Latino nonprofit and higher education leaders discussed educational and economic obstacles facing their community, particularly undocumented immigrants and local organizations, as well as the Catholic Church’s role in addressing these issues in a Jan. 29 dialogue.

The Georgetown University Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life hosted the event as part of the Latino Leader Gatherings series, which seeks to unite young Latino Catholics and other community members in discussion of issues related to their faith and personal and public lives. 

The event commenced with a special moment of remembrance dedicated to Bishop Mario Dorsonville, who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. from 2015 to 2023 and died Jan. 19.

Christian Soenen, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, said that, like Dorsonville, the Initiative believes that the Catholic Church is in a unique position to help Latinos attain education and success. Half of Catholics in the United States are Latino and the Catholic Church’s extensive educational network includes over 6,000 K-12 schools and over 200 universities.

Sheila Cruz-Morales (CAS ’23) is the co-founder of College Access for Non-Citizens, a non-profit organization that seeks to help undocumented, first-generation and low-income students of color gain access to higher education.

Cruz-Morales said ensuring Latinos can attain educational opportunities is vital to Latinos’ prosperity, especially after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in June 2023. 

“We need to make sure that Latinos have access to education because we have the talent, we have the minds to make the world a better place and therefore we need the seat at the table,” Cruz-Morales said at the event.

Vincente Del Real is the founder of Iskali, a non-profit that helps immigrants in the Midwest pursue higher education. Del Real spoke at the event about the importance of providing mentorship, opportunities, aid and support to Latino students — especially to immigrants who often face financial hardship and familial attitudes that sometimes prioritize working a job over studying.

“To be a young Latino adult is super hard. So, I think we need to provide systems of support that are grounded in community with mentors, with financial aid, with the proper advice, with the proper motivation, and I think young people take those opportunities and they run with them,” Del Real said at the event.

Latinos remain below the national average in educational milestones such as high school completion, college education and other benchmarks due to financial, social and institutional obstacles.

Carlota Ocampo, provost of Trinity Washington University, spoke about the importance of conversations around Latinos and education, especially the opportunities education can provide in strengthening American democracy and society given Latinos’ long history on the American continent.

“In order for us to have a full, multi-racial democracy in the United States, we must have full Latino participation along with all the other sectors of American society,” Ocampo said at the event. “That means that every single person that lives within these ‘borders’ has the right to education. With education, we can fully contribute to the democracy that we desire to build.”

Del Real called on communities, particularly the Catholic Church, to channel their resources and leverage to help young Latino students, particularly undocumented immigrants, obtain education and work against the system that causes struggles and creates barriers for many Latinos.

“We all know an undocumented immigrant, a student. We all know a DACA recipient. We all know somebody that is maybe discouraged about starting. You know, we can all be mentors. We can all pitch in five, ten dollars to create a scholarship fund,” Del Real said. “We must be part of the solution. And I think the best way to fight these barriers, these political and economic barriers, is by taking action. Community by community, we can change it.”

Cruz-Morales ended the dialogue by sending a message of inspiration to young Latino students and others in the audience, encouraging them to use educational opportunities at their disposal to make an impact on the community around them.

“The most beautiful creations start with nothing. So when you have nothing, there’s nothing to lose. And I think that’s when you truly find gold, that’s when you truly find a unicorn,” Cruz-Morales said. 

“I think that for too long we’ve been told that we can’t change the world, that it’s impossible when in reality we have the power to change it. The power is already within us. We just need to take action,” she added.