La Coalición
- Elver Barrios, a former staff member at La Coalicion, the Latin American Coalition (LAC) in Charlotte, North Carolina, worked for the non-profit for three years, from 2010-2013. In this interview, Mr. Barrios describes his role as a grassroots community organizer, which was to involve and organize youth in the Charlotte area, and to involve and organize community members in the Triad area. He explains that his activism is focused on immigrant rights, specifically providing undocumented students access to higher education. Mr. Barrios also shares that he was part of that group of students who dreamed of obtaining a college degree. Other topics discussed include marches and protests that took place in Charlotte; College Access para todos (College Access Plan or CAP), a program in which undocumented students could enroll and obtain a higher education; and the role of Johnson C. Smith University, the only institution in Charlotte that would accept undocumented students at the time. Mr. Barrios ends the interview by sharing the satisfaction of being part of a movement that has impacted many undocumented students., Elver Barrios was a 28-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place at J. Murrey Atkins Library at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala in 1991. He was educated at Johnson C. Smith University and was employed as a community organizer at La Coalición, or the Latin American Coalition, and as an engineer at Duke Energy., Interview made possible, in part, by the Life and Legacy program, a project of the J. Murrey Atkins Library Board of Advisors.
- Jess George, a former staff member at La Coalicion, or the Latin American Coalition (LAC), in Charlotte North Carolina, worked for the non-profit for eleven years, from 2003-2014. In this interview, Ms. George discusses her work with grass-roots organizations and local communities to help disenfranchised groups gain access to different resources such as technology, education, and jobs. She shares her passion for immigrant rights and her experience during her eleven year tenure at LAC. Ms. George explains the different services developed for the immigrant community at LAC including a first-time home buyers program, labor rights program, after-school programs, and citizenship test preparation clinics. Ms. George describes her responsibilities as a director at LAC, which included fundraising and cultural event planning. She shares the evolution and growth of LAC, the partnerships that were formed to better support the immigrant community in the Charlotte area, and how her experience working with the Charlotte community has impacted her life in a profound manner., Jess George was a 42-year-old woman at the time of interview, which took place at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She was born in Syracuse, New York in 1976. She was educated at Penn State University and was employed as an Executive Director at La Coalición, or the Latin American Coalition in Charlotte, North Carolina, and as Community Impact Manager for Google Fiber in Charlotte, North Carolina., Interview made possible, in part, by the Life and Legacy program, a project of the J. Murrey Atkins Library Board of Advisors.