La Plazita Institute

La Plazita Institute, Inc. (LPI) is a nonprofit organization that uses a comprehensive, holistic and culturally based approach that reflects the philosophy of La Cultura Curâ, which translates in English to Culture Cures. This guiding philosophy informs the approach that we take in our work that is rooted in indigenous values, practices and traditions. We intend to draw from la cultura curâ to support youth, young adults and community to gain a deeper sense of self, connect with one another, strengthen ties to their culture, build leadership skills, and transcend the limitations that may be imposed by the traumatic experiences they have had. The values practices and traditions that are embedded in la cultura curâ have the potential to be transformational in the lives of our participants. Through this approach, everyone at LPI is a leader within and across sector programs and projects. Thereby, we are building the internal leadership capacity of our staff and growing effective leaders through a supportive environment that creates space for each person to be their best self. At LPI, we are the community we serve, 75% of our staff and board live in the zip code where we operate our organization. Many of our employees have lived experience in the criminal justice system, along with licensures, degrees, and street credibility. We are recipients and products of systemic, historical and religious trauma, yet we are models of the change we inspire in others. LPI’s philosophy, along with the framework, emerges from Mexica creation stories, Quinto Sol (i.e., Five Suns). The philosophy and framework are strategic and carve out a path for youth to navigate through multiple worlds, empowering them to engage innumerable social and cultural contexts, without boundaries or borders.