Colaborando Juntos (CJ) is an innovative network of government, nonprofit, faith, private and community volunteers who work with and for the Latino/Hispanic community and its well being.  CJ increases public awareness of critical issues by encouraging partnerships and leveraging resources.  CJ serves the Central Virginia region.  “Colaborando Juntos”…it means working together.

Colaborando Juntos Principles

1)      CJ facilitates acculturation, where Latino/Hispanic and U.S. cultures learn from each other, exchange ideas and enrich their mutual understanding.

2)      CJ cultivates strong Latino/Hispanic voices and avenues for those voices to be heard.

 Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the Friday, December 5, 2008
Virginia Latino Pilot Project forum from  10:30am – 3:00pm
at Ramsey Memorial United Methodist Church,
5900 Hull Street Road, Richmond, VA 23224. 

Together with co-hosts Colaborando Juntos (CJ) and the Virginia Latino Higher Education Network (VALHEN), our American Red Cross, Greater Richmond Chapter, as well as a number of other Virginia Chapters, would like to request your assistance in letting others know about the forum; and opportunity, as Sindy Benavides , Deputy Director of Constituent Services & Latino Liaison for Governor Kaine noted, for mainstream Virginians to learn about, in a non-partisan way, our Virginia Latino community.  

In addition to presentations of recent studies, including the pilot project’s survey results related to disaster prevention and preparedness and the underlying causes of immigration, students from across the state will showcase their experience in going door-to-door in diverse communities.   

 
 2009 Leadership Nominations
After much discussion regarding the best structure for Colaborando Juntos (a network of organizations working with Latinos in the greater Richmond area) as we move into next year, the leadership has decided to change the type leadership we will have for 2009 and beyond.   

Over the five years that Colaborando Juntos has been in existence, we have seen the development of many, many opportunities for Latinos in the Greater Richmond area.  

We have seen access to services increase tremendously as a result of helping service providers enhance their understanding of how to reach out to Latinos.   

We have seen networks and opportunities around workforce development crystallize and result in increased capacity for both bi-lingual and culturally competent job-seekers and enhanced methods of recruiting for employers to access them.  

We have seen expanded training and technical assistance for Latino-owned small and mid-size businesses.  
We have seen the development of many cultural arts programs that highlight the variety of Latino cultures that exist in Richmond and we enjoy the multitude of activities geared towards Latino families around the area.   
I would like to think that CJ as a whole has played a major role in helping to connect some of those dots that have resulted in this increased quality of life and services for all of Richmond residents.   
Many of you know that we are slowly moving towards gaining a 401(c)(3) status which will give us an opportunity to fund a staff person to help to coordinate and sustain activities.  In preparation for this, we have identified a more structured leadership framework. 
 
We will have a Governing Board that will be appointed by the current leadership team.  This governing board will be made up of strategic people in the community- giving consideration to those who might help us move certain initiatives forward in the community as well as help us identify revenue generating strategies and programmatic needs.  
This Board will have an Executive Committee.  This is where the new leadership team will be housed. 
 
This year, the leadership team will seek nominations for leadership positions. 
 
We encourage you to nominate yourself or another qualified individual. 
 
THESE NOMINATION MUST BE SUBMITTED BEFORE OCTOBER 31ST TO BE CONSIDERED.
You may remember that our structure provides for some continuity in that we have an Assistant Chair who becomes Chair in the subsequent year.  This year, our Assistant Chairperson is Riguey King.   
 
With Riguey as the Chair for 2009, we will be looking to fill the following positions.... 

Assistant-Chair- We will maintain the practice of having the Assistant Chair become the Chair in the subsequent year.  This continuity has served us well over the years. This person will be responsible for supporting the work of the chair, filling in at meetings as needed and leadership in special activities. 

Communications Director-  This person will be responsible for developing and maintaining the website, answering questions from the public, developing marketing tools, and overseeing the list serve. 
 
Secretary/Membership Coordinator-  This person will be responsible for meeting minutes AND membership activities including developing efforts to increase membership and developing policies and tracking methods.
 
Treasurer-  This person will be our fiscal officer, but will also have responsibilities around developing revenue streams and identifying possible grant sources. (This person does not have to write them, just identify resources)
 
Events Planner-  This position will be co-chaired and will coordinate all aspects of our bi-annual conference.  They will identify a sub-committee to assist with this work.  

Special Projects Director-  This person will be responsible for coordinating special projects as they come up, ie- the immigration forum,  the Richmond Hispanic Youth Symposium, etc... They will also be responsible for maintaining and updating the Resource Guide that we have done so well in the past.  Other members of the leadership team will be responsible for assisting the Special Projects Director with these activities.


The current leadership will seek nominations for these positions and appoint individuals.  
 
The current leadership team has spent a lot time looking at the various ways we might structure this and I feel that we have set up a very strong framework to continue our work.   
 
These positions will give clear tasks and responsibilities to those that are appointed.  The positions will also be able to draw on the talent of the Governing Board to create sub committees to carry out activities. These individuals will not be responsible for doing all the work themselves.  However, we are only interested in people who are willing to consistently dedicate their time and energy over the course of the year. 
I feel a new sense of purpose for our truly grassroots organization and I know that we have finally whittled down our focus to what we do well.  This includes the provision of technical support to community service providers through conferences and trainings and keeping the community informed and connected by creating the list serve and now, our new weekly newsletter. 
  
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.  
 
Please submit nominations by October 31st, 2008 to
 
 
Be sure to visit our website at  
BE SURE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS BY OCTOBER 31ST. 

Thanks, 

Cecily Rodriguez
Chair, Colaborando Juntos

Please take a look at Colaborando Juntos' Recent Communications.

 

To contact Colaborando Juntos please email us at:

cj@colaborandojuntosva.com

 

 

 If you would like to receive emails from CJ or its partners please register for CJ's List Serve.  Registering on CJ's List Serve will also allow you to send information to all of CJ's Partners and Friends.

Click on List Serve to register for CJ's ListServe. 



3370