Enlarge Ruben Campillo aids legal aliens in taking the steps necessary to obtain U.S. citizenship.

Posted: December 10th, 2009 Greg Lacour

Crossroads Charlotte occasionally spotlights individuals who are improving the city's social capital.

Ruben Campillo, 34, is a Mexican immigrant and former construction worker who three years ago decided he needed a more meaningful career. Campillo is the advocacy coordinator for the Latin American Coalition, an organization that provides services and assistance to the city's ever-growing Latino community. He guides recent immigrants through the maze of public services, responsibilities and customs that they may barely understand at first. But he also helps organize neighborhood and civic organizations that encourage immigrants to participate in their communities and express their needs to public officials.

Why he does what he does? "I feel that over the last 15 years since I’ve been in Charlotte, I’ve seen the Latino community grow and thrive in this state. I want to see that this community is engaged in the decisions that affect us all."

What's next? Expanding the coalition’s work in organizing Latino high school students, who increasingly are not immigrants but the sons and daughters of immigrants. The Alliance of Latin American Students' goal is to develop teams of young Latino leaders “to start moving into more public roles,” Campillo said. Soon, his son, 12-year-old Anthony, will be one of them.

Know someone who is a connector for a community?

Nominate that person to be profiled by a Crossroads Charlotte Correspondent. Email his or her name, phone number and email address and a brief description of what they do to Crossroads Charlotte. If your nominee is selected, you will be contacted by a correspondent.

Tweet

Previous Page