The Jewish Latino Teen Coalition extends its most heartfelt condolences regarding the passing of Congressman Raúl Grijalva. Congressman Grijalva and his office were instrumental in founding and supporting this program, which represents a unique partnership between the Tucson Jewish and Latino communities and has helped shape the lives of many students and volunteers involved in the program over the last 20 years.
The program was founded in 2004 as a collaboration between the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona and Congressman Grijalva’s office to explore shared values and develop future leaders. In the leadership program, which is run through Jewish Philanthropies of Southern Arizona, a group of 10 to 14 high school sophomores and juniors who are either Jewish, Latino, or both, focuses on experiential learning, cultural exchange, leadership training, social action, and advocacy. The students select a public policy topic that they research and develop a position on, and the group travels to Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of a topic of their choice to members of Congress.
Congressman Grijalva and his staff have been key supporters of the program, meeting yearly with the group in Washington, D.C., and many Grijalva staff members have either participated in or volunteered with the program.
Shari Gootter, who has led the program since 2006, commented, “Congressman Grijalva’s dedication and compassion in serving the community will forever inspire us. His legacy lives on in the respect and kindness he showed to everyone, especially the students whose lives he touched through the program we built together.”
Brad Goldstein, a volunteer mentor with the program, interned with Congressman Grijalva in his Tucson and Washington, D.C., offices in 2006 and 2007. “Congressman Grijalva gave me my first introduction to politics and I am forever grateful for the opportunity. I was immediately drawn to his passion for serving the local community, protecting the environment, and fighting for social justice. Congressman Grijalva had an amazing way of interacting with the students and engaging them regarding their chosen topic and we looked forward to visiting his office very much. We will miss him tremendously,” he said.
The Jewish Latino Teen Coalition is one of Congressman Grijalva’s many important legacies and it will continue to honor him by building community and standing up for values that are important to Tucson’s students.
