Sam Liponi Youth Center
The Youth Programs of La Casa de la Raza are located in the Sam Liponi Youth Center (on the side of the building facing Calle Cesar Chavez. Our Youth Center is a fully modern and renovated facility with a activity room, computer lab, and adjoining conference room. For information regarding the availability of the youth center for special events or classes contact our facilities manager at (805) 965-8581 ext: 1104
Academic Advancement Programs
Proyecto Ollin
Proyecto Ollin is a 10 week leadership development program focused on cultural growth and awareness for grade school students. In Proyecto Ollin, the student is in constant movement from class to class enriching their minds through cultural knowledge while interacting with a diverse group of peers. Course offered can range from art, theatre, dance, science, history, leadership and music.
Huehuetlatolli
Co-sponsored with UCSB, The goal of our Huehuetlatolli (a Nahuatl word which in English translates to Ancient Wisdom) is to have students learn California testing standards for 5th through 7th grade through the eye lens of old wisdom, specifically Mesoamerican cultures (Maya, Zapotec, Mixtec, Aztec and Olmec civilizations). It includes skill development in art, science, reading, writing and drama.
Huehuetlatoani
Picking up where Huehuetlatolli left off, huehuetlatoani is a math and sciene program for middle school students. Focusing on engineering, students learn the physics, and mathematics behind hip hop music and culture, such turn tables, break dancing, and music. By using this popular art form, Latino students gain an interest in the fields of science and engineering, a field in which they are severely underrepresented.
Calmecac de La Casa de la Raza
Designed for alternative and community school students, Calmecac combines elements of our Huehu e– series of classes with Chicano Studies to prepare students for graduation and empower them to continue on to higher education.
Cultural Arts Programs
Cochitlehualli
Cochitlehuall is a collective of Chicano/Latino teenagers who are learning to use photography as a means for positive community engagement and self expression. Our program shares the value of community, culture, and self-empowerment for all. Ultimately, Cochitlehualli encourages and supports the potential that each possesses, and opens the doors to new opportunities by evoking the power of its Aztec- Nahuatl name which means “vision so clear, they are like dreams.”
Youth Radio Project
For students interested in free speech and broadcasting, the Youth Radio Project is a program co-sponsored with KCSB 91.9 FM. The program pairs a group of students with a mentor that guides them aas they develop and run their own radio program, As the program develops and becomes fine tuned, students learn the rights and responsibility of free speech and the difference between commercial spaces and community spaces. Additionally, the students are introduced to elements of journalism, as well as computer and technical skills.
Activism and Leadership
Conscious Youth Leadership Institute
The Conscious Youth Leadership Institute of La Casa de La Raza is a quarter length (10 week) course designed to develop critical thinking skills for Raza teenagers. The course will focus on empowering the student to become agents of change by providing activities that instill the importance of teambuilding and leadership and an introduction to effective leadership and organizational skills.
