The National Council of La Raza, the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the country, is coming to Kansas City for its annual conference, starting Saturday.
The four-day conference takes place July 11-14 and features workshops and speakers that will address some the most important issues in the Latino community.
This year, the conference includes two 2016 Democratic presidential candidates — Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley. Both will speak on Monday and address important issues facing the Latino community.
“We look forward to hearing about [Clinton’s] vision for the country and her thoughts on the issues of greatest concern to our community,” La Raza President and CEO Janet Murguía said in a press release.
The Latino population is one of the fastest-growing in the country and the conference will focus on several specific issues that face this community. Some are issues that face all Americans, but are illustrated though the Hispanic experience, whereas others are specific to the Latino community.
In addition to training workshops and networking events, four interactive town halls will focus on education, economy, health and place, and technology. It will be the first time the La Raza has hosted town-hall events.
It’s not all work, though. In addition to the workshops, town halls and keynote speakers, the conference will also feature stand-up comedy, dance and musical performances, including by Kansas City-based band Making Movies.
La Raza selected Kansas City as this year’s annual conference location because of the long history Latinos have throughout the metro. Hispanics also make up a large majority of population growth in both Kansas and Missouri, said Carlos Gomez, who heads the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City.
Kansas City also has a personal connection to the organization — its President and CEO Janet Murguía grew up in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas.
The conference, which is the largest gathering of its kind, will be held at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
