In 1978, a small group of Hispanic members of Congress established the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) to develop the next generation of Latino leaders with a clear vision of a strong America made possible with the many contributions of educated and civic-minded Latino leaders engaged in and contributing to all aspects of U.S. society. This vision was founded on three cornerstones for success: education attainment and college access, leadership development programs in D.C., and access to a powerful network of Latino leaders in the United States. Today CHCI is the premier Hispanic nonprofit and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) leadership development organization in the country firmly rooted in the same three mission cornerstones laid by our founders: Educate. Empower. Connect. By promoting education attainment and college access, providing unmatched career development experience, and offering award-winning leadership programs that connect program participants to the most powerful network of U.S. leaders, CHCI’s mission is unwavering and more powerful and critical than ever before in our nation’s history. The success of our more than 11,800 young Latinos served across the country, will determine the nation’s success in this century. With its comprehensive approach to leadership development, CHCI directly impacts the lives of over 1,700 students and young professionals each year through its fellowships, congressional internships, scholarships, Ready to Lead (R2L®) college readiness program, and R2L NextGen program, a dramatic increase from the 46 students served in 1999.