Latinos Unidos Siempre (LUS) Spanish for “Latinos United Always”, began in September 1996 as the brainchild of the Mano a Mano Family Center in Salem, Oregon. Since then, youth from the area have come together to address issues affecting youth of color. The organization now has over 500 members and counting. Together the youth from LUS are affecting political change, in the community, their family & their own lives.
The youth of LUS first came together to defeat a racist gang manual, which would have criminalized youth of hispanic decent and labeled particular cultural and religious practices and values “gang related.” These youth came together and abolished the implementation of the manual, consequently giving latino youth an opportunity to transcend stereotypes.
