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Richmond-The Virginia Hispanic Youth Symposium, held at the University of Richmond on July 16-19, has gained a host of new sponsors, volunteers, and community partners over the past month. The Richmond and larger Virginia community have enthusiastically collaborated on ensuring that local students will meet Hispanic heroes, interact with model college students, and obtain knowledge on the college application process.
The University of Richmond will accommodate more than 200 students on its campus and will help students explore their potential career paths by providing admissions representatives for the symposium’s college and career fair.
Through its partnership with the Hispanic College Fund, the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will empower Hispanics to make a difference in Virginia communities. The chamber will help with fundraising and find professionals who can host workshops for students in the area.
“Educating and ensuring that Latino youth have the opportunity and resources necessary to achieve their dream is not only a noble cause but is vital for our country and economy,” said Michel Zajur, President and CEO of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “The Symposium provides students with the tools and knowledge of how to prepare for college so that they may envision higher education as an attainable option.”
Winners of competitions in Art, Speech, Essay, and Talent will receive scholarships from the Hispanic College Fund-a total of $14,000 will be awarded.
The importance of voting
Voto Latino, the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI), and the Hispanic College Fund are partnering to get Virginia HYS students registered to vote. Those students who are and will be turning 18 by November 4 will register at the symposium with the help of a registrar provided by USHLI. All students, regardless of age at the time of the symposium, will learn why every vote counts in an election and why it is important to engage in local and national politics. As national attention continues to focus on the Hispanic vote leading up to the 2008 Presidential Election, students will see the power of voting come to life in November. In order to ensure that students stay engaged in the voting process after the symposium, students will be directed to use Voto Latino’s user friendly online voter registration mechanism.
“With 50,000 Latinos turn 18 every year (as reported by Pew Hispanic Center) in the U.S., there is power amongst Latino youth to create and implement positive change,” said Maria Teresa Petersen, Executive Director of Voto Latino. “Already, we have seen an unprecedented number of Latino youth cast their votes at the Primary elections and caucuses with high voter turnout expected in the Presidential election. With proactive organizations such as The Hispanic College Fund, Voto Latino hopes to provide a national platform and tools necessary to continually engage and empower the Latino youth demographic.”
“After 26 years and with over 2 million registered voters, USHLI knows the impact that face-to-face voter education has on our community,” said Cesar Moreno, Associate Executive Director for the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. “This direct contact with students helps make all the difference. Students not only understand how to register to vote but why it’s important to encourage their family members and peers to register as well. We are thrilled to collaborate with Voto Latino and the Hispanic College Fund for this important cause.”
Interacting with students
Prominent Hispanic leaders in Richmond will interact one-on-one with students while serving as inspiring role models. Leaders will share stories of how they triumphed over adversity and persevered when faced with an obstacle while students ask them questions in an encouraging environment.
“My interest in physics and my decision to pursue it as a profession were immensely affected by my high school physics teacher,” said Javier Gomez, physicist with the Department of Energy, Office of Science, Nuclear Physics who will be serving as an Issues to Action Facilitator. “Unknowingly he taught me one of the most rewarding things of my professional career: seeing the glitter in someone’s eyes when something being communicated suddenly makes sense. I can only hope that I am as good role model to others as this teacher was for me.”
“Ernie G”, a renowned Hispanic comedian, will also interact with students while serving as a motivational speaker. The first to graduate from his family, he demonstrates the importance of education and perseverance. Students relate to his comedy because he shares his personal experience as a Latino growing up in Los Angeles.
The Hispanic Youth Symposium Alumni Association members will serve as spokespeople at this year’s Virginia symposium by sharing with students how HYS made a positive impact in their lives. The group, created in March 2008, consists of former HYS participants who meet twice a month to strategize on getting HYS alumni to give back to their communities.
“I participated in the Greater Washington Hispanic Youth Symposium in 2007. It really did make a positive difference in my life, so when I had the opportunity to work with other students who were affected in the same way, I couldn’t turn it down,” said Daniel Hernandez, Hispanic College Fund Alumni Association Secretary. “So far the alumni group has about 300 members and will keep growing. We look forward to meeting students in Richmond and hope to recruit them after HYS.”
Toastmasters International has provided the alumni association with free workshops on public speaking, interacting with the media, and negotiations.
Supporting the symposium
Sponsors of the Virginia symposium include National Nuclear Security Administration, United States Department of Energy, Social Security Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, Southwest Airlines, Department of the Treasury, Lockheed Martin, Marriott International, Inc., MasterCard, Bon Secours Richmond Health System, MeadWestvaco, VCU Center on Health Disparities, Hunton & Williams LLP, Troutman Sanders LLP, Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance, HealthSouth, Google, and ECMC, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Toastmasters, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Housing Development Authority, Virginia Commonwealth University, Center on Health Disparities, Youth Venture and Telemundo.
“Bon Secours Health System is excited to be a sponsor of this symposium,” said Dr. JoAnn McCaffrey, Director of Cross-Cultural Services for Bon Secours Health System in Richmond. “This is a unique opportunity for Virginia’s Latino youth to be exposed to the variety of careers opportunities open to them in the future, and to be able to personally connect with successful role models in those professions.”
La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity Inc. (LUL), a national Latino based multicultural fraternal organization, will be providing 35-40 volunteers to symposia on the east coast. In 2006 the fraternity began its involvement with the Hispanic College Fund when its members, known as Hermanos, first volunteered at the Greater Washington Hispanic Youth Symposium as part of their regional community service. The relationship has since been solidified into a partnership and continues to grow with each subsequent year.
“LUL’s relationship with HCF allows our Hermanos to exercise their power as university and professional role models to encourage Latino students to not only think about going to college and getting a degree, but also about how they may use those experiences to become involved in helping their community and society at large,” said George Laws García, LUL’s National Director of Community Service.
The Social Security Administration has also donated time to HYS. Felicita Sola-Carter, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for the Social Security Administration (SSA) will be speaking during the symposium’s closing ceremony. In addition, over 100 volunteers from the SSA employee volunteer network have come forward to assist with the symposium.
The Virginia Education Wizard, an online tool that provides comprehensive information about seeking college degrees and securing a job in the workforce, will be accessed by students in a computer lab session during and after the symposium.
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF), a long time partner of the Hispanic College Fund, will provide career development workshops for all resident assistants who lead HYS student groups on campus. HHF will also provide peer role models who will speak to students about their personal journey from internship to professional career.
On June 6, the Virginia Hispanic Youth Symposium website was launched. Students, volunteers, sponsors, and anyone who wants to learn more about the symposium can find all they need to know on the site.
Registration for the Virginia Hispanic Youth Symposium is now closed to students but open to anyone who would like to volunteer.
To visit the Virginia Youth Symposium website, please go to:
http://www.hispanicyouth.org/symposium-richmond
About the Hispanic College Fund
Founded in 1993, the Hispanic College Fund is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to develop the next generation of Hispanic professionals. For 15 years HCF has provided scholarships and, since its founding, has incorporated internship and mentoring programs for students throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. The result is a career pipeline of talented and career-driven Hispanics who are trained in the fields of business, science, technology, and math.
The Hispanic College Fund has an annual budget of $6 million with 20 full-time employees. In 2006, the Hispanic College Fund received the Brillante award for “Nonprofit of the Year” from the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, and in 2007 was recognized by USA Today as one of the nation’s top 25 charities.
Website: www.hispanicfund.org
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Contact: Lisa Sandoval, Director of Communications, (202) 296-5400 ext. 117
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