Dear friend and supporter,
After launching UNO's Metropolitan Leadership Institute (MLI) in 2001, the Latino community has reaped the benefits of new, young and committed leadership. Throughout these pages you will find individuals who represent the great leadership potential of Chicagoland's community - individuals who are actively committed to change in their respective communities and arenas.
UNO has always created new avenues of public leadership; engaging Latinos toward civic action.
More than ever, we also have a responsibility to train new leaders - to develop them to be more than just
angry activists, satisfied with rhetoric and symbolism. Our job is to help new leaders generate results
rather than frustration; to keep them from becoming disillusioned by the public decision-making process,
or worse, disengaged from it altogether.
The MLI provides individuals with a greater appreciation for the ambiguities and nuances of the public
arena and the challenges of public life.
The themes that are central to the MLI - promoting civic action, inspiring new leaders, and provoking
sound public dialogue - are not new to UNO. They are part of our history and our legacy as a
community organization.
Its hard to believe that five classes have graduated from our program. With each new class, the MLI
reaffirms what we already knew about our communities: that there is still a great deal of untapped talent
out there in our neighborhoods. This MLI Directory represents only a small sample of that potential.
Thank you,
Juan Rangel
Chief Executive Officer
Veronica Alanis
Executive Board Chairperson
