Giving Back: Oaxaca Learning Center Scholarship Funded by Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC

We have just established a Friends of the Oaxaca Learning Center (FOLC) named scholarship fund that will support underserved Oaxaca students to further their university education. Our goal is to help encourage young people and advance their communities. We’ve been working on this over the past several months with FOLC board president Bob Anyon and Jaasiel Quero, Oaxaca Learning Center executive director. Some of you may remember Gary Titus, a transformative visionary. He co-founded the Oaxaca Learning Center (OLC) with Jaasiel in 2005. Gary passed away in December 2015 following a progressive illness, but his legacy continues.

Oaxaca is the second poorest state in Mexico following Chiapas. Access to even basic education is limited, especially in rural communities. Advanced education is almost unheard of, even in villages within driving distance to Oaxaca city. We aim to change this paradigm.

Eric Chavez Santiago, co-owner of Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC, and I decided that we wanted to do even more to give back to the communities where we bring visitors and support artisans directly. We want to encourage the next generation to further their dreams. As educators, we know how important a university education can be for creating possibilities to further economic opportunity and stability.

Add to the tax-deductible Scholarship Fund to help us make an even bigger impact.

Please note this is for the Oaxaca Cultural Navigator Scholarship Fund!

We have agreed that OLC will select the most deserving student(s) and manage the award. From time to time, we will meet with the award recipient(s) to learn more about their personal hopes and dreams, to recognize them for their accomplishments, and to share this with you, our readers.

The Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC Scholarship Fund will support students and/or tutors who:

• Are from areas where we have artisan relationships, including but not limited to Tlacolula de Matamoros, Teotitlan del Valle, San Marcos Tlapazola, San Pablo Villa de Mitla, Ocotlan de Morelos and surrounding villages, Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec, Santiago Matatlan, San Pedro Cajonos, San Mateo del Mar, The Mixteca Alta and Triqui communities, Pinotepa de Don Luis, and San Juan Colorado.

• Demonstrate academic excellence and a will to complete their education and graduate.

• Are university or high school students.

• Are committed to giving back to their communities through advocacy, capacity building, and social justice.

Some students participate online because their communities are some distance from the city, where the Center is located.

The scholarship fund would also include the extra training and support students need with job skills, resume writing, practical skills, transportation and incidentals to be determined by OLC staff.

We have established this as an annual expendable fund that can be renewed each year.

Our Hope! Contributions to this scholarship fund are tax-deductible in the USA when made through the Friends of the Oaxaca Learning Center, which is a USA 501(C)3 not-for-profit organization. We hope and encourage you to augment our efforts to give back to Oaxaca communities by making a 2023 Donation — just in time for year-end giving! Your gift can double or triple our impact and make a difference in more than one student’s life! Please note your gift is for the Oaxaca Cultural Navigator Scholarship Fund!

• $50 supports university acceptance prep course
• $140 funds a month of classes, tutoring & workshops
• $550 covers scholarships for meals and transportation
• $1,500 funds classes, tutoring, & workshops for one year
• $5,000 supports two tutors´ annual salary

Thank you for all your support over the years. Your loyalty has helped make this scholarship fund a reality.