic violence and teen relationship abuse by providing vital intervention strategies and awareness of resources available, regardless of income, language or immigration status. Our goal is to increase the educational attainment and leadership development of Latinos that we may more fully contribute to building a healthier, more equitable and more prosperous America.
Programs
The future of the Latino community depends on the education and success of our youth and their ability to create and fully participate in positive social change. MALDEF’s goal of reducing the high school drop-out rate, increasing college access and establishing a network of civic-minded and educated youth will help create a new generation of socially conscious Latino leadership.
The LIDER (Liderazgo Inmigrante de Desarrollo Educativo Responsable, or Immigrant Leadership for Responsible Education and Development) Program, was established in 2005 with participating Mexican and Central American Hometown Associations (HTA) to empower the Southern California Latino immigrant community through expert skill training.
The Los Angeles Multicultural Educational Collaborative (LAMEC) is a BP-funded initiative to build community empowerment, and mobilization through parent and youth leadership training centered in K-12 academic success, college access and civic engagement.
Scholarships
There are many ways to finance your higher education goals. Students who are permanent legal residents or citizens can qualify for state or federal financial aid. In addition, MALDEF encourages all students, regardless of immigration status, to seek private scholarships for their educational expenses. Family savings and fundraising can supplement educational costs.
The MALDEF Law School Scholarship Program awards scholarships every year to Latino law school students based upon three primary factors: demonstrated involvement in and commitment to serve the Latino community through the legal profession; academic and professional achievement; and financial need. Through its scholarship program, MALDEF seeks to increase the number of Latinos in the legal profession.
NEW DEADLINE: MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2009
