About Us

our mission

Euvalcree mobilizes and engages underserved and underrepresented populations to improve the lives of all children, families and communities in RURAL Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

A Beacon of Hope

EUVALCREE serves as a beacon of hope, helping to create better places for our family and community.

Since its inception, EUVALCREE has galvanized a Latino population strong in number but underrepresented in leadership roles. A perception persisted that area Latinos had little interest in civic affairs – a perception we know is far from the truth. Latinos make up 67% of Ontario School District students and 33% of Malheur County’s population. Yet Latinos are absent from city, county, and school leadership roles. We train leaders to build organizational structures and develop indicators to measure the effectiveness of civic, policy, and advocacy change.

our vision

A unified community advocating for itself and equity for all.

our vision

A unified community advocating for itself and equity for all.

Our History

It is our history that shapes who each of us are. This could not be more true for EUVALCREE, which was established in November of 2014 to address the frustrations of the region’s Latino community. Under its first incarnation, the organization’s logo was a fist; however, it quickly became apparent that the only thing you get with a fist is another fist. It was in that enlightenment that the group shifted focus, which led to the creation of a new vision, one that would empower, regenerate passion, and establish hope for the community.

Today, EUVALCREE’s primary goal is to develop the social capital and leadership capacity of community members. The organization has developed a strong networking and community infrastructure that allows us to communicate with and organize community members in significant and impactful ways.

As a growing community and advocacy organization, it is important we stay true to our grassroots origins. It is our deep connection and roots within the community that truly set us apart.

Our Core Values

  • We welcome and respect all CULTURES.
  • We value the EMPOWERMENT of those we serve.
  • We value COLLABORATION with other organizations, individuals, community, and other stakeholders.
  • We value effective and honest COMMUNICATION with the communities we serve.
  • We believe in accountability and RESPONSIBILITY.
  • We value SERVICE to others.
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Gina Galaviz-Yap, Board Member

I am currently serving as Oregon State University’s Juntos Statewide Director and as the Vice President of Euvalcree board. I hold a B.S. in Business Administration and Masters in Education. The program I direct, called Junto or Together, works to empower Latino students and families around education. Our goal is to prevent Latino youth from dropping out of high school and to empower families to work together to reach their post-secondary education goals. As a first generation daughter of immigrants and a Latina college graduate, I can relate and personally advocate for the communities I represent. One of my greatest successes has been serving more than 5,000 Latino families since 2012, with 90% graduating college. My work parallels Euvalcree’s work in that we bring together diverse perspectives and experiences to resolve challenges within our communities.

Roberto Gamboa, Director of Operations and Community Development

I currently act as the Director of Operations & Community Development for EUVALCREE, supporting rural and BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) community members in Eastern Oregon. I am passionate about making changes to our policies and systems to truly benefit our local communities that are not being served equally or equitably. I genuinely believe that the work I do with Euvalcree is essential and brings positive change.

I firmly believe that our work uplifts our communities in need. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as an organization, we have helped over 200 families with assistance like rent/mortgage, utilities, food, and other resources they needed to quarantine and isolate. This has brought an immense feeling of pride and joy. I currently hold an Associates in General Studies from Treasure Valley Community College.