The Diversity Committee of the Chicago Law offices of Holland & Knight is hosting an event for Barrio in the windy city to celebrate the From the Barrio Foundation’s commitment to all of our youth in Illinois. The cocktail reception will take place at the firm on February 18th from 5:00 – 6:30 pm. Attending will be influential guests from Corporate America as well as political and educational leaders, and prominent leaders from Latino communities. We are honored to work with Holland and Knight in an effort to raise attention and financial support for our From the Barrio to the Classroom program. If you have not received your invite, and believe it is important for you and/or your organization to attend this intimate gathering, please contact us asap: Corey@fromthebarrio.com. Space is limited.

On the evening of January 6th, Robert celebrated Noche De Reyes hosted by La Quinta De Los Reyes in Aurora, IL. The night was filled with several hundred kids and their family members from Aurora and surrounding communities who also gathered to celebrate and receive toys, gifts, candy and more. Pictured is Robert with Congressman Foster talking to and handing each child bags of candy. It was a truly remarkable night and Robert wants to personally thank the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as well as all the community leaders who supported these families.

In 2009, Swedish Covenant Hospital donated books to Roosevelt High School where we piloted From the Barrio to the Classroom. This year they have stepped up to the plate again and helped us place books at Taft High School in Chicago. Nearly 200 students have participated in the program thus far and Robert will be addressing an auditorium of students on February 10th. The From the Barrio Foundation wishes to thank Swedish Covenant Hospital for recognizing the value of our program and assisting us in delivering it to help make a difference in the lives of our youth.

In January, Fred Morelli donated Barrio books to prisons in Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties. Fred believes in Robert’s inspirational message that you can be anybody you want to be, that gangbanging and violence are not a lifestyle but a death-style. The future belongs to those who believe in themselves and Fred plans to work with Robert and the Barrio Foundation to help as many people as they possibly can to live productive and meaningful lives.

Weed & Seed Site Director Pam Bradley and Robert Renteria will be visiting a classroom at Waldo Middle School next week in Aurora, Illinois to interact and engage with students who have already read the Barrio book. Pam shares Robert’s passion and they have a mutual desire to inspire and motivate our teens and misguided youth to make better choices! They are currently collaborating together to introduce and implement From the Barrio to the Class Room into the Weed & Seed programs throughout the country. Thank you Pam Bradley for helping make a difference!

We were incredibly blessed the other night when we launched the Spanish version of the book: Desde el Barrio Al Exito.  In attendance were Senator Linda Holmes, Senator Chris Lauzen, State Rep Linda Chapa LaVia, 2nd Ward Alderman Juany Garza, Mayor Thomas Weisner, LULAC National Chaplain Blanca Vargas and an amazing community of supporters.  More details and pictures will be released in a newsletter next week! Thanks to all for supporting!