What Is Raíces?

The name Raíces (rye-EE'-sess), a Spanish word meaning roots, refers to the deep roots that connect rural Latinos/as to their communities. This connection, combined  with the strength of the Latino culture and history, empowers communities to address challenges, including poverty, and work together to sustain a vibrant future. Raíces is a model program, piloted in clusters of communities in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota and Oregon. It strives to increase rural Latino communities' capacity to organize and take on poverty-reduction work by enhancing leadership skills, connections and cultural competence. 

Raíces is a four-state, four year project focused on building community capacity in rural Latino communities in Iowa, Minnesota, Idaho, and Oregon.  The project is a partnership between the Northwest Area Foundation, the University of Iowa Institute for Support of Latino Families and Communities, and the Main Street Project (a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization associated with the long-standing League of Rural Voters). This partnership highlights Raíces' premise that long-term collaboration among organizations and community members is a means to build the capacity of rural Latino communities.