Latino Advisory Council 20 Years Later
Twenty years ago, the LBC established a Latino outreach initiative that soon formalized our Latino Advisory Council (LAC). Today’s LAC cultivates community relationships and collaborates on engaging programs that celebrate Latino arts and artists.
With an emphasis on community, culture, and belonging, LAC creates spaces to connect people of different generations, cultures, and walks of life.
In 2017 it initiated LBC’s Mariachi Ensemble, a popular and highly successful after-school program for local students who want to learn the instruments and music of mariachi. The Ensemble now performs for more than a dozen community organizations and events each year. LAC also helped shape annual events like Fiesta de Independencia and Posada Navideña that celebrate Latino culture, and last year, it initiated Community Dialogues to bring community members together in conversation with socially conscious Latino artists who perform at LBC.
The Latino Advisory Council serves as a reflection of the community and amplifies our mission to connect our community through the arts across schools, homes, and stages. Members are leaders and advocates who are eager to take action to improve equity in the arts and access to arts and arts education for all. They are committed to collaborating with LBC staff, meeting once a month for planning, and contributing their time, effort, and, skills to community initiatives.
Just last year, the LAC partnered with Los Cien to co-present the Community Leadership Awards presented to outstanding individuals and organizations within the Latino Community. Los Cien is a local nonprofit that advocates for pride and equity for Latinos in Sonoma County. This year, nominations for the Los Cien Puente & Ganas Awards and the LBC Community Leadership Awards will be eligible for consideration for both awards. Nominations open February 17 and will be accepted through April 3.
On March 2, the LAC will honor two decades of efforts by past and current members and welcome new participants committed to advancing its legacy of accomplishments that keep LBC welcoming, relevant, and inclusive to all community members. For more information about this event and how you can join the LAC, email Education and Community Engagement Curriculum Specialist Hannah Keefer.
