Latino Conference

Download a pdf of the 2005 Conference Program.

Latinos and the Socioeconomic Development of the Southeast

June 6-7, 2005 - The University of Georgia
Georgia Center for Continuing Education, Athens, GA. USA

Conference Proceedings:

Editors: Trish Kalivoda, Jorge Atiles & Maritza Soto-Keen

Introduction

The explosive growth of the Latino population in the Southeast has deemed inevitable the study of this largely immigrant segment of our society. Outreach and research efforts have, for the most part, demonstrated the complexity and magnitude of the needs of Latino immigrants and the agencies that attempt to provide services to them. Various scholars cite the challenges of reaching out to Latinos and also the need for an infrastructure that can support agencies and groups who offer services to society.

Political, economic, and cultural issues dominate the landscape of problems and opportunities when addressing this recent population shift in the Southeast. This Latinos and the Socioeconomic Development of the Southeast conference attempted to address some of these issues and identify what model programs or best practices exist that could be adapted or replicated in this region to secure a more successful integration of Latino immigrants into mainstream society. Having noted this, it is clear that the demographic profile has forever changed in the South. No longer a black or white-driven society, the presence of Latinos and other non-traditional demographic groups in the workforce now influence decision-making, policy development and economic practices in this new century.

Since 2001, the University of Georgia has engaged in creating an environment conducive to sharing and discussing the role of Latinos living and working in Georgia. Dr. Arthur Dunning, UGA Vice-President for Public Service and Outreach began this effort by sponsoring a conference focused on Latino immigrants to Georgia entitled The Power of Latinos for a Stronger Georgia. This first forum allowed for an introduction to the needs of Latinos, the role they have played in the workforce, and the social, economic and political adjustment that the state of Georgia is facing. This conference helped launch and interest on this topic. For instance, a video depicting this new challenge was created and later translated to Spanish. This video was so well received that it reached the media and was played various time on Georgia Public Television. Moreover, it was formally presented to the Mexican Government by Dr. Dunning and the Mexican Consul General in Atlanta. This conference established a dialogue among researchers that resulted in various research studies, grant opportunities and a network at the academic and outreach levels.

In 2002, the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences took on the task on assembling a Latino health conference entitled Salud: Latinos and Health. Once again, over 200 practitioners, service providers, academicians, and other professionals came to Athens to learn and share more. Other efforts at UGA included a Latino Youth Leadership program in 2003. Partnerships soon
developed among other institutions of higher learning in Georgia — with encouragement provided by the Atlanta-based Mexican Consul General, Remedios Gomez-Arnau - and in 2004 another conference took place, this time the Atlanta area. Georgia State University, Emory University, Kennesaw State University, and the University of Georgia co-sponsored a symposium with U.S. and Mexican scholars who discussed current research studies and findings about Latino immigration in both nations.

This brief background relates the obvious interest and commitment of universities, consulates, service providers, and others in trying to find answers to the many challenges posed by this population shift. This Latinos and the Socioeconomic Development of the Southeast conference went beyond the geographical boundaries of Georgia and included universities, scholars and experts at the international, national, federal, state and local levels. The richness of this conference rested on the format that allowed both session leaders and the audience to convey their messages and also explore the nature of practices that seemed to yield the most benefits to those areas of the Southeast facing unprecedented Latino growth.

Three key note speakers were selected to help paint a picture of problems and solutions to the attendees. Elias Lopez, Senior Analyst, Office of the Chancellor and Provost, University of California-Davis, spoke about structuring a pipeline for Latinos to successfully travel from kindergarten to college. Ms. Maria Hinojosa, the famous National Public Radio (NPR) host of Latino USA, came from the CNN- New York bureau, to help us understand how difficult it is to understand the issues surrounding this bilateral migration phenomenon. She addressed the real life issues immigrants face before, during and after crossing the border and how these two North American neighboring nations need to accept responsibility for this situation. In Senator Sam Samarripa’s remarks, Georgia’s first Latino senator, he outlined the significance of Latinos in the political, economic and cultural future of Georgia. He reflected upon the role of elected officials in serving as conduits for positive change and community relations.

In addition to the plenary sessions, five best practices concurrent sessions were assembled with renowned panelists, who often have differing points of view, to more adequately depict the various preconceptions that hold true to many people in the U.S., immigrant and native. These tracks were geared toward discovering the themes and topics that directly affect Latino immigrant incorporation into the socioeconomic fabric of this host nation. The sessions’ topics were:

1. Education and Skill Development
Issues related to Latino skill development along a continuum of learning-development (pre-kindergarten through postsecondary education) were discussed. The impact of Dream Act legislation, bilingual education, and policy practices to engage the workforce and their families in education and skill development were debated.
›Track 1 Slides

2. Employment, Labor, and Community Development
This session engaged business owners and employee advocates in a discussion of how to address issues of worker safety and disability, wage payments, and small claim court cases resulting from employment practices and health insurance policies. How employers and local governments support community development for the Latino workforce (housing, transportation, land-use, environmental justice, etc.) were discussed.
›Track 2 Slides

3. Public Policy, Immigration, and other Legal Issues
This track emphasized practices to facilitate the social and economic development of a community, including prevention of consumer fraud, and immigration issues at work, among others. How localities maximize the role of Latinos in the economy, including multilateral relations within North and Central American nations.
›Track 3 Slides

4. Financial and Economic Issues, Business Development, and Entrepreneurship
This session addressed practices for improving financial outcomes for communities with a significant Latino workforce. Financial literacy in small business development, access to capital, business opportunities, contract compliance and entrepreneurship were discussed.
›Track 4 Slides

5. Leadership and Community Engagement
This session included discussions on the most recent state and national legislation affecting the Latino community as well as current Latino voter participation data and trends. Best practices and strategies to increase Latino legislative involvement, civic engagement, and voter registration were addressed.
›Track 5 Slides

In addition to these five thematic concurrent sessions, posters and exhibits were displayed during the conference. The closing plenary session comprised elected public officials, Latin American consul generals, employers, and others. At this session, a summary of best practices was presented to policy and decision makers for their reaction and discussion.

In conclusion, many opportunities for collaboration, understanding and action resulted from this conference. These proceedings attempt to illustrate the main points raised during each concurrent session, the best practices suggested and finally the steps to move forward toward an agenda that will bring about positive results.