About Hermanos Unidos
Mission & Vision
Hermanos Unidos (HU) seeks to advance young Latino males into academic scholars, community leaders, and young professionals. As an organization we shall achieve this by instilling the values represented through our three pillars – Academic Excellence, Community Service, and Social Interaction. Only then can we push our members to truly represent “El Nuevo Hombre.” As a result we hope to inspire and increase the number of Latino males matriculating, and graduating successfully from four-year institutions while preparing them for the professional world post-university.
“El Nuevo Hombre” & The Three Pillars
At Hermanos Unidos we do our best as a familia to make sure all of our members excel through university life and are prepared to tackle life’s most challenging problems post-graduation. We set out to break down the the most damaging cultural stereotypes along with the “machista mindset” by pushing vulnerability and openness. El Nuevo Hombre is one of our guiding philosophies that pushes our members to set off onto the path of self improvement so the man whom sleeps is an improved version of the same man who awoke that morning. Our three pillar frame work gives our members the tools necessary to to constantly improve and walk the path of “El Nuevo Hombre.”
Academic Excellence
Community Service
Social Interaction
At Hermanos Unidos we pride ourselves on academic excellence and assuring ourselves that every member is given the tools to succeed. We provide resources like test banks, book bank, study locations, tutoring services, while directing members to adequate school resources to aid on their academic journey.
Giving back to the community is crucial in our mission to matriculate Latinos into higher education. We are focused on lifting our communities to make sure our presences is felt in order to inspire other young Latinos. We do this to show that university is not only obtainable, but to provide an anchor point of inspiration for generations of students to come. We also get to directly give back to the low income communities of color that nurtured our upbringing.
By instilling the social interaction pillar we give Hermanos the tools to build themselves professionally. Members learn the importance of networking, and how to use it to build powerful lasting friendships while advancing themselves professionally.
History & Need
Hermanos Unidos was conceived as being the first Chicano and Latino Hermandad at the University of California, Berkeley during the Fall semester of 1989. Founded by Angel Ortiz, Eddie Duque, George Alva, and Isaias Martinez, Hermanos Unidos was the name chosen for this familia to serve as a reminder of our goals and needs for our recognition. Although we are bound by common roots and experiences, many of us do not interact with one another on a personal level. This Familia is centered around creating a powerful and sensitive hermandad oriented towards Chicano and Latino cultures. Since then HU has spread to 15 other Universities across California and was founded at UCLA in 2003. HU has seen dramatic growth over the years due to the consistent need for programs that target Latino Males. Over the years Academic journals have consistently referred to Latino men as the “endangered species of higher education” due to the alarming admission, retention, and completion rates amongst Latino men. For the last generation Latino men have been consistently the worst preforming group in higher education and HU aims to do everything in its power to change this. You can read more about the The Vanishing Latino Male in Higher Education in essay by the Association of Hispanics in Higher Education or in this piece by Marybeth Gasman.