The University chapter of MEChA, the group dedicated to raising awareness of Chicano and Latino culture, will bring the Second Annual Mictlampa Chuatlampa (Northwest) Regional Conference to the University Feb. 7 through 9.
The focuses of the conference include the importance of community, history, leadership and education, military recruitment of Latinos and homophobia and transgender issues in the Latino community.
“This is what we are going through right now,” MEChA member Isaac Torres explained.
Torres said Latinos in Oregon have high dropout rates and high pregnancy rates — issues that need to be dealt with.
“We have to educate (Latinos) on how to get into college,” he said, adding that many Latino college students are the first in their family.
Best-selling author Victor Villasenor will present the keynote address at the conference Saturday evening, and will sign books
afterward.
Students and professors will lead workshops, Que Locos, a Latino comedy showcase, will perform Saturday night and nationally syndicated editorial cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz will make a presentation Sunday.
University ethnic studies Professor Matt Garcia will talk about the relationships between people of color and the U.S. military.
“Communities of color have been heavily recruited by the military to serve at … entry-level positions,” Garcia said. “The military is one of the few means by which upward mobility is achieved for people of color, in general, and Latinos in specific.”
Lane Community College ethnic studies Professor Michael Samano, who served in the military and will also lead a workshop, agreed.
“We tend to over-represent ourselves in the lower ranks,” he said.
About 500 University and high school students from the Northwest are expected to attend.
High school students will attend the first day and parts of the second day, and will spend the night in Gerlinger Hall. They will also participate in roundtable discussions about what new ideas they take back from the conference. Villasenor will speak Saturday at 5 p.m. in Agate Hall.
The third day of the conference is free to students and the public, but the first two days have an admission fee. The cost for students is $13 for both days and $8 for one day. Admission for community members is $20 for both days and $15 for one. The price includes lunch and a dance Friday, and lunch and dinner on Saturday.
The conference will cost MEChA about $26,000. The group was forced to take funds from other MEChA accounts, such as Chicano Explosion and the Cinco de Mayo Celebration.
Other MEChA chapters in Oregon participating in the event include Oregon State University, Willamette University, Western Oregon University, Mt. Hood Community College, Chemeketa Community College and Portland State University.
PSU hosted the inaugural event in 2002.