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Rio Hondo College News

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3600 Workman Mill Road / Whittier, CA 90601 / 562-692-0921
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Department: Planning and Development
Phone:  (562) 692-0921  Ext. 3412
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Article published: Saturday, March 11, 2006
Whittier Daily News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Dancing for diversity Latinas learn empowerment at conference
By Christina L. Esparza Staff Writer
Whittier Daily News

WHITTIER - There aren't many places you will see a congresswoman dancing cumbias with some of the state's top educators.

But when the Mariachi Divas played at Friday's Latino Leadership Network of the California Community Colleges conference, it brought almost everyone to their feet - including Rep. Grace Napolitano, D-Norwalk.

The 19th annual conference, Al Otro Lado Del Rio: Latinas Making Waves was held at Rio Hondo College, and is scheduled to conclude today at the Pacific Palms Conference Resort in Industry.

Workshops focused on a diverse range of issues, including health, financial aid and technology.

The conference, at Rio Hondo College for the first time, is aimed at bringing together students, staff and faculty from all of California's 109 community colleges, said Liz Chavez, co-chairwoman of the conference.

"We're Latinas and we need to embrace our culture and move up with education," Chavez said. "It's a crucial tool."

The event attracted about 200 attendees, Chavez said.

One of those was Geri Robles of Modesto, president of her local chapter of Latina Leadership.

"We're role models for the students," said Robles, who was attending the conference with her daughter, Michelle. "In our culture, we were just told to go to school, get married and have children. I don't want that for Michelle. Well, eventually I do, but I want her to contribute more to the world than children. I want her to have her own identity."

Keynote speakers for the event include Rep. Hilda Solis, D-El Monte, actor Jossara Jinaro and best-selling author Michele Serros.

"I didn't have anything like this when I was younger," said Serros, whose first book - "Chicana Falsa and other stories of Death, Identity and Oxnard" - was published while she was still attending Santa Monica City College.

Her whole life, she said, she was told, as a Latina, she would never be a successful writer. She was encouraged to change her name to make readers believe she was a white man - Michael Hill.

"If I hadn't gone to that Mexican-American Literature class in community college, I would still be Michael Hill," she said.

For Eli Farmer, a student from Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz county, the conference was about empowerment and encouragement.

"I'm not a Latina woman, my daughter is Latina and I want to learn the culture to give it back to my daughter," Farmer said. "I'm from a different race and culture, and I find it empowering."

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-RHC-

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