Leadership efforts in the Hispanic community.
 
The Great Lakes Bay area is one region in the state that is addressing the need for leadership in diverse communities. The Great Lakes Bay Hispanic Leadership Institute was formed in 2008 with the initiative of two Hispanic community leaders, Monica Reyes and Larry Rodarte, who met with the founder of the African American Leadership Training Institute, Jimmy E. Greene, in Saginaw. The Institute’s goal is to develop and foster future Hispanic community leaders within the community between the ages of twenty one and forty five years of age to serve the Hispanic community and the community at large.
 
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the third graduation ceremony for the ambassadors of the Great Lakes Bay Hispanic Leadership Institute. The young leaders  represented different sectors of the Hispanic community. They committed to a ten month training program which included over 80 hours of leadership development, plus eight seminar hours and hundreds of volunteer hours in a number of projects in the region. 
 
The young leaders spoke of their commitment to serve their communities and eagerness to put their leadership skills to use. I was glad to hear that several of these young ambassadors are parents of young children. What an opportunity for the Great Lakes Bay area to engage these young leaders in the early childhood work.  
 
I find that diverse communities are recognizing the need to develop leadership within their own groups and in a number of ways are addressing this need. It behooves those of us engaged in early childhood work to recognize that leadership in diverse communities exists and that diverse communities are committed to solutions of their own community needs. 
 
Use the link below to find out more about these two leadership institutes in the Great Lakes Bay area and The YouTube link for a sample of community projects the new graduates of the Great Lakes Bay Hispanic Leadership Institute participated in over their ten month training.  
 
http://www.saginawchamber.org/programs/great-lakes-bay-african-american-leadership.aspx
 
http://www.saginawchamber.org/programs/great-lakes-bay-hispanic-leadership-institute.aspx  
 
http://youtu.be/tpQKD2_kRWw