Universidad Popular (UP) is a grassroots community-based education organization, founded in 2012 in North County San Diego by a group of Mexican/Chicana/Latinx grassroots leaders with the mission of nurturing human dignity, multicultural appreciation, and a culture of trust and civic participation in our nation’s democratic process. Specifically, Universidad Popular aims to fill a major gap in human rights education, to foster multi-racial collaboration across agencies, organizations, and communities and to center equity and social justice at the heart of its work.
Universidad Popular brings together diverse leaders and educators with bold ideas to envision and create innovative programs that are culturally/linguistically responsive, data-driven, and social justice focused. The organization employs a three-prong approach that is intergenerational, action-oriented, and culturally responsive.
Programs include:
Citizenship Program – Ciudadanía
Universidad Popular enters its eighth-year teaching U.S. History and Government classes for citizenship with over one hundred adult students currently enrolled in the program. Most work in local restaurants, hotels, farms, warehouses, construction sites, daycares and other jobs that contribute to our thriving economy. Many individuals are attending school for the first time with limited formal education, and many will speak three languages: an Indigenous language, Spanish, and English. They show up with a pencil and book on hand, eager to learn about U.S. history, government, and ways to become more civically involved. The program is free and open to anyone interested in learning. Classes are held in San Marcos and Escondido.
Food Distribution in Pauma
In collaboration with Feeding San Diego and the Pauma Valley Community Center, Universidad Popular had thirty-two food distributions and distributed food to over 6,500 farmworker families in 2024. The food distribution happens every Tuesday and is open to the community.
Listos California
Universidad Popular is part of the statewide network of community-based organizations, Tribal Governments, and Community Emergency Response Teams across the state to boost resiliency, provide accessible in-language information and advance a new culture of disaster preparedness. UP works specifically with Mexican/Latinx immigrants and farmworkers to prepare for wildfires, floods, earthquakes, droughts, heatwaves, and other disasters. UP provides lifesaving emergency preparedness information and tools to help vulnerable Californians thrive post-disasters. Classes are free and open to the community.
Covid-19 Pandemic Recovery
After five years of providing direct services to address the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Universidad Popular closed its last Covid-19 and Flu Vaccine Clinic in Escondido. Throughout the pandemic, Universidad Popular provided access to life-saving vaccines, Covid-19 tests and masks and education. In 2024, Universidad Popular reached over 50,000 community members in collaboration with Champions for Health.
Workers’ Rights
Universidad Popular is part of the California Workplace Outreach Program (CWOP), a network of community-based organizations conducting outreach and education in working-class communities providing information and resources regarding worker protections outlined in California’s labor code and workplace health and safety regulations.
Immigrant Rights
Through an interactive and interdisciplinary core curriculum that integrates human rights, immigrant rights, Chicana/Chicanx Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Women/Gender Studies, UP teaches about constitutional rights and freedoms and immigration history. In collaboration with Alianza Comunitaria, UP coordinates an emergency alert system using mobile technology to disseminate information and notifications regarding emergencies and immigration updates.
For additional information, visit our website www.unipopular.org.