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Congressional Caucus Launches Hispanic Heritage Month

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Community Colleges

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While the recession has slashed attendance and sponsorship revenues at most major Hispanic organizations’ separate conferences and conventions across the country this year, the centerpiece Hispanic Heritage Month trio of events are on track to match last year's numbers, both in attendance and corporate sponsorships. They will be staged at the capital’s convention center by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Sept. 14-16.

   That's good news as well for other capital-based national Latino organizations, many of which cluster their own heritage month meetings and programs close to CHCI's dates. Thus they capture the attention and participation of visiting VIPs and potential supporters for their activities as well. 

   President Barack Obama has been invited to address the banquet audience, as he did last year as a presidential candidate. CHCI President Esther Aguilera expects attendance to equal last year's 2,000-plus.

   CHCI kicks off the traditional month-long ethnic celebration with a public policy conference Sept. 14-15, emphasizing green technology, with registration at $250. This is capped with a night of entertainment showcasing Latino comedians ($34 and $24) and, on Sept. 16, its 32nd annual banquet ($500, or $700 for the package of three.) The Institute will also stage its first-ever job and internship fair.

    Aguilera says the crowd will equal last year’s because it consistently provides “a product of significant value to our stakeholders — an opportunity to hear from the nation's top leaders in every sector on the most important issues facing our community."

   More than 200 sponsors are participating at various levels, prompting her to add, "They recognize the value of accessibility to the fastest-growing market in the nation."

   The banquet will honor and feature Puerto Rican musician Marc Anthony.

   Proceeds from the events provide significant support for the institute's numerous scholarship, fellowship, internship and other educational and leadership activities conducted throughout the year. Last year, CHCI's menu attracted a total of nearly 4,000 registered participants.

   Themed "Latinos Leading in a Global Society," the conference opens with a plenary session on the 2010 Census and its major implications for the country's 50 million Hispanics. Leading it will be U.S. Reps. Nydia Velázquez (D.-N.Y.) and Charlie González (D.-Tex.).

   In addition to the census, immigration, health care reform and the economy will be prominently addressed. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D.-Ill.) will head the discussion on immigration.

   A CareerLider Web portal will be launched during a live networking event. Hosted at www.chci.org, the portal will match Fortune 500 companies with the more than 10,000 applications that have come in for the Institute's internship and fellowship programs.

   Sen. Robert Menéndez (D.-N.J.) and White House intergovernmental affairs director Cecilia Muñoz also will participate.

   Two sessions will deal with energy efficiency. Nancy Sutley, chair of the President's Council on Environmental Quality, will lead the closing plenary.

   (Erick Galindo is a reporter with Hispanic Link News Servicein Washinton, D.C.)

©2009

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