Instituto del Progreso Latino's Miracle of 25th Street was a wonderful success! IDPL staff, students, family, and volunteers all gathered to distribute over 1300 presents to the community! Families enjoyed spending time with each other and taking pictures with Santa after receiving their gifts. A very special thanks must be given to our board of director member Javier Garibay and all of our wonderful sponsors and donors who made this event possible. It takes a village!

President & CEO Karina Ayala Bermejo was honored to attend and speak the Roosevelt University Women's Leadership Council Luncheon. This speech was centered on empowerment to effect change. Karina spoke to her work actively utilizing her talents to address the migrant crisis in the city; highlighting the idea that every single one of us can make a difference. The presentation of the Roosevelt University Alumna of Influence 2024 award was presented. We are always grateful to support our member organizations and celebrate their work in our communities. Congratulations to all the speakers and organizations honored.

Javier Garibay is the Executive Director of the Institute for Workforce Education at Lewis University, where he leads workforce development initiatives aimed at empowering women and communities of color in Illinois. With a strong background in urban education and workforce solutions, he brings multiple years of experience and a passion for advancing equitable opportunities. Javier has previously held leadership roles in urban education and charter school management across the Midwest, and he holds multiple graduate degrees in education and leadership.

Caryn Stancik is an accomplished communications and marketing strategist with more than 30 years of experience in advancing missions and elevating brands. Previously the inaugural Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Cook County Health, Caryn led multi-channel strategies to improve the lives of marginalized populations, including spearheading the award-winning "Trust Us" COVID-19 campaign. As a mission-driven consultant, Caryn now helps organizations improve their impact and communications while continuing her advocacy for public policy that benefits vulnerable communities.

We look forward to the wealth of knowledge and expertise that both Javier and Caryn will bring to our mission at Instituto!

This month, Instituto College graduated another class of nurses with their Associate Degree in Nursing! We are extremely proud of our students for all of their work. Thank you to all of the wonderful family, friends, and supporters who made this night possible. 🩺☤♡ We were honored to have speakers, Ms. Colleen Dodson, Healthcare Executive Director at Genentech, Ms. Katya Nuques, Director of the Little Village Portfolio for the McCormick Foundation, and Instituto President & CEO Karina Ayala-Bermejo present to give powerful words of support. We cannot thank you enough for your continued support. As our recent graduates enter the working world your words will bring them power as they inspire, motivate, and remind them of where the journey began. Congratulations to all 2024 graduates!

Congratulations to our Instituto familia members Karina Ayala-Bermejo & Julieta LaMalfa for receiving the 2024 CRAINS Notable Latino Leader Award. Your amazing work and unwavering dedication to serving our communities inspire us all. Thank you for everything you do.

It was a very special evening in which the excitement of the room was incredibly heartfelt. We are extremely proud of our graduates who have shown great resilience and dedication. Since 2016, 450 students have enrolled in Instituto’s BNA Training Program and a significant majority have become Certified Nursing Assistants serving the community! 🩺

Our Financial Access Workshop was a wonderful evening in which members of the community learned how to better their credit scores and leverage credit as an asset. Thank you to our incredible participants from Fifth Third Bank, BMO U.S., Wintrust Bank, and Citibank US! Attending members also got a chance to schedule appointments with Banking participants to help them get started with their banking needs and secure credit cards. Our next workshop will be early next year! Follow for information on upcoming events!

The IDPL Immigration Legal Aid Department was able to host another successful Citizenship Workshop this month! Thank you so much for the continued support of all our staff and volunteers. 🤝 Of course, these events would not be possible without the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and our New American's Initiative partners at Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Casa Michoacán Federación De Clubes Michoacános En Illinois, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos , Southwest Organizing Project , and Mujeres Latinas en Accion!

Instituto’s Youth after-school programs hosted our annual holiday celebration this month! Families from the Youth Leadership and STEM and the Family Literacy initiatives came together to enjoy multicultural food and activities. Blue Plate Chicago has adopted our program to give every student a gift from their wish list, making the celebration that much more special. On behalf of the families, we want to thank Blue Plate and their employees for their generosity.