Jennifer Novo of FUTURO Inc. helps college students survive and thrive
Saludos, familia!
¡No me lo puedo creer — I can't believe it! The Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter celebrates its one-year anniversary on Thursday.
Sept. 15 also happens to be the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, a monthlong celebration of the contributions of Latinos to this nation.
But, like many of you, I believe that Latino stories deserve to be told and celebrated year-round. Over the last year, as your newsletter curator, I have sought to share stories written by, for and with Latinos across Tennessee and the nation.
It has been an honor to share the achievements of the Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter in recent journalism conferences in Las Vegas and Chicago and to be a finalist for an international award at an upcoming conference in Los Angeles.
This is because of you, dear reader. Thank you, whether you subscribed before we officially launched in 2021 or just in the last week. Please continue to share the newsletter, offer story tips and tell me about upcoming events.
Help us grow our readership and show that Latinos in Tennessee have a great story to tell to the whole world.
Here's one amazing person's story I want to tell you:
Meet Jennifer Novo of FUTURO Inc.
The value of college education has been in the news of late, whether talking about recent U.S. News and World Report rankings or President Joe Biden's announcement of student loan debt relief.
College is a big decision for first-time college students, especially people of color, who want to make sure there is value in their degree.
Jennifer Novo, executive director of FUTURO Inc., has worked in higher education for more than 20 years, both in South Florida and Tennessee.
Her focus has been on student retention and success.
FUTURO began as part of the Tennessee Latin American Chamber of Commerce and is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year, providing support, mentorship and programming to college students, 85% of whom happen to be Latino.
"I wish I had a FUTURO when I was in college," said Novo, who is of Colombian descent. "There are so many barriers as a first-generation college student that you don't understand."
In her experience, 100% of the students go to college to get a good career. They want to grow their connections and become successful.
"In high school, they teach you what to think; in college they teach you how to think," Novo said. "Those with a college education typically earn 50% more (than those without). They are looking at higher wages."
The organization is also training leaders, and among its alums is Sandra Sepúlveda, who is now a Metro Council member representing District 30 in Southeast Nashville.
Novo received her undergraduate and master's degrees at Florida International University and came to Nashville after her sister received a scholarship to attend Vanderbilt University.
Her career in Tennessee has included working with Equal Chance for Education and Cumberland University, and she served on the board of FUTURO before being tapped to be executive director.
In April 2021, my colleague Rachel Wegner wrote a profile of FUTURO. Scroll and be sure to read it and learn more about the incredible work.
Here's what else you will find in this week's newsletter:
Chris Quintana and Kayla Jimenez write the relevant story: "Debt relief will change the lives of some with student loans, but fall short for others."
Tennessee educator Emi Canahuati is featured in a very powerful story about pregnancy care in the post-Roe v. Wade era.
On Monday, I had the privilege of participating in two significant events in Nashville that had the community talking:
Moderating a conversation between former Govs. Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam about their new podcast, "You Might Be Right," about creating better discourse. I recently wrote a column about their participation in the new Institute for American Civics at University of Tennessee Knoxville.
That evening, I attended a music and dance event at the Nashville Symphony to celebrate early Mexican Independence Day. Mayra Yu of Casa de la Cultura Latino Americana received a special award from the Mexican government for her service to advancing Mexican culture in the U.S.
Finally, if you are a subscriber to one of the USA TODAY NETWORK publications (such as The Tennessean), I hope you saw the special edition "Presente" about the new National Museum of the American Latino. It appeared both in print and the e-edition. If you are interested in subscribing, here's how.
Latino Tennessee Voices Live
This is a reminder that Latino Tennessee Voices Live Storytellers is happening Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. at Plaza Mariachi. Don't miss out. Click here to purchase tickets for $10 each.
Our storytellers:
Fabián Bedne
Judge Ana Escobar
Yenín Miralda EcheverrÍa
Diana Pérez
Miguel Vega
Learn more about the program and the storytellers by clicking here.
Upcoming events
Nashville Electric Service and the Tennessee Valley Authority, Sept. 14 at 5:30-8:30 p.m.: Presenting a free energy savers workshop at Plaza Mariachi. Learn how to conserve electricity and save money on monthly power bills.
Conexión Américas, Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15): Multiple events include the unveiling of a mural (Sept. 15), student essay contest and the return of The Latin Party (Sept. 30). Click here for the full schedule.
Fiestas Patrias celebration, Sept. 18, noon-10 p.m. at Plaza Mariachi: Celebrate Mexican independence and the independence of other Latin American countries in this outdoor festival filled with music, children's activities and food. Learn more at this link.
¡Muchas gracias a todos!
David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee. He is of Colombian and Cuban descent, has studied or worked in several Spanish-speaking countries, and was the founding editor of Gaceta Tropical in Southwest Florida. He has lived in Tennessee since 2014. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Jennifer Novo of FUTURO, Inc., helps college students thrive
