FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Kathryn Butcher
Vice President of Public Relations
(713) 929-2316; (281) 352-9219
kbutcher@aama.org
HOUSTON—AAMA (Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans) and NCLR (National Council of La Raza) will convene 200 student leaders on Monday, February 6, on the topic of “Youth Leadership: Looking Ahead on Immigration and Education.” High school students from AAMA’s George I. Sanchez Charter School, the Tejano Center for Community Concerns’ Raul Yzaguirre School for Success, and Gateway Academy will gather for a program beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the University of Houston, University Center, Houston Room.
The keynote speaker for the Líderes Congreso will be Loren Campos, Field Coordinator for United We DREAM, who works to prevent deportation of Texas DREAM Act–eligible students. Campos, who recently graduated from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, is the son of an undocumented immigrant. He was able to attend college because of the Texas DREAM Act, legislation that allows undocumented students to qualify for in-state college tuition.
Breakout sessions will include topics such as legal issues, juvenile justice, and financial aid for college. Sessions will be led by Captain Robert Manzo and Officer Rick Trejo of the Houston Police Department; attorneys Frances Valdez and Ann Johnson; and Maggie Manzano and Cora Battle of University of Houston-Downtown.
The Houston Líderes Congreso is one of a series of youth conferences that will be held throughout the country as part of NCLR’s youth leadership program, Líderes Empowered, which equips and inspires young Latinos to become leaders and youth advocates in their communities. The Houston theme and program were planned by the George I. Sanchez Charter School’s Youth Leadership Committee after conducting a survey to determine what issues are most important to Latinos in Houston’s East End.
“Young people want to become more involved in their communities and can accomplish a great deal with their energy and enthusiasm. The workshops offered through the Líderes Congresos will help them gain skills to become youth advocates so they can work for their communities and advance their own academic and professional goals,” said Berenice Bonilla, NCLR Líderes Manager.
“We are delighted to host this Congreso where students will hear first-hand from a rising young Latino leader and have the opportunity for dialogue with other leaders in our community,” said Beatrice Garza, president and CEO of AAMA. “Because nearly half of all Latinos in our country are under the age of 25, it is critical that we help our students find their voices and develop their skills to become the leaders of tomorrow.”
The Congreso is free of charge and open to all youth ages 14–26, although seating is limited. For more information, or to make a reservation, please contact Kathryn Butcher at (713) 929- 2316.
ABOUT LÍDERES
NCLR’s Líderes Initiative is a national program created to increase opportunities for Latino youth that will maximize their influence as leaders in the United States. Through a wide range of leadership development and civic engagement efforts, Líderes empowers, equips, and enables young Latinos to serve as agents of positive social change. The Congreso is made possible by support from ConAgra Foods, a Líderes Programmatic Partner. For more information about Líderes, visit lideres.nclr.org or email bbonilla@nclr.org.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT AAMA
AAMA, the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, is a 501(c)(3) organization formed in 1970 by a group of business leaders and community activists in Houston’s East End to address serious concerns about the high drop-out rate among Latino youth and the lack of economic opportunities for Latino families. Today, AAMA serves more than 22,000 people each year in Houston, San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley through education programs for youth and adults, and a network of educational, outreach, and treatment programs to help youth and adults resist and overcome substance abuse. For more information, please visit www.aama.org.
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