Our Mission
We believe equity begins with recognizing the potential in every person and building the community support needed for that potential to thrive. Guided by our belief that “when the sun rises, it rises for everyone,” La Fuerza Latina works to create a future where opportunity is not limited by background, access, or circumstance. We believe our differences make our communities stronger and that every individual deserves the chance to learn, lead, and contribute.
Our Vision
We envision a future where students are not defined by the opportunities they inherited, but empowered to create new possibilities for themselves, their families, and their communities. As scholars become graduates, professionals, mentors, and leaders, their success creates pathways for those who follow.
Equity
We work to reduce barriers created by income, background, and unequal access so that opportunity is shaped by potential, not circumstance.
Community
We believe lasting progress is built through relationships, shared responsibility, and a community that continues to show up for one another.
Belief in Potential
We recognize the talent, ambition, and brilliance within every scholar and leader, and we help create the conditions for that potential to grow.
Leadership Through Service
We encourage students, professionals, and creatives to use their knowledge and talents not only to advance personally, but also to strengthen the communities around them.
Our Values
.png)
Our Compassionate Leaders
Craig Rowe
Founder & Director
Craig Rowe is the founder and executive director of La Fuerza Latina, which he established in 2015 to expand educational opportunities for first-generation, low-income Latine students in Truckee. Under his leadership, LFL has grown into a college and leadership development program that helps students build academic confidence, pursue scholarships, prepare for higher education, and become more engaged in their community. Craig’s commitment to educational equity is shaped by his own experience as the son of a Mexican mother and white father, neither of whom attended college. He graduated with honors from the University of Washington, earned a master’s degree from UC Santa Barbara, and completed the requirements for a Ph.D. in performance studies at UC Berkeley, where he received a Regents Fellowship. Craig also serves as an English teacher, College and Career Readiness advisor, Model United Nations advisor, and mentor at Truckee High School. He was named Tahoe Truckee Unified School District’s Teacher of the Year in 2022 and was a finalist for California’s 2023 Teacher of the Year.