In Your Community

UnidosUS 2026 Annual Conference: Mobilizing Latino Leadership and Community Power

In July, more than 1,000 Latino leaders, advocates and allies gathered at our 2026 Conference, Our Moment, Our Movement, Our Power, to advance solutions on immigration, economic opportunity, democracy and civic power during two inspiring days of workshops, speakers, learning sessions, performances and more!

Elected officials from Texas and across the country joined sessions to address what is at stake for Latinos and the critical role they play in strengthening democracy, expanding opportunity and shaping a more prosperous future for all. Throughout the conference, Latino leaders made clear that they are not standing by but are mobilizing communities — and building civic power — in the face of brutal immigration enforcement and voting rights challenges.

Celebrating the extraordinary and critical work of UnidosUS Affiliates, we announced a new $50 million Affiliate Legacy Fund to provide flexible, unrestricted support. Less than 2% of philanthropic giving in the United States is invested in organizations that serve Latino communities, who comprise about 20% of the nation’s total population.

This fund will allow the Affiliate Network, which includes approximately 300 community-based organizations serving close to 8 million people nationwide, to make strategic choices about where resources are most needed in their communities.

During the conference, UnidosUS honors Affiliates who are driving impact; this year, Building Skills Partnership (BSP) received the National Affiliate of the Year Award. Based in California, BSP’s programs in workforce development, immigration legal services, digital literacy and college readiness serves over 5,500 individuals annually, in addition to reaching over 50,000 workers through outreach programs.

Concluding the conference, at the Annual Awards Gala, we honored distinguished trailblazers whose work uplifts the dignity of, plus expands opportunity and justice for, the Latino community. The 2026 awardees were:

• Maclovio Barraza Award for Leadership: Mickey Ibarra, founder and chairman, Latino Leaders Network, for decades of empowering and accurately representing Latino communities nationwide.
• Rubén Salazar Award for Communications: Anna M. Gomez, commissioner, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), for protecting free speech and expanding broadband access.
• Graciela Olivarez La Raza Award: Greisa Martínez Rosas, executive director, United We Dream, for stewarding the largest youth-led immigrant rights network in the nation.
• Raúl Yzaguirre President’s Award: The Honorable Joaquin Castro, U.S. Representative (TX-20), for his unwavering leadership and commitment to the mission and goals of UnidosUS.