This year’s LatinaCon was bigger and better than ever. Aimed at Latina girls in grades 6-12, the all-day event was held at the Dan Vallez Family Education Center on Friday, March 7,  and featured more sessions than last year with more than 150 attendees.

Inspiring Speaker Panel

The day started with a lively Q & A featuring successful Latina women in the Westminster Community. Representatives from Denver International Airport and Mile High Stadium Events and Venues shared stories about courage, identity, and having breakthrough moments in their careers.

Michelle Sandoval, Director of Strategic Outreach and Engagement for Denver International Airport recalled a moment from college where she was often the only person of color in the room. One professor made each student go around and say what their parents did for a living. After hearing her classmates answer with white collar professions like “Lawyer,” “Engineer” and “Doctor,” Sandoval felt nervous to share that her mother cleaned hotel rooms and her dad was a commercial painter. After telling her mom about the awkward experience, her mother dressed up in her fanciest clothes and marched down to have a talk with the professor. To his credit, he acknowledged his lack of awareness to Sandoval, and later asked her to be his Teaching Assistant for the class.

Fun Breakout Sessions

Following the panel discussion, there were many breakout sessions to choose from for both students and their parents and guardians. The young leaders got to join workshops where they learned new skills, discovered different career paths and made plans for how to achieve their goals while staying true to themselves. Parents and guardians received tips on how to support their children's education with loans and financial aid as well as strategies to prioritize their mental health.

A Delicious Lunch

This year’s impressive spread featured pozole, tamales, horchata, agua de jamaica and arroz con leche. WHS cook Maria prepared her own recipe for the traditional Mexican soup, which earned enthusiastic praise from all who tried it.

Exciting Takeaways

As the students filed out to catch their busses, every young lady left with a new book of their choice and a new perspective on what they can achieve in the future.