The Mission of La Paz is to empower and engage Chattanooga's Latino population through advocacy, education, and inclusion.
YOU ARE
WELCOME HERE.
La Paz Chattanooga is the leading organization promoting inclusion of the Hispanic and Latino community in Southeast Tennessee.
Since opening our doors in 2004, we have worked to build and establish trust with Chattanooga's diverse Latino demographic through programs and services created to empower and engage our community.
We believe a diverse community is a strong community. The Latino population is a valuable asset to the Chattanooga area. All immigrants deserve access to resources that will help them thrive in their environment.
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF LA PAZ
As La Paz turns 20 years old, we reflect on our history and our journey. In the early 2000s Chattanooga saw an influx of Latino immigrants, primarily young men, to the area. These young men, often in vulnerable positions, migrated to the Chattanooga area for work. La Paz initially began as an initiative called Esperanza del Barrio, operating out of our local Salvation Army, to provide support and advocate for the rights of these workers.
As the workers integrated into the community, they were able to send for their families, thus growing the local Latino population and presenting new needs within the Latino community. Women found themselves feeling isolated at home. With these shifting needs, La Paz’s focus also evolved to build trusted connections with our growing community to provide guidance, services and advocacy. In addition, to address the young Latino population in the Chattanooga area, we began to prioritize our focus to our first-generation community who are just now experiencing higher education. To do this, we focus on service that promote student and entrepreneurial success.
As we look to the future, our organization is committed to meeting the changing needs our Latino community while continuing to advocate for intentional service and investment from Chattanooga at large.
WHAT WE DO
WHERE WE ARE
Located in the heart of the Highland Park neighborhood in Chattanooga, TN, our offices and community center are central to Latinx neighborhoods across the city.
