LULAC and Facebook Upgrade LULAC Empower Hispanic America Technology Center with Essential Technology
March 7, 2016
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – Yesterday, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), with the ongoing partnership from Facebook, held an open house to celebrate the upgrade of a LULAC technology center at Mission Graduates in San Francisco, California. Mission Graduates is a nonprofit organization focused on college attainment for students K-12.
“With the support of Facebook, LULAC will continue to ensure that the Latino community in San Francisco has access to up to date technology which will allow Latino students to compete at a level playing field,” said LULAC National President Roger C. Rocha Jr.
The effort is part of LULAC’s Empower Hispanic America with Technology (EHAT) initiative, which focuses on closing the technology gap in underserved communities. The upgrades to the technology center included new desktop computers, high speed Internet, and office software.
“We’re proud of our partnership with LULAC and thrilled to support its mission to advance technology education for the Hispanic community,” said Susan Gonzales, Facebook Community Engagement Director. "Exposure to technology is critical to the development of our local youth, and through our support of the Mission Community Beacon program, we can encourage students to explore careers in computer science and engineering.”
Without access to the Internet or to computer equipment, students are more likely to fall behind in their school work. The upgraded technology center will help Mission Graduates produce a college-going culture among the Latino population.
"By helping Mission Community Beacon families build skills and confidence with technology, we are able to empower parents and students to better leverage online tools to support academic success and development of 21st Century skills," said Eric Cuentos, Parent Partner Program Director, Mission Graduates.
About LULAC:
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.lulac.org.
About Facebook:
Founded in 2004, Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what's going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.
About Mission Graduates:
Founded in 1972, Mission Graduates provides a wide range of afterschool, in-school, and summer programs helping to establish college education as an expectation and goal for every child. Each year, Mission Graduates reaches over 2,100 low-income children, youth, and families from San Francisco’s Mission District, emphasizing college as a means to achieve economic equity and strengthen the fabric of our community.