La Luz Center

Local Youth Pour their Hearts and Art into Donation Boxes

 La Luz began when community member Ligia Booker started dedicating herself to collect warm coats for agricultural workers living and working in the fields early in the frosty mornings.  She dedicated herself and a large part of her life to helping those in need in our community.  Now, 20 years later Ligia’s vision lives on as La Luz continues to provide assistance to those in need.  Where others say “Sorry, we don’t do that,” La Luz says “Let us see how we can help you.”  La Luz’s vast lists of resources and dedicated staff have always taken the time to help everyone who has come through the front door.

Now, La Luz takes pride as Sonoma’s youth pour their heart into their art by decorating donation boxes for the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta for Education.  

 Like many other non-profits in the community, La Luz Center is suffering from economic hardship and is calling on the community for support in raising funds for this event, and most importantly, in raising funds for the High School Academic Scholarship Program.  

Each box has been thoughtfully decorated by children, young adults and community members who know how important it is to help others.  These wonderfully colorful, fun boxes will be placed in participating stores around Sonoma including El Brinquito, La Morenita 3, and Pharmica.  The donations received in each box will go toward the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta for Education which will take place on May 2nd at the Sonoma Plaza.  

 The Cinco de Mayo Fiesta for Education will provide scholarships to High School Seniors wanting to pursue their higher educational goals.  We also award the top students from each school excelling in acquiring English as a second language.  Finally, La Luz awards young artists whose vision and inspiration interprets the spirit of the fiesta through our art contest.  This worth wild event gives opportunity to the youth of the valley to express themselves creatively and be awarded for their academic excellence.  Be part of this event and give generously where ever you see our donation boxes.

(Artists:  Cameron Taggesell 10, Carter Charsley 7, Alex Sandoral 16, Yesenia Martinez 17, Alondra Dominguez 14, Reese Dobson 7, Breanna Kneirim 9, Anna Taggesell 8)

A Word From Our Director

By Stephen Dale — During these very challenging times La Luz Center is holding strong, with the continued support of our community. Education has become our primary vision, with focus on ESL, GED Adult education and computer classes, along with our Parents Speak Up program. We continue to award scholarships to eligible High School students & to young English language achievers.

We saw 40% more clients this year in our Family Service Program--visits for emergencies, such as rental and utility assistance. Legal aid for domestic violence and child abuse is rising, due to loss of work. In collaboration with Catholic Charities food distribution was busier than ever as was the Mobile Health Van. Our nutritional classes are at capacity, promoting better diets to prevent obesity—and diabetes. This year’s Bi-National Health Fair had over 500 people come for flu shots and wellness clinics, and we distributed almost 500 matriculates and passports working with the Mexican Consulate Mobile.

In our isolated Valley, where transportation is less than adequate, the need for our services is greater than ever—as is the need your support. Muchas Gracias and Happy New Year! ❧   

New Focus on Education

By Paul Martinez — La Luz has recently formed a new committee to focus on education. One of the first tasks was to review and evaluate last year’s high school scholarships to judge their effectiveness. La Luz had awarded 10 scholarships to Hispanic high school graduates accepted to UC Davis, Dominican University, San Francisco State, and others.

One SVHS student, Marcos Rendon, was awarded a La Luz scholarship that helped him attend Cal State University at Chico this fall. Marcos is the first of his family to go to college. He plans on graduating in Music Technology with a minor in business. As he had no formal music background, starting his classes “was like going to a whole different country where they speak a different language,” says Marcos. He is working harder scholastically than ever before, and is fulfilling a long held dream made possible by support from La Luz.

This is exactly the kind of change we want to influence in our community.  We want our Scholarship program to motivate students to think "outside the box" and envisage whole new life paths.  ❧

A Scholarship Success Story

The Cinco de Mayo Fiesta for Education held each May is an opportunity to bring Sonoma’s two cultures together to celebrate in Mexican style and to raise funds for scholarships to local High School Students who go on to higher education.  

One of our great success scholarship stories is Yaqui  Magana  who tells La Luz, “I was the first in my family to attend college and it would have been impossible to do so with out money to pay for tuition, buy books etc. Like many Latino students, I didn’t have a college fund or parents who could write out a check each month. For me, my scholarship meant I could attend SSU with peace of mind knowing I had the financial support I needed to be successful. I graduated from Sonoma State University in May of 2008 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

I have worked at the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce since 2002, my Junior Year in High School, and all through college.  When I graduated from SSU, I was promoted to Membership Manager. I serve as a board member of the Sonoma Valley Community Health Center and am very passionate about helping others in our community. I married the man of my dreams in September and we just bought our first home in Petaluma. If there is one thing I’d like anyone to know about me it is that I would not be where I am today if it had not been for my teachers, professors, and mentors at La Luz who saw me struggle yet believed in me. You just never know how much you can influence a person.”

Yaqui is just one of the many students that La Luz has helped.  According to Ana Byerly of the La Luz scholarship committee, “Last year we had 13 of the most awesome young people apply (all first in the family to go on to higher education) some accepted at Sac State, Dominican, Berkeley, SFU, SSU, USF, Chico, SRJC. These young men and women are such role models to so many kids on campus, Latino and Anglo.”

New staff join La Luz

Two new staff members have joined the La Luz family.

Noris Binet began working in Community Program Development in October and has gotten into the swing of things with two community projects and a woman's support support group called Nueva Vida.  Noris was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to Guadalajara at the age of 20, spending 13 years there continuing her education in the Arts, Architecture and receiving a B.S. in Sociology from the University of Guadalajara.  She also holds an honorary Ph.D. in Philosophy and Therapeutic Counseling.

Summer Intern for La Luz part of U.C.R.Y. Program

United Community Resources for Youth, U.C.R.Y. for short, was formed following the outpouring of community concern in the wake of the tragic death of one of our valley’s young men last October in Maxwell Park.