A place to meet, a place to learn, a place to organize...

Citizenship and Voter Training School
Modeled after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Highlander Center

On May 15, 2002, CAAAELII inaugurated CIVITAS - its new Citizenship and Voter Training School. The inspiration and model for CIVITAS are the citizenship schools of the 1950's created by Martin Luther King Jr.'s Highlander Center and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference that taught thousands of African Americans how to read, write, vote and exercise their rights as citizens.

These Citizenship Schools were the "spark" that lit the civil rights movement. CAAAELII hopes to rekindle this "spark" and light the fire for an immigrant rights movement for social change.

The goals of CIVITAS are to create a space for reflection and a "gathering place" where community leaders can join together with others who share their concerns, and to integrate the Civics, Organizing, and Technology programs at CAAAELII into a comprehensive and integrated activity for all CAAAELII partner agencies.

CIVITAS was made possible through generous funding by the Ford Foundation Leadership for a Changing World Award and the Marguerite Casey Foundation. Be sure to keep a look out for upcoming workshops and classroom discussions and be a part of the history-making process.

CIVITAS is located in the Ravenswood Presbyterian Church at 4300 N. Hermitage. Telephone: (773) 248-1019.