The 13th annual Latino Role Models Conference will be held in-person on March 25 from 9am to 1pm at Cabrillo College Crocker Theater. This free conference is designed to inspire students in grades 6 through college to achieve their dreams for college and career.
Presentations center on the experiences of Latino professionals, college students and community leaders. This conference will be conducted in Spanish with English interpretation. Parents and guardians are encouraged to participate along with their students. Resource tables will share information about the pathway to higher education.
To register, visit scsenderos.org.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Olga Talamante, Executive Director Emerita of the Chicana Latina Foundation. She currently co-chairs the Caravan for the Children, which advocates for the release, reunification and healing of the children separated at the southern border. Talamante holds a B.A. in Latin American History from UC Santa Cruz and an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the School of Education at the University of San Francisco.
Also featured at the event will be Juan R. Fuentes, a Chicano poster/print maker, art teacher, cultural worker and social activist. Fuentes grew up in Watsonville and was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from San Francisco State University. His work has been exhibited locally, nationally and internationally. His designs can be seen in the four large-scale mosaic murals as part of the downtown Watsonville Brillante project.
Also participating in the conference are:
● Consuelo Alba, Director of the Watsonville Film Festival, Arts Council Santa Cruz County
Board Chairperson
● Dr. Cesar Castillo, Sutter Health Physician
● Tony Escareño, Family Law Attorney in Watsonville
● Dra. Elizabeth Gonzalez, Inaugural Director, Hispanic Serving Institution at UCLA
● Sureyma Gonzalez, Deputy Public Defender, Santa Clara County
● Martin Vargas Vega, Software Engineer, Digital NEST Board Member
● Erandi Garcia, formerly of Telemundo will moderate the conference.
The Latino Role Models Conference was created by Senderos in 2010 and is now presented with Cabrillo College; Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County; Consulado General de México en San José; Greater Opportunities for Adult Learning (GOAL); Kaiser Permanente; Live Oak School District, Pajaro Valley Unified School District; San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District; Santa Cruz City Schools; Santa Cruz County Office of Education; Santa Cruz County College Commitment; Senderos; Soquel Union Elementary School District; UC Santa Cruz, Bay Federal Credit Union.
For information, call 854.7740, email [email protected] or visit SCSenderos.org.
