Mi Casa Leaders Attend NCLR Conference, Hear Obama Speak

Mi Casa’s Executive Director and Program Directors spent the weekend in Washington, D.C. at the annual National Council of La Raza (NCLR) conference, which featured President Obama as the keynote speaker yesterday.
Picture: Director of Career Development, Karen Stran (left), Director of Youth and Family Development, Karen Fox (center), and Executive Director, Christine Marquez-Hudson, show off the wristbands that served as their tickets to hear the President speak.

The NCLR Annual Conference represents the largest gathering of the nation’s most influential individuals, organizations, institutions, and companies working with the Hispanic community. The NCLR Annual Conference provides a forum for people in the business of social change to learn about ongoing and emerging issues in the Hispanic community, connect with community leaders, and generate partnerships with Hispanic community-based organizations.

Mi Casa leaders attended a full weekend of conferences including these seminars:

• 2011 Legislative Update: How Will Congress Make a Difference in the Latino Community?
• Finding Their Voice: Empowering Latino Youth through Service Learning
• Parents Supporting Children: A Model for Engaging Latino Parents in Education
• Bridge to a Better Tomorrow: Strengthening Workforce Integrated Training Programs
• The Business of Developing the Future Workforce: A Model for Entrepreneurship, Cultural Diversity, and Increased Earning Potential
  

Additionally, Karen Fox was on a panel to offer insight during a seminar titled, Dollars and Sense: Sustaining Learning and Enrichment Beyond School Hours.

When President Obama took the stage, he addressed the issue of immigration and the growing concern within Latino communities that comprehensive reform has now fallen to the bottom of the President’s list of priorities. Yet, the audience was invigorated to hear this strong promise from Obama regarding his intention to reform the nation’s immigration system:

“We need a movement that bridges party lines, that unites business and labor and faith communities and law enforcement communities, and all who know that America cannot continue operating with a broken immigration system. And I will be there every step of the way.”