The Latino Professional Association (LPA) of Greater Madison was created to cultivate a community that inspires, develops and empowers Latino professionals to pursue success. Members of LPA are investing in Latinx talent. Their mission is to recognize, elevate and connect Latino professionals through leadership development, career growth, civic and public engagement and personal enrichment.
“The ultimate goal of LPA is to elevate the voices of Latinx professionals and provide the needed support to develop leadership and career growth in Dane County through meaningful and long-term partnerships,” Norma Gallegos Valles, Board Chair of LPA, tells Madison365. “LPA would like to challenge the local workforce and change that by providing that space where Latinx professionals can bring their whole selves while getting the support and mentorship needed to grow professionally and ensure there’s a system for future leaders and broad representation.”
Gallegos Valles shared that Latinos accounted for 51.1 percent of the country’s growth, rising to 18.7 percent of the U.S. population, according to numbers from the 2020 census. Latinos, or Hispanics, were 50.5 million and 16.3 percent of the national population in 2010. That means the Hispanic population grew by 23 percent from 2010 to 2020. More information on this can be found here.
Since the pandemic began, the LPA has partnered with other Latino community organizations to inform Latinos in Dane County about vaccine information. Gallegos Valles says that the LPA values the health of their community and want to keep people safe during these times.
“We were very intentional about who we partner with and who we work with,” said Gallegos Valles. “Throughout the pandemic, we have been part of efforts through the Latino Consortium for Action to bring vaccines to our Latino community to make sure that we share facts and information about how important it is that we get vaccinated and that we take care of each other. Because work is really important, but without health, there’s no work.
“And so, I think coming from that perspective, has been very critical for us. We continue to be part of those campaigns with the Latino Health Council and again, the Latino Consortium for action because there is power in different voices and there’s power in collectiveness,” she adds. “We know that we cannot do it alone and that in order to achieve something bigger we need to partner with other agencies and so that’s we that’s what we’ve been trying to do.”
The LPA board of directors fully supports the well-being, safety, and professional development of the Latino community in Dane County, too. All the work and efforts from those involved in LPA is volunteer work. This year, LPA is celebrating its 8th annual “Yo Soy” event. This will be one of the few events that is in person. They are looking forward to being in community together and keeping each other safe in the process.
(Photo by Hedi Lamarr Photography)
“Every year for the last eight years LPA has been doing a Yo Soy campaign in honor of Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month,” said Gallegos Valles. “In the past years, we have had events specifically around civic engagement and personal enrichment for the Latinx community. This year we are doing hybrid events, making sure that everybody still feels safe and that we bring safe events to the community to stop the spread of COVID.”
On Friday, Oct. 1, 5-7 p.m., LPA will be holding its annual Yo Soy event at Garver Feed Mill on Madison’s east side. Register for the event here. The event will provide an opportunity to get to know fellow community members. Mayra Medrano of EQT by Design will be a featured special guest.
For more information and upcoming events from LPA, visit: http://lpamadison.org/
