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Daisy Garcia Montoya

Education Reporter

A local organization is looking forward to making strides in the new year through its advocacy and education work. Revolucion Educativa (RevEd), an affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, has been physically present in the Northeast since 2022, where it has engaged with local community members and partners to improve education outcomes. 

As a sister organization to the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC), a 501(c)(3) organization, which focuses on the advancement of Latino youth through education, RevEd fulfills the role of political engagement and advocacy.

Founder and CEO of the LEC and RevEd, Edgar Palacios said that as he saw the need of Latino representation in schools, he decided to develop LEC but realized that as a 501(c)(3), the organization would have limitations in advocacy. 

“I wanted to create an advocacy organization that was tied to the mission to LEC. Under a 501(c)(3), we can’t take a stance, but under a 501(c)(4), we absolutely can so that was the idea: We would be learning around the LEC and pushing Latino representation but also ultimately influence policy, what was needed with the 501(c)(4),” Palacios said. 

Since its creation, RevEd has hosted a large variety of events aimed at civil engagement and education rights. Among the events and programming that RevEd offers is EducaTec — a program composed of workshops focused on digital literacy in Spanish, and Padres Empoderados (Empowered Parents), an annual conference for community members to hear about different resources,  education leaders and learn about their rights as parents of children in schools. 

Additionally, the organization has provided information on how to vote and be civically engaged and provided parents with opportunities and support to be involved in school district-wide decisions. 

Most recently, this past fall RevEd moved into a larger space located at 2301 Lexington Ave., just down the street from its previous location. 

“The decision to move to this new location was driven by the LEC’s commitment to creating a dedicated space that fosters community engagement and supports Latinx educators, families and youth,” said Community Engagement Director Ivan Ramirez.

As more community members learned about the organization, the number of participants continued to grow, which led to maxed-out capacity.

With this new space, RevEd hopes to host more professional development workshops, know your rights sessions, support groups, networking events and community gatherings. Aside from educational opportunities, LEC and RevEd partner with the Chicano Center for Arts, hosting mentoring opportunities in the arts for youth. 

“The new space serves as a hub for Latinx educators, families, students, artists and entrepreneurs to collaborate, share resources and engage in initiatives aimed at enhancing educational outcomes for Latinx students,” Ramirez said. “Having a communal place is vital for building strong networks and encouraging collaboration. It provides a physical location where the community can come together to share experiences, resources, and support. It has allowed us to strengthen community collective power to tackle challenges and find new opportunities.”

As the conversation around third spaces — a space outside of the home and workplace where individuals can converse and connect with others — continues to grow, RevEd hopes the community can see its space as a place where they come, receive resources and meet others. 

“I’m very proud of everyone who comes together around this mission, our staff, volunteers, people who work behind the scenes and community members. It’s nice to have a space in a neighborhood, which allows it to highlight the diversity within the neighborhood and then celebrate it,” Palacios said. 

For more information on how to get involved or upcoming events, please visit: https://revedkc.org/ or follow them on Instagram @revedkc.