Abrazando Leadership: Latinos Cultivating Each Other

LIDERAMOS 6th Annual National Symposium

October 23RD – October 25th 2024

Potawatomi Hotel and Casino

Milwaukee, WI

The 6th Annual National Symposium theme “Un Abrazo: Latino Leadership Cultivating Each Other” October 23rd to October 25th celebrated how our communities come together as leaders in times of need and celebration. This event offered leadership training and insight at the intersections of Latino culture, history, and community engagement. The three-day gathering provided skill-building and community leadership development to address the local community transformation, offered inspiring keynotes from National and local leaders, and a chance to learn with Latino-engaged peers and role models.

It was an honor to collaborate with the Potawatomi Casinos and Hotel as we hosted our event on traditional Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk and Menominee homelands along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes. Here the Milwaukee, Menominee, and Kinnickinnic rivers meet, and the people of Wisconsin’s sovereign Anishinaabe, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Oneida, and Mohican nations remain present.

The presence, passion, and participation made this year’s symposium another unforgettable experience! This year, we reached capacity, with over 130 registered participants from throughout the United States. Locally based Latino community leaders demonstrated the overwhelming enthusiasm for Latino leadership development nationwide. Everyone left inspired and empowered as we all will continue to cultivate leadership and embrace the power of our community.

Abrazo Art by Milwaukee Artist David Perez

Each year we ask a local artist to give a visual tribute to our theme. This year did not disappoint, as David shared:

“I realized that being Hispanic is not about how well you speak Spanish or how many traditions you know. It’s about the shared experiences, struggles, triumphs, and the community we have. It’s about embracing who you are and where you come from, no matter how different or similar it may be from others.

I created my art piece for the LIDERAMOS Symposium with this newfound perspective. I wanted to convey the idea of unity and acceptance within the Hispanic community, regardless of differences in language or culture. I depicted two kids reaching out to each other, enveloped in a warm embrace, symbolizing the support and love that we should all offer each other that is built daily on the shoulders of our past generations.”

This year’s Symposium was a testimony to abrazar, to embrace who we are, accept our cultura knowledge, and to always support one another. Regardless of how life’s path guides our identities and cultural knowledge, we know our experience and care for each other will always unite and move us forward.