Latinx Leadership Initiative (LLI)

The mission of the Latinx Leadership Initiative (LLI) is to develop social work leaders equipped to work with the Latinx community on sustainable solutions for complex problems.

Some 207 MSW students and three doctoral students have graduated from the program since 2013. Our LLI social work practitioners work with Latinx communities across the United States and abroad in a variety of settings: schools, clinics, hospitals, and prisons, providing an array of services, including behavioral health, individual and family services, case management, advocacy and support, and more.

The LLI works by:

  • Recruiting Latinx students
  • Teaching classes in Spanish
  • Advancing a cohort-based educational model through the Latinx Communities field of practice—where students navigate graduate education together—supported by mentors and each other
  • Designing an evidenced-based curriculum of what works when communities lead their own processes of transformation
  • Conducting cutting-edge research that is advancing the field on best-practices for social work with diverse Latinx communities.

 

Play
Alejandra Trejo, Latinx Leadership Student

SUPPORTING THE  NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY

The LLI prepares bilingual and bicultural social workers to work effectively with Latinx communities across the country. Students in the program are empowered to find innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of the communities they serve.

MEET THE TEAM


Rocio Calvo

Rocío Calvo

Founding Director

Founding Director of the LLI, Rocío Calvo strives to prepare students to work effectively in underserved communities. An Associate Professor of Global Practice and Health & Mental Health, she believes social workers need to be more nuanced in how they understand different cultural experiences in the U.S.

 

Ximena Soto

Assistant Director, Latinx Leadership Initiative

As Assistant Director of the LLI, Ximena Soto creates opportunities for MSW students to apply what they learn in the classroom. She fosters relationships with Latinx service providers across Greater Boston and connects students to placements.

Latest Latinx Leadership News

Latinx Communities Field of Practice Frequently Asked Questions

Print

Stronger Together

Students participating in the LLI form tight-knit cohorts that support their success within and beyond the classroom.