ucc's diaz: education key to building strong families
By: Roberto Rocha
Helping Hispanic families to better lives for themselves and their children is the mission of Ricardo Diaz, one of the most prominent leaders in Milwaukee’s Latino community.
Diaz is executive director of the United Community Center (UCC), a south side social service agency that provides programs primarily for the Hispanic community in the areas of education, cultural arts, recreation, community development and health and human services. The UCC focuses on cultural heritage as a means of strengthening personal development.
“This is a place where we make things happen, a place where we help build careers, a place where a difference is made,” Diaz said.
This is Diaz’s second stint leading the United Community Center. He served as the organization’s executive director for four years from 1984-98, and returned as executive director in 2003. Diaz, who attended the Center as a young adult, said he was excited to “return home” when he came back in 2003.
The United Community Center offers a number of programs for people of different generations, from toddlers to senior citizens. Of the more than18,000 individuals served by the UCC annually, the majority of them are Hispanic and more than 40% live at or below the poverty level, according to the agency’s website.
Diaz strongly believes that education is the solution to poverty and can help level the playing field for Hispanic families.
“Once you have an education, nobody can take that away from you’’ Diaz said, adding that with knowledge one can go anywhere and achieve anything. “With a good education you are more employable and you have a better chance of working in a higher position.’
Diaz is committed to ensuring that children enjoy the learning process at Bruce-Guadalupe Community School, a K4-through eighth-grade charter school operated by the UCC through a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The school, which serves primarily low-income Hispanic students, also offers an array of early education program for three-year-olds to prepare for early academic success.
‘‘Education is the issue’’ says Diaz one of the main focuses at Bruce Guadalupe is that children get the best education so once they graduate from eighth grade they can get accepted to some of the best high schools in Milwaukee.
College is already in the works for many Bruce Guadalupe students. The school recently formed a partnership with Carroll University to launch a program that guarantees students acceptance to Carroll, contingent on high academic achievement.
The program, called Preparing and Advancing Students for Opportunities in Science (PASOS) gives eighth graders interested in health sciences exposure to high-demand fields such as nursing, exercise physiology, athletic training and physical therapy.
PASOS provides an important pipeline for diverse students, particularly Spanish-speaking students, for Carroll, which has majority white student population.
For Bruce Guadalupe students, learning extends well beyond the classroom. Diaz encourages students to do volunteer work, participate in the arts, including music and theater, and get involved in the community.
Under Diaz’s leadership, the United Community Center has undergone a number of expansions including a Latino Geriatric Center, a new elderly housing complex and senior center in conjunction with the Housing Authority of Milwaukee and several additions and renovations of Bruce Guadalupe Community School,
Diaz is especially proud of the UCC’s Senior Center, which has one of the largest meal sites for seniors in Milwaukee County and he takes pride in the fact that the agency has helped more Latinos become homebuyers.
“We have to educate people on financial issues such as how much can they afford, getting good deals on interest rates, and making sure they have good credit scores,” he said.
In helping the Latino community, Diaz draws inspiration from his experience as a teacher in the Waukesha school system. Diaz mentored a teenage boy who had a reading level of a second grader. Diaz taught the boy new things, but Diaz found that he was learning along with him. From there on, Diaz loved the learning experience and wanted to pass that on to the community.
“Without an education, people will be forced to work in low skill jobs,” Diaz said. “With Education there are opened doors.”
Helping Hispanic families to better lives for themselves and their children is the mission of Ricardo Diaz, one of the most prominent leaders in Milwaukee’s Latino community.
Diaz is executive director of the United Community Center (UCC), a south side social service agency that provides programs primarily for the Hispanic community in the areas of education, cultural arts, recreation, community development and health and human services. The UCC focuses on cultural heritage as a means of strengthening personal development.
“This is a place where we make things happen, a place where we help build careers, a place where a difference is made,” Diaz said.
This is Diaz’s second stint leading the United Community Center. He served as the organization’s executive director for four years from 1984-98, and returned as executive director in 2003. Diaz, who attended the Center as a young adult, said he was excited to “return home” when he came back in 2003.
The United Community Center offers a number of programs for people of different generations, from toddlers to senior citizens. Of the more than18,000 individuals served by the UCC annually, the majority of them are Hispanic and more than 40% live at or below the poverty level, according to the agency’s website.
Diaz strongly believes that education is the solution to poverty and can help level the playing field for Hispanic families.
“Once you have an education, nobody can take that away from you’’ Diaz said, adding that with knowledge one can go anywhere and achieve anything. “With a good education you are more employable and you have a better chance of working in a higher position.’
Diaz is committed to ensuring that children enjoy the learning process at Bruce-Guadalupe Community School, a K4-through eighth-grade charter school operated by the UCC through a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The school, which serves primarily low-income Hispanic students, also offers an array of early education program for three-year-olds to prepare for early academic success.
‘‘Education is the issue’’ says Diaz one of the main focuses at Bruce Guadalupe is that children get the best education so once they graduate from eighth grade they can get accepted to some of the best high schools in Milwaukee.
College is already in the works for many Bruce Guadalupe students. The school recently formed a partnership with Carroll University to launch a program that guarantees students acceptance to Carroll, contingent on high academic achievement.
The program, called Preparing and Advancing Students for Opportunities in Science (PASOS) gives eighth graders interested in health sciences exposure to high-demand fields such as nursing, exercise physiology, athletic training and physical therapy.
PASOS provides an important pipeline for diverse students, particularly Spanish-speaking students, for Carroll, which has majority white student population.
For Bruce Guadalupe students, learning extends well beyond the classroom. Diaz encourages students to do volunteer work, participate in the arts, including music and theater, and get involved in the community.
Under Diaz’s leadership, the United Community Center has undergone a number of expansions including a Latino Geriatric Center, a new elderly housing complex and senior center in conjunction with the Housing Authority of Milwaukee and several additions and renovations of Bruce Guadalupe Community School,
Diaz is especially proud of the UCC’s Senior Center, which has one of the largest meal sites for seniors in Milwaukee County and he takes pride in the fact that the agency has helped more Latinos become homebuyers.
“We have to educate people on financial issues such as how much can they afford, getting good deals on interest rates, and making sure they have good credit scores,” he said.
In helping the Latino community, Diaz draws inspiration from his experience as a teacher in the Waukesha school system. Diaz mentored a teenage boy who had a reading level of a second grader. Diaz taught the boy new things, but Diaz found that he was learning along with him. From there on, Diaz loved the learning experience and wanted to pass that on to the community.
“Without an education, people will be forced to work in low skill jobs,” Diaz said. “With Education there are opened doors.”