REGISTRATION FOR THE 2023 SUMMIT IS CLOSED. JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR 2024!
1st Annual
latinos unidos Student Summit
A half-day gathering to connect and uplift members of Latinos Unidos Student Unions & Associations, Advisors, School administrators and allies that support them as they fight for equity and justice.
Registration for the 2023 summit is closed!
Saturday | September 16, 2023
11:00 am - 3:00 pm (doors open @10 am)
Hodgson Vo-Tech High School - Newark, DE
SPONSORED BY
Amplifying Latino Student Voices in Delaware.
What is the Latinos Unidos Student Summit?
The Latinos Unidos Student Summit is by and for students who want to turn up the volume and activism of Latinos Unidos Student Unions/Associations. Whether your school’s Latinos Unidos Student Union/Association is in development, active or re-emerging, the Latinos Unidos Student Summit is for you.
The Summit is meant to prepare, train, re-fuel and uplift students and the adults that support them. During the Summit, you will learn why it’s important to use your voice and how to do it in a way that powers up change for the better where you learn.
Enter the
Latinos Unidos Student Summit Challenge
The Top school with the most students at the Latinos Unidos Student Summit will win a cash prize!
Help your school win a cash prize for having the most students in attendance at the Summit! Show support by sharing Summit information and encouraging your friends to register and attend our September 16th event.
How Your School Can Win $500!
Register for the Summit
Complete the registration form on this page to secure your spot at this year’s summit.
Spread the Word
Send a text or DM to encourage your friends to attend the summit. Be creative and share why amplifying Latinx student voices in our state is important. Share it on TikTok, Instagram, and/or Facebook. Don’t forget to tag @unitedwayde & use #AmplifyLatinoVoicesDE.
Attend the Summit
Your school must have a minimum of 10 attendees at the event to qualify. The top school with the most students in attendance will win a cash prize.
Learn More About the Challenge
Prize:
- First Place (Most attendees) : $500
Contest Rules and Details:
- All event attendees must register to attend. Only one registration per person.
- Registration closes September 9th, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST.
- To qualify for prize entry – each school must have a minimum of 10 students registered and in attendance the day of the event (September 16, 2023).
- A cash prize will be awarded to the top school with the most students in attendance; first prize $500.
- The cash prize will be distributed by the United Way of Delaware to the school’s Administrator or staff member for appropriate tracking. Cash prize will not be distributed directly to students.
- Participation is open to any student, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, nationality origin or membership in any other protected category.
Event Details
Summit Schedule
There are targeted trainings for students, advisors & teachers, and school administrators. Registration is CLOSED for the 2023 summit. Join the waitlist to get notified about the 2024 summit!
Saturday | September 16, 2023
11:00 am - 3:00 pm (doors open @10 am)
Hodgson Vocational Technical High School
Volunteer Opportunities
We are actively looking for trusted adults to help us out the day of the summit. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering to help out during the event, please click here to learn more and sign up.
Be a Friend of the Summit
The Latinos Unidos Student Summit isn’t just an event; it’s a call for unity and a platform to amplify the voices of Latino youth in the First State. The summit is only possible because of generous support from donors and community partners. The investments go well beyond food, transportation, and t-shirts. They’re a commitment to helping our students thrive for years to come. For $100 or more, be a “Friend of the Summit” donor, and your contribution will help create a better future for Latino youth in Delaware.
Doors Open
Doors open at 10:00 am with vendors, music, entertainment, and student performances.
Welcome
Official program begins!
Student Performance
Student performance by cheerleaders from Las Americas ASPIRA Charter High School.
Keynote Speaker
Rony Baltazar-Lopez, MPA
Director of Policy & Communications
Delaware Department of State
Lunch & Fellowship
Enjoy a catered lunch and fellowship with friends.
Workshop #1
Chose 1 of the following sessions:
- Immigration & Laws – Tabatha Castro, Esq.
- Mental Health & Generational Trauma – Noah J. Duckett
- Sexualization of Hispanic Women & Machismo – Julissa Coriano
- College Application & Funding Process for 1st Generation Students – Edwin Santos
- Dance & Cultural Traditions – Rosa Ruiz
Workshop #2
Chose 1 of the following sessions:
- Immigration & Laws – Tabatha Castro, Esq.
- Mental Health & Generational Trauma – Noah J. Duckett
- Sexualization of Hispanic Women & Machismo – Julissa Coriano
- College Application & Funding Process for 1st Generation Students – Edwin Santos
- Dance & Cultural Traditions – Rosa Ruiz
Closing Remarks & Prizes
To Be Determined
Bus Dismissal
Breakout Sessions & Panels
For Students
Immigration & Laws
Speaker: Tabatha Castro, Esq. – The Castro Firm
Born to Puerto Rican parents, Ms. Castro is a native of New York and moved to Delaware in 1998, where she resides in Bear with her fiancé and two energetic and creative children, Jacob, who is 17 years old, and Mia, who is nine years old.
She graduated from the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College, earning her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Latin American Studies and Legal Studies and her Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice. She attended Widener University School of Law (now Delaware Law School), where she was on the Moot Court Honor Society and founded the Latin American Law Student Association.
Ms. Castro is the President and Managing Attorney of The Castro Firm, Inc., a minority and woman-owned law firm. She is licensed to practice law in Delaware and New Jersey. Ms. Castro is admitted to practice law before the United States Supreme Court, Federal District Court of Delaware, Delaware Supreme Court, and New Jersey Supreme Court.
Tabatha worked as a law clerk and then became associated with the law firm of Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz & Bhaya. After that, she practiced for the regional defense firm of Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin as an associate attorney specializing in insurance defense. Recognizing her legal ability, she became associated with Rapposelli, Castro & Gonzales and ultimately became the President and Managing Attorney of The Castro Firm, Inc., serving clients in Delaware and New Jersey since 2006.
She is a member of the Melson/Arsht and Judge Randy Holland Inns of Court and the Immediate Past Chairperson for the Multi-cultural Judges and Lawyers section of the Delaware State Bar Association. Ms. Castro was appointed to the Advisory Council of the Women’s Business Center in Wilmington. She also serves on the Executive Boards of the Delaware Hispanic Bar Association and the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey (Trustee for Cumberland, Salem, and Gloucester Counties). Ms. Castro co-founded “Latinos Unidos,” an affinity organization through the United Way of Delaware, and sits on the Steering Committee for the First Generation Lawyers at Delaware Law School.
Mental Health & Generational Trauma
Speaker: Noah J. Duckett, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Sexuality Therapist
After graduating from Widener University with my bachelor’s degree in Social Work in 2017, I earned my master’s in Clinical Social Work from Boston University. In 2019, I completed Widener University’s certification in Advancing Training in Affirmative Therapy for Transgender Communities.
I am passionate about working with LGBTQIA individuals to navigate positive coming-out experiences and social, medical, legal, and emotional transitions. I am accepting new clients (18+) through Planned Parenthood of Delaware and am happy to consult with families of younger transgender and gender-diverse children on a short-term basis.
NOTE: I prioritize clients seeking assessment and letter-writing services for Gender Affirming Surgery and legal transition! I approach therapy from an intersectional, strengths-based, and trauma-informed perspective, emphasizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I believe this process works best when a clinician and a client are equally invested in the client’s success; this collaborative model allows me to honor your commitment to the therapeutic process and your personal growth. You are the expert in your life and your experiences.
Sexualization of Hispanic Women and Machismo
Speaker: Julissa Coriano, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Sexuality Therapist
Julissa Coriano is a licensed clinical social worker and sexuality therapist who centers her clinical focus exclusively to the Latinx community, particularly undocumented individuals, the LGBTQIA community, and also victims of human trafficking. Julissa has over 33 years experience of social justice advocacy in Delaware and in her native island of Puerto Rico. Julissa is the founder of Orgullo Delaware, the first and only clinical platform for LGBTQIA-identified individuals and their families to seek support and resources, the Delaware Sexuality & Gender Collective, the Latina Empowerment Network, and the Pride Speaker Series, which is a monthly space for educating and sharing information related to sexuality. Julissa’s graduate degrees and advanced doctoral research focuses on Latinx sexuality, with an emphasis on how marianismo and machismo impact our sexuality individually and collectively.
College Application & Funding Process for 1st Generation Students
Speaker: Edwin Santos – NexGen Stand by Me
Edwin Santos is a Puerto Rico native in Sussex County, Delaware. He has successfully worked with thousands of students through $tand By Me NexGen’s College Careers & Cash and College Funding Project programs in many schools statewide. He has played a part in creating relevant post-secondary and college access content for Delawarean families in both English and Spanish. Edwin draws real-world wisdom and insight from experience in banking, consumer lending, entrepreneurship, and his journey as an acclaimed published children’s author.
Dance & Cultural Traditions
Speaker: Rosa Ruiz – Historian of Culture and Dancer for Ballet Mexico Lindo
Rosa Ruíz is a multimedia artist and activist. Originally from Toluca, México, she has lived in the Wilmington, DE area for over twenty years. For the past nine years, she has been a dancer with the Folklorico group Ballet México Lindo and dances with Campatlanezi Danza Azteca Del Anahuac. She is mainly well known for her visual arts performances, where she becomes the character of Catrinamia, an interpretation of the iconic figure of La Catrina associated with the Day of the Dead, who is depicted with long flowing dresses, intricate face paint to represent a skull and elegant headwear. Rosa is also the central figure in a documentary by Irving Viveros entitled Catrinamia. Rosa uses these different art forms to bring attention to and support various community and social rights initiatives.
For Advisors, Teachers & School Administrators
How to Amplify Latino Youth Voices
Join us for a conversation for advisors and teachers to share stores and experiences and develop a network focused on supporting Latino students and their allies and school-based student groups. We will discuss ways to empower student affinity groups in order to scale up the impact of student advocacy and engagement.
Speakers:
Bonita Green, Spanish teacher & Latinos Unidos affinty group advisor – Hodgson Vo-Tech High School
Mandy Gillin, Spanish teacher – Conrad Schools of Science
Wanda Lopez, Communication & Community Engagement Manager – Las Americas ASPIRA Academy
Special Guests
Tabatha L. Castro
PRESIDENT & MANAGING ATTORNEY
The Castro Firm
Julissa Coriano
FOUNDER
Orgullo Delaware
Noah J. Duckett
LCSW & SEXUALITY THERAPIST
Planned Parenthood
Rosa Ruiz
VISUAL ARTS PERFORMER
Ballet México Lindo
Edwin Santos
FACILITATOR
Stand by Me NexGen
Keynote Speaker
Rony J. Baltazar, MPA
Rony J. Baltazar-Lopez was appointed by Governor John Carney in 2020 to serve on the Delaware Hispanic Commission. In 2021, he was elected as Vice Chair and currently serves as the Commission’s youngest member.
Rony is the Director of Policy and Communications for the Delaware Department of State where he oversees all legislative affairs and manages all external and internal messaging. Most recently before joining the Delaware Department of State, he worked as a communications staffer for the Delaware Attorney General’s Office. Prior to that, he worked in Washington, D.C. for two years in the United States Senate as a legislative staffer for U.S. Senator Tom Carper.
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Rony serves on numerous other boards, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Delaware, the Delaware Advisory Council on Career and Technical Education (DACCTE), Delaware Center for Inland Bays, the City of Milford’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, La Red Health Center’s Board of Directors, and the Fort Dupont Redevelopment & Preservation Corporation. From 2019 through 2022, he also served on the Milford School Board of Education, including two years as vice president.
A native of Milford, Delaware, Rony holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Delaware.
Need a Ride?
We Got You!
We don’t want transportation to keep you from attending the summit. That’s why we organized buses to get you to Newark!
Bus #1
Georgetown
Buses will pick up students from:
Delaware Technical Community College
21179 College Dr., Georgetown, DE
Departure: 8:30 am
Return: 5:00 pm
Bus #1
Milford
Buses will pick up students from:
Milford Movies
989 N Dupont Blvd, Milford, DE
Departure: 9 am
Return: 4:30 pm
BUS #2
Wilmington
Buses will pick up students from:
Penn Cinema Movie Theatre
401 S. Madison St., Wilmington, DE
Departure: 9:30 am
Return: 4:00 pm
Bus #2
Newark
Buses will pick up students from:
Cinemark Movie Theatre
1200 Christiana Mall, Newark, DE
Departure: 9:45 am
Return: 3:45 pm
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is invited?
The Summit is open to students and advisors leading Latinos Unidos Student Unions/ Associations within their schools along with their allies. We are focusing on tough topics so the Summit is focused on high school students, however, mature 7th and 8th graders can attend.
Will this be fun?
Yes! We are going to have a lot of fun sprinkled throughout the Summit. There will be music, performances, and entertainment throughout the day.
What will the advisors be doing during the conference?
We will have special sessions for the advisors to attend. They will be able to learn and grow from other advisors attending. Our intent is to equip advisors with the skills they need to amplify their Latino Student Association at their school.
Who is the keynote speaker?
The keynote speaker is Rony J. Baltazar, MPA. He is the Director of Policy & Communications, Delaware Department of State.
How much does it cost to attend?
The event is absolutely free. There is no cost for students or their advisors thanks to the generous donations from our sponsors.
Will there be food?
Yes, we will have snacks in the morning and lunch for everyone in attendance at 12 pm (noon).
Can I invite friends?
Yes—all students interested in Racial equity and social justice can attend. You don’t have to identify as Latino and you don’t have to have a Latinos Unidos Student Union/Association at your school. You do have to be interested in racial equity, attending a Delaware high school, and ready to learn.
I live in Kent or Sussex County? Is there transportation?
Yes, we will have trasportation to and from Southern Delaware. Sign up for bus information when you register.
I have questions about transportation. Who do I call?
Contact Tierra Fair at tfair@uwde.org or call 302-494-5442 if you have questions.
I’m not a part of a Latinos Unidos Student Union/ Association. Can I still come?
Yes, if you’re interested in racial equity and social justice, THIS IS FOR YOU!
I’m interested in sponsoring the event. What do I do?
Contact Tierra Fair at tfair@uwde.org or call 302-494-5442 if you have questions.
Are there any volunteer opportunities?
We are actively looking for trusted adults (21 and over) to help us out the day of the summit. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering to help out during the event, please click here to learn more and sign up.
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