Universidad Popular

Universidad Popular, Chicago's premier Popular Education Community Organization was founded in 1972 as Latin Center in what was then Chicago's Latino Community of Lakeview. In the past 40 years, Universidad Popular (UP) has followed the working class and Latino Community as it has moved, in part pushed by gentrification, from communities such as Logan Square, Humboldt Park, and Pilsen. Currently, we operate two community centers in the Little Village/South Lawndale and Chicago Lawn/West Lawn neighborhoods that work with over 2,000 families, adults, seniors, youth, and children. 

Our mission is to reach community empowerment through participatory learning. We work in collaboration with community residents and organizations to change their lives and, ultimately, the community.  We facilitate community-based literacy campaigns that allow individuals to learn reading and writing, English, Yoga, Zumba, healthy eating and cooking, afterschool mentorship, physical welness, parenting, disability advocacy and public service connection, and leadership development--all with an emphasis on community organizing that is led with, by, and for the people. 

We place our participatory approach and a liberatory teaching-learning process front and center in everything we do. From our spaces to our programs there is not a single part of UP that has not been shaped by a dedicated community member. Volunteers have approached us from all walks of life. From our neighbors, to students, to individuals and groups who are committed to social justice and the process of creating real change, everyone is and can be a part of Universidad Popular.