The Iowa Latino Conference will take place at the Iowa Memorial Union Friday, Sept. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The conference features the Latino Professional Development Institute and the Latino Youth Development Leadership Summit.

Both events are free and open to the public. Advanced registration is encouraged, as space is limited. University of Iowa employees may register through the Self Service Learning and Development portal. All others should refer to the conference website.

The conference welcomes everyone to explore and celebrate Latino community and culture in Iowa. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of Latino experts from across Iowa and participate in a hands-on workshop exploring economic and social disparity.

Founded in 1998, the gathering aims to provide valuable networking opportunities and strengthen the commitment and responsiveness of policy makers, businesses and others to issues that impact Latinos.

This year’s conference was planned in part by representatives from the University of Iowa Chief Diversity Office, the School of Social Work, the Office of Admissions, Human Resources, and the Tippie College of Business. Key presenters include motivational speaker Roy Juarez Jr. and John-Paul Chaisson-Cardenas, who holds a Master in Social Work from the UI.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to attend this event, or would like more information, contact Jefri Palermo in advance at 319-335-3750 or at jefri-palermo@uiowa.edu.