Lisette Nieves
Encyclopedia
Lisette Nieves is the founder of "Atrevete Latino Youth, Inc.", an organization who focuses on the educational and leadership training of young Latino
s.
in search of a better way of life. They settled down in the Bronx, New York City
where she was born and where she received her primary and secondary education. Her parents separated and she and her four siblings were raised by her mother, whom she considers the main inspiration in her life. She took a course in sociology
after she graduated from high school and according to her own account, the course changed her perspective of the world.
and then eventually nationally.
Nieves continued to further her education with the intention of developing her skills to assist in the transformation of Atrevete into an independent non-profit organization. She enrolled in the Harvard Graduate School of Education
where she studied the application of principles of community organizing and theories of social and political change to build a network of leadership within the Latino youth community. On June 6, 2002, Nieves graduated from Harvard and was elected Class Marshall by her peers and received an award for her work in the Latino student organization, Comunidad Latina.
and Plena, typical music of Puerto Rico. In 2005 she was named one of the most distinguished Latinas by the New York Spanish language
newspaper El Diario/La Prensa.
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
s.
Early years
Nieves' family moved to New York City from Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in search of a better way of life. They settled down in the Bronx, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where she was born and where she received her primary and secondary education. Her parents separated and she and her four siblings were raised by her mother, whom she considers the main inspiration in her life. She took a course in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
after she graduated from high school and according to her own account, the course changed her perspective of the world.
"Atrevete" (I Dare You)
When Nieves returned to New York, she went to work for PRACA (Puerto Rican Association of Community Affairs) as coordinator of "Muevete" (Move on). On May 14, 2001, Nieves and several other coordinators decided to leave PRACA because they wanted Muevete to become an independent organization of its own. However, they were not permitted to use the name Muevete and therefore they named their organization "Atrevete" (I Dare You). The organization's main office is located in the Bronx. Under her leadership, the organization's main focus is to educate and to develop the leadership skills of the Latino youth, starting in New York and BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and then eventually nationally.
Nieves continued to further her education with the intention of developing her skills to assist in the transformation of Atrevete into an independent non-profit organization. She enrolled in the Harvard Graduate School of Education
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
where she studied the application of principles of community organizing and theories of social and political change to build a network of leadership within the Latino youth community. On June 6, 2002, Nieves graduated from Harvard and was elected Class Marshall by her peers and received an award for her work in the Latino student organization, Comunidad Latina.
Currently
In April 2002, the first Annual Atrevete Latino Youth Conference was held in Boston, Mass. Lisette Nieves is currently the Director of the Betances Community Center for BronxWorks, funded by the Department of Youth and Community Development Cornerstone Initiative. Nieves enjoys spending her free time with her family and listening to the BombaMusic of Puerto Rico
The music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by the Spanish, African, Taíno Indians, France, and the United States, and has become very popular across the Caribbean and across the globe...
and Plena, typical music of Puerto Rico. In 2005 she was named one of the most distinguished Latinas by the New York Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
newspaper El Diario/La Prensa.