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**NOTE TO PRESS: Online press registration is now closed but you may register by sending your detailed information to [email protected] or may register beginning at 9 a.m. in SALON F at the Convention Center**

Highlights include the National Latino Family Expo®; opening remarks by UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía, and Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative; diverse workshops and a plenary session on the importance of mental health

WASHINGTON, DC—The 2018 UnidosUS Annual Conference begins on Saturday, July 7, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía will deliver opening remarks to attendees at the National Affiliate Luncheon, where she will be joined by two-time Emmy winning TV host, Francisco Cáceres. Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, is a featured speaker at this year’s National Affiliate Luncheon.

Other notable events of the day include a ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick off our National Latino Family Expo®; remarks from Michelle Poler, Motivational Speaker and Founder of Hello Fears, who will kick off our Future Changemakers experience geared at Latino youth; and our first plenary session, “Healthy Minds, Healthy Communities: A Real Conversation About Mental and Emotional Well-Being,” which will focus on the critical importance of addressing mental health in the Latino community, particularly in the current political climate.

Interested media can register on site at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center – Salon F. A full list of events and workshops is available here.

WORKSHOPS

Future Changemakers: You Got This! Kick-Off Breakfast

Rooms 201-209, Level 2

9:00-10:30 a.m.

In this workshop, featured speaker Michelle Poler will highlight her 100 Days without Fear project, a project she says changed her life and clarified her life’s purpose. The workshop will help motivate young Latinos to venture outside of their comfort zones and take the challenges and risks that can put them one step closer to fulfilling their academic and career goals.

Congress in 2018: The Landscape & Forecast on Latino Priorities

Rooms 201-209, Level 2

9:00-10:30 a.m.

The Latino community is facing one of the most challenging political and legislative environments in recent history. In this workshop, UnidosUS experts and analysts will explain how they are fighting to protect and defend the Latino community against efforts to dismantle or rollback many of the policies and programs designed to improve their lives and enhance opportunities for our community. Speakers include UnidosUS Deputy Vice President Clarissa Martinez De Castro, UnidosUS Senior Policy Advisor Carlos Guevara, and Samantha Vargas Poppe, Associate Director of UnidosUS’s Policy Analysis Center.

Women in STEM: Challenges and Successes from College to Professional Career

Rooms 201-209, Level 2

9:00-10:30 a.m.

Find out what challenges women face in STEM education and fields, continue to confront, and how they have overcome impediments. In this workshop, women with careers in STEM will share stories from their professional journeys, including the setbacks and how they overcame barriers. Come hear from our successful STEM panelists including Dr. Milagros Delgado with Florida International University, Publications Product Analyst, Chemical Engineering News (C&EN) Magazine Dr. Taylor Hood, and Zaida Morales-Martinez, Professor Emeritus at Florida International University.

KEY EVENTS

***GREAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITY***

National Latino Family Expo® Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

Exhibit Hall D Entrance

10:30-11:00 a.m.

Join in the fun as we kick off the National Latino Family Expo, with UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía alongside popular children’s characters including Dora the Explorer, the Geico Gecko, and PBS’s Super Whyatt. The Expo, which is free and open to the public, will feature more than 125 exhibitors, five unique pavilions, informative resources, health screenings and fun giveaways for everyone in the family to enjoy.

National Latino Family Expo®

Exhibit Halls D & E, Level 2

11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

UnidosUS is excited to once again host the National Latino Family Expo. With more than 125 exhibitors, five unique pavilions, informative resources, health screenings and entertainment, there is something for everyone. Children can enjoy a toddler play area, free backpack giveaways, and attend story time with their favorite costumed characters. People of all ages will enjoy prizes, giveaways, and innovative displays of cars and art celebrating Latino heritage.

National Affiliate Luncheon

Ballroom ABC, Level 3

1:00-3:00 p.m.

The luncheon—which will be emceed by Francisco Cáceres, two-time Emmy winning TV Host—will feature remarks from Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, and a speech by UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguía.

PLENARY SESSIONS

Healthy Minds, Healthy Communities: Let’s Talk About Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Room 202AB, Level 2

3:30-5:00 p.m.

Join our experts for a candid conversation on the importance of social and emotional well-being, promising strategies and approaches to create a culture of care, and considerations to shape a more hopeful and inclusive narrative around healthy minds and healthy communities. Featured speakers include Mayra Alvarez, President of The Children’s Partnership; Leana Wen, M.D., MSc., FAAEM, Health Commissioner for Baltimore City; Denisse Centeno-Lamas, executive Director, Hispanic Family Counseling; and Craig Kramer, Mental Health Ambassador, Chair, Global Campaign for Mental Health, Neuroscience External Affairs at Janssen R&D

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