About

ABOUT US

The Coalición’s History

The Coalición Latinos Unidos de Lake County, also known as the Latino Coalition, has the mission of improving the quality of life of the Latino community though education, professional networking and accessibility of services. It was founded in 1994 by a group of Latino professionals looking to make a positive impact in Lake County.

The Coalition is celebrating its 25th year of service, having become a strong advocate and facilitator in the areas of networking and resource sharing. We facilitate these and other opportunities during our monthly meetings. The value of these meetings and their benefit to our community are reflected in the attendance and dedicated participation of our members.

We constantly welcome new services, members and friends that help strengthen our partnerships and further our goals in serving the community. Our vision focuses on education and leadership development, allowing us to have a wide impact on issues affecting our community. The journey is long, but with your support and encouragement, we can definitely make the difference.

Our Mission is to serve with harmony, strength and unity to improve the quality of life in the Latino community through education, professional networking and accessibility of services.

Accomplishments:

  • Participated in the redistricting process and the creation of the 9th Electoral District which has improved the opportunities for Latino representation.
  • Collaborated with immigrant services organizations to provide annual immigration forums and citizenship workshops to help with citizenship applications.
  • Focused on the education of Latino youth aiming at a reduction of the drop-out rate through a special committee.
  • Established the Latino Leadership Conference in cooperation with the College of Lake County and the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute, in memory of the Waukegan Police Chief Miguel Juarez.
  • Provides scholarships for students of Hispanic descent at the Noche de Gala fundraising event.
  • Contributes to several scholarship programs, including the Puerto Rican Society, the Alicia Hernandez fund at CLC, etc.
  • Cooperates with the University Center of Lake County in offering FAFSA workshops in English and Spanish.
  • Has participated in the voter registration drives to encourage civic participation.
  • Participated in the NAACP 2010 & 2012 Lake County’s Candidate Forum and the Father Gary Graf Center’s Non-Partisan Candidates Forum.
  • Helped in bringing the Chicago Latino Film Festival to Waukegan for the first time in 2010 and collaborated with other organizations to make its return in 2011.
  • The Latino Coalition was key in assisting the Office of the Governor in bringing the Dialogos event to Lake County this past year.


We’re very proud of our accomplishments! Dedication, commitment and perseverance are just a few of the qualities we must bring to the table when going after our goals. However, we can’t do it with your support! Become a member, get involved and make a difference with us.

JOIN THE MEMBERS & DONORS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED CLULC