OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Metro Young Latino Professionals Association (MYLPA) is a group that started in 2008 in Omaha to support young professional Latinos in the area.
MYLPA President, Erik Servellon told 3 News Now the organization is not only for Latinos.
"I tell people, you don't have to be young, just young at heart. You don't have to be Latino, just Latino at heart to join. Our mission is just to amplify the power of Latinos. And we do that through civic engagement, through networking, through professional development," said Servellon.
Three years ago, MYLPA became a 501c3 nonprofit and has focused more on civic engagement and professional development for young professionals.
Servellon added, "We don't want Latino young professionals to stay in their own bubble. We want them to expand, to make connections throughout the city, across industries, etc. because we need to be everywhere because we are everywhere."
Ultimately, MYLPA's goal is to build a Latino leadership bench in which more Latinos are ready and capable of taking on positions of leadership in City and organizational roles in Omaha.
"We know that 15% of the Omaha metro area is Latino, where I'd like to see 15% of boards and leadership positions belong to Latinos," adds Servellon.
In order to prepare Latinos for leadership positions within the workplace or with nonprofit board of directors, MYLPA hosts a Board Masters Training. They train people on how to become board members.
"We want them to be the ones asking the right questions, helping guide the strategic direction of organizations that are serving the Omaha community," said Servellon.
Beyond the professional development events and trainings, MYLPA organizes social events throughout the year, including Jazz on the Green, dances, and outings. Those events also serve as fundraisers to raise money for college scholarships, which are eligible for DACA youth and first-generation college students.
MYLPA plans to host more in-person events in the fall, starting with their annual key signature event, the "Somos el Futuro" luncheon on September 18.
Watch the above video for more.
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