Children and Communities with Promise¹: A Place-Based Approach to an Asset-Based Bicultural Continuum Model

La Zona de Promesa was built in the City of South Tucson where the composition of the population was 85% Mexican descent population, 55% immigrant households, and where 65% of the children were living in extreme poverty during a time when there was an onslaught of anti-immigrant policies, anti-ethnic studies policies, and desegregation orders. A coalition of community stakeholders (including students, families, teachers, and administrators of two elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, as well as 36 community agencies, city government, university members, and community leaders) had a vision of a place-based approach to create an effective educational continuum from preschool through college. This continuum was based on a consistent network of holistic and integrated support based on an Asset-Based Bicultural Continuum Model which centered on and embraced the bicultural and bilingual strengths of families. Promesa por promesa became the foundational and inspirational phrase of this work as representing the mutual promise to promote potential of all children to attain educational success because of the commitment of all members of the community and schools. During a four-year period (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013), over 788 children, youth, parents, and community leaders contributed to participatory action research that led to La Zona de Promesa initiatives and campaigns to implement the asset-based bicultural continuum model with over 1,907 individuals, five schools, and multiple agencies.