Latin American Youth Center

The mission of the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) is to empower a diverse population of youth to achieve a successful transition to adulthood through multi-cultural, comprehensive, and innovative programs that address youths' social, academic, and career needs.

Since 1968, LAYC has been committed to transforming the lives of low-income young people and their families. LAYC offers multi-service, comprehensive, and bilingual enrichment, prevention, and intervention programs and opportunities in education, workforce readiness, housing, community building, mental health services, arts, and healthy recreation to over 4,000 individuals each year.

LAYC has special expertise in serving underserved youth, low-income teen parents, homeless youth, youth in foster care and juvenile justice systems, and youth facing mental health, substance abuse, or complex family issues.

While LAYC initially worked with Latino youth of diverse backgrounds, today all youth—Latino, African American, African—are supported by LAYC at sites in the District of Columbia and Maryland's Prince George's and Montgomery Counties.