Why Get Involved?
Sometimes, the most important thing you can do is simply show up.
For a student, just knowing an adult is on their side can change what they believe is possible. It can turn an unfamiliar career into something they can picture themselves doing. Students need to hear a real person saying, I’ve been where you are, and here’s what I’ve learned.
And when a whole community comes together around students, those students feel less alone.
They see more possibilities. And they leave with something that can be just as powerful as any
opportunity: hope for what comes next.
Your presence can help a student see a future they didn’t know was available to them.
Ways To Get Involved
There’s no one way to be part of Latinos Count. You might share your career story with a student, open a door to a new opportunity, lend a hand at an event, or invest in the work behind the scenes. Whatever your role, the goal is the same: help Latino students see more possibilities—and make it easier for them to take the next step. Here are a few ways you can help make that happen:
Become a Latino Champion
Latino Champions are professionals who bring something uniquely personal to the table: their experience, their career, and their own story of how they got where they are. Champions connect with students through events and group conversations, building relationships over time rather than having a one-and-done interaction.
The goal is simple but powerful: students get to hear from someone whose background may look like theirs and whose career path they can actually imagine for themselves.
Become a Pathway Champion
Pathway Champions connect with students through one of five pathways: Higher Education, Workforce, Entrepreneurship, Military, and Skilled Trades. These are organizations that can offer students something powerful: a next step.
That might be a college or university ready to recruit students, an employer ready to hire, a military organization, or a company that can introduce students to a career in the skilled trades or entrepreneurship.
Volunteer
Volunteers help make events happen, from checking people in and setting up to hospitality, translation, and all the little things that keep a day running smoothly. There’s no career story to prepare and no ongoing commitment required. Just come ready to help.
Donate
Your support helps Latinos Count create opportunities for students through scholarships, programs, and events. You can make a one-time gift or become a recurring donor.
Sponsor
Your business might fund an event, support a scholarship, host students for a career exploration experience, or help bring Latinos Count into your organization.
It can also be as simple as making an introduction. You know people we don’t, and those connections can open doors for students who are too often overlooked.
FAQs
Do I need to be Latino to get involved?
No. We do place real value on anyone who is fully bilingual, because some students genuinely need it.
Do I need to speak Spanish?
No. There are plenty of areas where you can help as an ally. Involvement is what counts.
Do I need mentoring experience?
No. We are happy to help onboard you and get you prepared.
Can my company volunteer as a group?
Yes. In fact, we encourage it!
How much time does it take?
It varies. We’ll be happy to find the right way for you to get involved that works for you. Have a couple hours? Volunteer at an event. Want a deeper impact? Become a champion. Every person has a role to play!
Where do you serve?
Northeast Indiana.