Milestones & Activities


2014

 August: 

  • HAA connects Boston, California, and Texas alumni interested in forming a Latino Alumni SIG

October:

  • The idea of a Latino Alumni SIG is launched at 'My Harvard' event in Dallas

November

  • National Founding Committee begins meeting weekly

  • Preliminary SIG concept paper is refined and organizational documents are drafted

  • A national outreach campaign begins to gather signatures for submission to HAA

  • HLAA supports Latino Thanksgiving Pachanga for students that can’t travel home for the holiday

  • HLAA hosts Latino A lumni Breakfast and Mixer after Harvard vs. Yale football game

December

  • HLAA works to identify Latino alumni and continues to gather membership pledges surpassing 450

  • A Code of Ethics is developed and signed by HLAA leadership

  • Special presentation on employment opportunities at the CIA is held in LA in conjunction with Harvard Club of S. California

2015

February: 

  • HLAA is formally recognized as a SIG during the 2015 HAA Leadership Conference

March

  • Social media platforms, including a website, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are launched

  • HLAA  is officially introduced to alumni via email blast

  • As part of the strategic planning process, a comprehensive survey is designed and conducted to assess student and alumni needs and priorities

April

  • The first official newsletter is disseminated

  • HLAA and the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy co-sponsor an Alumni Reception in conjunction with the Harvard Latino Law, Policy, and Business Conference

  • HLAA hosts a Spring Break Pachanga

  • HLAA raises funds to support the first university-wide Harvard Latino Graduation

  • Work continues to refine by-laws and develop an election process for the National Board of Directors

May

  • National Board elects officers

  • Student Directors are welcomed onto the National Board

  • HLAA leadership speaks at Latino Graduation, welcoming more than 75 graduates into HLAA  

  • HLAA and the Harvard Latin American Alumni and Friends SIG co-host a mini-reunion as part of Graduation 2015 festivities with over 50 alumni in attendance

  • Final Articles of Incorporation and By-laws are adopted

  • HLAA endorses Latino alum, Martin Chavez, for Harvard’s Board of Overseers

June

  • HLAA hosts Harvard Global Networking Nights in an unprecedented 7 cities across the country Boston, NYC, Los Angelus, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Washington, D.C.  HLAA collaborated with local Harvard Clubs in 5 of these cities

  • Incorporation documents are filed with the Texas Secretary of State

  • HLAA collaborates with Harvard Club of San Antonio to support a student from the Rio Grande Valley attending Harvard Summer School Program

July

  • State of Texas designates HLAA a Texas nonprofit

  • HLAA Southern California Chapter, in collaboration with the Harvard Club of Southern California and US Secret Service, sponsors a workshop on Protective Measures Against Cyber Attacks

August

  • HLAA collaborates with Latino student organizations to prepare for the new school year

  • HLAA hosts drop-in office hours for students after passing of Harvard sophomore

  • HLAA strongly urges the Harvard College Admissions Office to hire one or more Latino admissions officers or senior admissions officers for Latino/recruitment

  • Board approved nominations, vetting, and elections process darted by Governance Committee

September

  • National Strategic Planning meetings are held in Cambridge and San Antonio

  • HLAA begins national recruitment effort inviting alumni to join national committees and form local chapters

  • HLAA hosts a Welcome Back Event for Students and Alumni on September 16th

October

  • Southern California Chapter launches and hosts first HLAA Early Awareness Program for over 300 Latino students and their parents at Eastmont Intermediate School in the Montebello Unified School District

  • Southern California Chapter commits to developing local J-Term opportunities

  • Student directors for 2015-2016, Jennifer Ruiz with Concilio Latino and Norma Torres Mendez with HLSA, accept board positions

November

  • HLAA Board  Member Hilda Rodriquez, HGS of Design develops HLAA logo which is unanimously approved and adopted by the Board

  • HLAA President Ed Rocha hosts Latino Thanksgiving Pachanga at his home in Malden, MA for students that can’t travel home for the holiday

  • HLAA Board  Member Norma Torres attends Latino Ivy League Conference at Brown University

December

  • Governance Committee drafts Chapter guidelines in light of several new chapters forming across the country

2016

January

  • Southern California Chapter sponsors a local Harvard Students and Alumni Networking Luncheon

February

  • Three HLAA Board members attend the HAA Leadership Conference for SIG training and also meet with Black Alumni Society SIG reps to discuss overlapping interests

  • HLAA President Ed Rocha hosts “Meet the President” Event in Boston

  • Board approves membership fee structure ($0 for students; $25 for recent grads, 3 years out; $40 for all other alumni members, including associate members

  • HLAA joins the SIG Coalition for a Fair Harvard to oppose anti-affirmative-action 'Free Harvard, Fair Harvard' slate running for the Board of Overseers

  • HLAA National Conference Call held Feb 24th to share SIG updates and get member feedback

March

  • HLAA sent a letter to President Faust/Harvard Administration in support of Latino student demands for Latino Studies and a community center

May

  • HLAA raises funds to support Harvard Latino Graduation and HLAA leadership welcomes more than 75 graduates into HLAA  

  • HLAA and the Harvard Latin American Alumni and Friends SIG co-host a mini-reunion as part of Graduation 2015 festivities with over 50 alumni in attendance

  • HLAA endorses Latino alum for Harvard’s Board of Overseers

  • Northern California Chapter Kick-off Event  -- Potluck Pachanga

July

  • HLAA designated a 501c3 public charity by the Internal Revenue Service

September

  • Meet the President HLAA social event in NYC

October

  • Nominations open for first open elections of HLAA National Board of Directors

  • HLAA Chapter in Southern California, in collaboration with the Harvard Club of Southern California, sponsored a Harvard Latino Mentorship Forum, with the purpose of connecting Harvard Latino students with Harvard Latino alumni mentors

November

  • HLAA shares a petition to protect undocumented students on campus from Trump deportation threats

  • HLAA is one of 10 SIGS to help organize the first-ever Alumni Women’s Weekend at Harvard. HLAA-sponsored events included Latina alumni and student get-together, and a Women of Color workshop

  • HLAA Boston host a Wine and Cheese together to welcome locals and Latinas in Boston for Women’s Weekend

  • In collaboration with Brown University Latino Council in Los Angeles, HLAA Chapter in Southern California co-sponsored an Ivy League Latino Alumni Happy Hour

  • HLAA Chapter in Southern California hosts the Early College Awareness Program for more than one hundred students and parents at Eastmont Intermediate School in the Montebello Unified School District on how to plan, prepare, and succeed in college

  • HLAA President Ed Rocha hosts Latino Thanksgiving Pachanga at his home in Malden, MA. for students that can’t travel home for the holiday

December

  • HLAA holds its first open elections for six seats on the National Board of Directors

  • Southern California Chapter hosts Navidad at Whittier College, which features ballet Folklorico, Flor y Canto

  • HLAA Board of Directors sends a letter to Harvard President Drew Faust in support of making Harvard an undocumented student sanctuary

2017

January

  • Governance Committee hosts welcome/training calls for new board members

  • HLAA  hosts Global Networking Night in San Antonio, TX, and Washington D.C.