Schools from across the state came together this weekend to help Hispanic and Latino students better understand themselves, serve their communities and enact social justice.
The 15th biennial Florida Hispanic-Latino Collegiate Forum was held from Thursday to Saturday in the Institute of Hispanic-Latino Cultures, or La Casita, and had representatives from UF, Valencia College, Santa Fe College, Florida State University and University of South Florida.
“Tú y yo,” which means “you and I” in Spanish, was this year’s theme and symbolized the importance of Hispanic individuals to America’s future by promoting friendships with other ethnic and racial groups.
“Si se puede!” “Ahora es la hora!” and “Tú y yo, together we can!” students cried out in unison throughout the conference.
Carmen Lopez-Ramirez, a UF Spanish senior and forum coordinator, said she and La Casita’s staff worked to tailor the conference to the Gainesville community.
“I feel like there’s a lot of things that we need to discuss, and this is a great way for us (the Latino community) to get to know each other, as to actually communicate as to what’s going on,” Lopez-Ramirez, 22, said.
Mario Rivas, a professor of psychology at Merritt College in Oakland, California, was the conference’s first speaker Friday.
The U.S. Air Force veteran said he grew up on welfare. He brought people to tears with his two talks, “As I Share Myself With Others, I Become Complete in My Personal Power” and “The Highest and Most Powerful Evolution of the Self is to Facilitate Community,” which shared stories of overcoming adversity by integrating and adapting.
Juana Bordas, a best-selling Nicaraguan-American author and UF alumna, delivered her talk “The Power of Latino Leadership: Culture, Inclusion and Contribution” on Saturday. She shared the struggle of fitting in as a Nicaraguan immigrant. She found her identity working in the Peace Corps.
“I was able to see my culture the way it is when you don’t have colonization and you’re not a minority,” she said.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 3/23/2015 under the headline “Forum works to unite state’s Hispanic-Latino community]
