The American Association of University Women (AAUW) Tama / Toledo Area Branch, hosted a reception and book signing at the Toledo Public Library on Monday, October 27, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.. Light refreshments were served.

Dr. Carol Spaulding Kruse, coordinator of the book project: The Ones I Bring With Me: Iowa’s Young Latinas on Identity, Education and Success, as well as Dawn Oropeza, Executive Director of Al Exito in Iowa, attended the event. Two local high school students, Nyana Eubanks and Abigail Navarro, contributing authors, were available to sign purchased copies of the book. Many AAUW members were in attendance as well as members of the public from Tama/Toledo.

Tama/Toledo has it’s own Al Exito program. This program, started in 2007, was originally an extension of the group that was begun in Marshalltown in 2005. Girls currently enrolled in eighth grade and whose ethnicity is designated as Hispanic, are invited to participate in the program. The mission of Al Exito is to motivate and prepare middle-school Latinas for post-high school education and potential for economic security, civic engagement, and a stable family life. For the second year, Grinnell College has partnered with the local Al Exito organization to help mentor and support our Latinas in their education journey. The members of the local Al Exito group and the Grinnell College mentors also attended the book launch at the Toledo Library.