A high school diploma is a great accomplishment for students and their families. Yet in today’s competitive job
market a high school diploma is not enough.
That’s why events like the Second Annual Latino Summit take place for families specifically in the Quad Cities.
This year’s Latino Summit took place on the campus of Black Hawk College concentrating on Strengthening Youth, Families and Community Leaders.
Sponsoring the event was State Farm Insurance who donated five thousand dollars to make the event possible. Also putting together event was Black Hawk College, Hola America Media Group, and the Martin Luther King Center.
The conference served as an enjoyable and educational day filled with workshops where parents, students, educators and community leaders came to learn about issues related to Latino students and their family.
The keynote speaker was Marisa Rivera, the President of Mpowerment Works, LLC and a Quad City native. Rivera’s message to the students and family was powerful enough to make some families emotional and tear up. She shared that with an education you can have a better attitude about life and become a leader in the community.
Another influential speaker Karla C. Steele from Califf and Harper P.C. shared her personal journey of being born in Mexico and coming to the U.S. And although she faced struggles such as language barriers, she continued further her education. Steele emphasized to both the students and families that following your dreams can take you very far.
Other workshops throughout the event were subjects like Financial Aid, Immigration laws & rights for undocumented students, Parent Involvement and how to choose a college, college planning and scholarships.
If you missed this year’s Latino Summit, visit Hola America on Facebook to see pictures and videos of the event.