Latism 2013 Recap!

Now that I am finally settled in to my daily routine I would like to share my experience from this past week at Latism 2013 in NYC! (To be honest, I’m still taking it all in!)

Latism 2013 was AMAZING! It was unlike any other conference I've experienced. From the moment I stepped foot into the Waldorf Astoria I knew I was about to be a part of something huge. The culture, tradition, music, and candela!, as many in attendance described it, definitely made me proud of my Latina roots and of being in attendance. Being in the same room as so many men and women who are truly dedicated to social good has definitely inspired me to continue to work toward social change.

It’s crazy to think that just a few months ago I started my internship with Bloggers of Health and now I was in New York City for one of the biggest Latino Conferences of the year!

The conference concentrated on issues like Literacy, Tech Innovation, Business, Health, Community Outreach, Culture, and Immigration reform. To be surrounded by men and women who are so passionate and full of life was immensely motivating. There is so much love, potential and ganas in the Latino Community and I am very lucky to have been exposed to that.

From left to right: Goldin Martinez, Jackie Gil, Danny Rivero, 

Lupita Riestra (me), Judith Barcelo, Karen Comas 

I feel extremely honored and privileged to have been part of the #FordMillennial panel along with five other individuals who are truly incredible. We were chosen to represent five major cities across the U.S. to share our stories not only as Millennials but as Latinos, who are making a difference in our communities through our work and involvement. I'm looking forward to continue working with my peers and the Ford Millennial movement. 

Gracias Ford en Español for allowing me to experience this amazing conference as a Ford Millennial Ambassador. And a BIG THANK YOU to @NataschaOS, @BlancaMejia, and Albert Collazo (Director of Hispanic Communications for Ford), for all the support and guidance! 

Amazing Team!

One thing that I have taken with me is that we all have been blessed with the power of choice; YOU are the one who decides what to do and that is something no one can ever take away from you. Whatever it may be, make sure that you do it with passion and consciousness.

Latism 2013!

Recently, I became an intern for Bloggers of Health. BOH aims to work and network with the use of social media to quickly and effectively disseminate useful information that will enable people to live healthier lives. Through this internship I will be able to expand my knowledge and get a feel for potential career choices. What is awesome about it is also the fact that this internship is built to fit me and not the other way around, so that's amazing!

Thanks to my internship, Latism, and Ford en Español, I will have the opportunity to travel to New York and attend Latism 2013!

Now that I'm entering a new phase, being informed on issues surrounding Business, Technology, Advocacy, Education and Health is very important to me because the more you know, the better you can help. Attending the Latism Conference will be the perfect opportunity to be exposed to these subjects and participate in making a change.

To be honest, I feel like this is a rite of passage for me. I’ve always believed that attaining an education will get me far in life, but it wasn’t until recently that I started to realize how important it is to be connected with people and issues that are significant in our community and I am SO EXCITED! 

Reasons I’m excited:

1)     I will be able to gather information about what are pressing issues in our society and how I can make a difference in my community.

2)     I get to meet professionals from so many different fields that are dedicated to promoting social good.

3)     I will have the opportunity to share what it means to be a part of Generation Y.

4)     IT’S IN NEW YORK! I mean, how amazing is that!

Just a little background for those of you who don’t know; Latinos in Tech Innovation & Social Media (LATISM) is the largest organization for Latino and Latina professionals engaged in social media, is a 501(c) 4 nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing the social, civic and economic status of the Latino community. LATISM also serves corporate brands, NGOs and government entities, with a broad range of services including research, event sponsorships, and leadership training. A pioneering social media organization, LATISM has been hailed as the most influential online movement in the new multicultural Web.” You can find out more about their mission here: latism.org.

So what is the "Millennial" generation? Basically, people born between 1982-2000 are considered to be "Millennials”. There are about 75 million people in this category, myself included, and we are sometimes seen as a care-free, self-centered generation-given our love and exposure to social media and the good ol’ internet. This however is not the case and that is the point that #Millennials are trying to make.

I, along with four other Millennials from Texas, Florida and New York, will have the opportunity to represent our generation and show that we are more than a carefree group of individuals. Being a Millennial means being young and vibrant and ready to make a change, however big or small it may be.

The panel we will be a part of is “Millennials: Creative,Sociable and Largest Market since Baby Boomers” and the great thing about this is that my peers and I will be able to share our stories and journeys, while representing a larger group. Each and every one of us have the opportunity to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves. And the great thing about living in this generation is the fact that we can find and connect with people that have similar goals with the touch of a button.

Social Media has bridged a gap that Baby Boomers grew up with. It’s so important that we our generation is represented and acknowledged. Everything from our culture, education, technology, and use of social media have shaped how we’ve grown up and what we will be doing with our futures. This generation is full of hope, passion and action and that’s something worthy of sharing!

As a Latina and first generation college graduate, being a part of this conference means a lot. I think that it’s SO IMPORTANT to be surrounded by individuals who can inspire you to do well and do Good. I’m so excited to meet people and hear their stories/advice, and bring back all the information I gather to my community.

(To follow our time at the Latism Conference in NYC follow the hashtags #FordMillennials #Latism and #Latism13)

With only a few more days until the conference I should probably start packing!