Building upon strength and culture

Spotlight on: Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES)

Vibrant colors and beautiful images greet visitors even before they enter the Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio (CLUES) offices in St. Paul. Outside the light-filled lobby, a mural features a young girl draped in a shawl decorated with flags of numerous Latin American nations that the people of CLUES represent. Embedded within the symbolic design, a banner holds the text, “La Cultura Cura,” or “Culture Heals,” in English.

The CLUES building in St. Paul houses the Mexican Consulate, offices for the Abriendo Caminos Behavioral Health Department, space for cultural art exhibits, and a commercial kitchen set up for the weekly food distribution known as the “Canasta Familiar” or “Family Basket.” Color, art, and culture fill the space and surround anyone who enters.

“When people come to CLUES, we want them to feel welcome and at home. Here community becomes family. “ – Jessica Pleguezuelos, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, CLUES

CLUES was founded in 1981 on the west side of St. Paul by Latino social workers, including Rafael Ortega, who is now a Ramsey County commissioner. Now celebrating 43 years with offices in St. Paul, Austin, Willmar, and Minneapolis, CLUES has 145 staff members and plans to add more when funding allows.

CLUES offers various services, including those that address food insecurity, community health and wellness, housing stability, early childhood, cultural engagement, employment assistance, adult education, youth services, and more. According to one of their brochures, “CLUES programs are designed to provide access to resources and opportunities for Latino families and individuals to lead healthy and thriving lives.”

“Providing a sense of belonging and support networks is at the heart of who we are. We then provide targeted services or interventions as opportunities for transformational impact.” .” – Ruby Azurdia-Lee, President and CEO of CLUES

Ruby Azurdia-Lee, the president and CEO of CLUES, came to the United States from Guatemala the same year that CLUES started. Ruby tells the story of the learning process she experienced when hoping to buy a house and the cultural differences between the United States and Guatemala regarding establishing credit and financing. She understands the immigrant experience because she lived it. That’s part of the reason CLUES staff provides holistic services and support with navigation of systems and resources.

“CLUES advances social and economic equity and wellbeing … uplifting individuals and families, and activating leadership for systemic change.” – Portion of CLUES Mission Statement

Since 2019, staff in their Behavioral Health Department (“Abriendo Caminos,” or “Breaking Ground”) has more than doubled to forty-five with hopes of adding twenty more employees in the future. In May 2024, CLUES officially became a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). This certification is a milestone for CLUES and the Latino community in Minnesota. Beyond this impressive accomplishment, they maintain a goal of providing services to all regardless of insurance status. Senior Clinic Director Benjamin Feigal explained that they constantly work to expand all behavioral health efforts and capacity.

With awareness that close to fifty percent of Latinos in Minnesota are under the age of 20, CLUES collaborates with Best Buy to connect young people to technology and the careers of tomorrow. The Best Buy Teen Tech center is adjacent to the main floor of the CLUES St. Paul location and features professional-grade equipment that lets teens make, create, and innovate while learning skills that can be used in school, careers, and beyond. Career pathways program internships are also available.

Prosperity and economic development are also a focus of CLUES's work, with a pilot project just beginning that is described as a “business incubator for Latina women.” Informal daycare providers can get small business training, licensing, and certification training and have options to rent daycare sites in the former Head Start building just down the street from CLUES in St. Paul.

These opportunities have not been achieved without challenges. Many community members are uninsured or underinsured, and funding inequities are still prevalent. The goal for the future of CLUES is long-term sustainable partnerships with public and private funders so that they can offer financial stability and continuity for both community members and staff.

“Access continues to be the barrier. For us, access for all IS equity. “ – Ruby Azurdia-Lee