Latinx gathering enters third year

Connecting across the region

May 3, 2019 LA GRANDE, Ore. — Latinx community members, students, professionals, and organizations with a focus on serving the region’s Latinx communities are invited to participate in the third annual ¡Conéctate! Gathering on May 10 at Eastern Oregon University.

This event is free and open to the public. Guests can check in starting at 8:30 a.m. in the Gilbert Center, and activities conclude at 1:30 p.m.

¡Conéctate! offers opportunities to build meaningful relationships with on-the-ground leaders, volunteers, students, educators and allies in Eastern Oregon’s Latinx communities. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss challenges and triumphs while sharing their stories with peers, philanthropic foundations and regional partners. This year, conversations will focus on three main topics: education, health and wellness, and leadership and community engagement.

After opening remarks by EOU President Tom Insko, the event will begin with “Untold Stories” from four community members. Each speaker will share their personal stories in an effort to provide a better understanding of the people that make up our communities and the diverse backgrounds and experiences they represent.

Later, attendees can choose from three workshop sessions, each focused on one of the event’s three focus areas. After lunch, local, regional, and statewide community members will present “World Café,” a series of informal conversations around topics of community interest, including the value of being involved with the voting process, mental health, and access to education. The day’s events will end with a performance by Chiquillas Ballet Folklorico, a traditional dance group from Walla Walla.

“The value of Conéctate lies in its fundamental principles of share, learn, and connect,” said Rafael Norwood, the Student Diversity and Inclusion Office Manager at EOU and a founding member of Conéctate. “It crosses the divide between professionals, students, community members and organizations. As a Latino growing up in Eastern Oregon, it is vital that these types of conversations continue as a way of empowering local leaders, addressing gaps within the community, and highlighting the important work that sometimes goes unnoticed.”

This year’s event is sponsored by the Latino Partnership Program of the Oregon Community Foundation, the Ford Family Foundation, and Energy Trust of Oregon. Support from Eastern Oregon University, Blue Mountain Community College and Treasure Valley Community College made this event possible.

Visit eou.edu/conectate for more information. Day-of registration opens at 8:30 a.m. on May 10 in the Gilbert Center.