ElevArte Community Studio will join 19 other organizations in a fifth cohort of the Illinois Latino Nonprofit Leadership Academy, an intensive program designed to empower leaders that serve the Latino community, coordinated through the Latino Policy Forum. With 34 participants, the Year Five cohort is the largest in the program’s history. This month ElevArte Executive Director Giselle Mercier and Program Director Irasema Gonzalez will participate in the intensive nine-month academy, building personal and organizational leadership skills while exploring their role as leaders in both the Latino community and larger society.

“We are thrilled to be able to participate in the Illinois Latino Nonprofit Leadership Academy because it will strengthen our community leadership skills and provide new insights of best practices in community building,” said Mercier. “With the growing Latino population in Chicago we want to make sure we also have the creative problem solving skills to address issues within our community and be able to work with other Latino leaders in Illinois.” Mercier and Gonzalez will collaborate with executive-level and emerging leaders from other Academy participants. The Academy will culminate with a graduation ceremony in May 2014.

“Today’s nonprofit leaders are continuously asked to do more with less,” said Sylvia Puente, executive director of the Latino Policy Forum. “The Academy fills an urgent void in leadership development here in the Midwest, engaging organizations across a spectrum of size, budget and mission. We are delighted to add these 34 new participants to our alumni network of 90-plus Latino leaders.”