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Social Justice – As a program, the core of our mission is focused on social justice and taking steps for addressing barriers to the advancement of Latinx youth in the US. We do this by standing in solidarity with other community programs of color in acknowledging that oppression and micro-aggression do exist, resulting in discrimination because of race/ethnicity, gender/sexual orientation, and low-income status. As a program, workshops are led by youth-facilitators to discuss these systemic barriers in order for Latinx teens to better understand how inequalities emerge for communities of color and come up with solutions developed by Latinx youth in Dane County.
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Cultural Identity – By providing a safe space for Latinx youth in Dane County, youth have a place for conversations they may not be comfortable to discuss at home or in school about their cultural identity. In doing so, [Re]Geneneración provides youth an opportunity to strengthen the connection to their culture and develop a strong sense of cultural identity, which also reinforces their sense of belonging within their community and schools. As students understand and consolidate their cultural identity and standing in their community, their ability to comprehend topics such as oppression, privilege, and power are enhanced so that they are able to expertly look for opportunities to improve their schools and community.
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Volunteer Engagement – In line with our mission, we provide community volunteer opportunities for teens in [Re]Generación, since we see this as an important vehicle for engaging youth in community involvement and advocacy. Our goal is to offer as many opportunities as possible. In 2015-2016 this included participating in projects at Centro Hispano, being actively involved with the MLK Youth Day of Service, volunteering at Nuestro Mundo, being a part of the South Madison International Community Night, and volunteering for the Latino Youth Summit.
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Community Organizing – We are one of the few action-oriented Latinx youth program for high school students in Dane County, and are composed of students from across Dane County. As youth facilitators, we have organized youth events that promote youth voices. This past school year, we successfully hosted our second annual In Lak’ech Conference in Centro Hispano, where through Son Jarocho, a genre of multicultural music originating from Veracruz, Mexico, and Fandango, a community-created event inspired by Son Jarocho elements, students were encouraged to learn about the history of El Movimiento Jaranero, which uses both previously mentioned practices to create solidarity within Latinx communities all over the world.
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