Welcome Message from Our Sponsors – Bank of America, Edison International, State Farm®, Toyota Motor North America, Wells Fargo, and Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo

Host: Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo

The 2020 Election showed the strength and complexity of the Latino electorate, with nearly 16.5 million Latinos casting ballots. This engaging plenary will provide a thoughtful discussion among experts who will analyze how Latinos performed in last year’s election, what we can learn about sustaining turnout gains beyond one election cycle, and explore whether political parties are heeding the lessons learned or following the same game plan at their own peril. Panelists will also discuss how several states’ changes in voting laws may affect Latino voters’ ability to make their voices heard in the 2022 and 2024 elections.

Track Hosts: Bank of America, State Farm®, and Toyota Motor North America

COVID-19 devastated many industries like leisure and hospitality, which accelerated the birth of new occupations and sent traditional jobs into extinction rather quickly. The skills required for these new jobs are evolving even faster. In this session, experts will provide insight on how to support training practices for Latino workers to better facilitate workforce transitions and economic opportunities.

Track Hosts: Edison International and State Farm®

Session Chair: Walmart

Conveners: HCA Healthcare

Extreme weather events and natural disasters have become more frequent and intense, testing state and local government’s ability to help their communities prepare and recover. In this session, local elected officials will share their experiences responding to emergencies in their communities and will highlight the lessons learned, strategies, and partnerships jurisdictions can implement to increase resiliency to disasters and accelerate recovery.

Session Chairs: Comcast NBCUniversal Telemundo and Kaiser Permanente

Conveners: PhRMA and Uber

As states continue to roll out COVID-19 vaccines, this session will feature lessons learned and best practices for community outreach efforts to increase vaccine uptake among hard-to-reach communities. The discussion will feature the Juntos Podemos campaign alongside other innovative efforts to reach those in our community who remain at high risk for COVID-19.

Session Chair: Verizon

Convener: CTIA

The COVID-19 pandemic cemented the fact that access to reliable and affordable internet service is a basic necessity for all households. Yet, for too many Americans, the ability to get online is unavailable or unaffordable. This discussion will provide an overview of national and local efforts and partnerships that are building pathways and long-term solutions for universal access to this essential service.

As our nation continues to suffer from deep political polarization, policymakers must still find ways to discuss and address policy issues with the diverse constituencies they represent and with colleagues who may have different views. This session will highlight principles that support elected officials’ ability to engage in effective strategies that can begin to bridge divides and forge joint solutions to challenging problems. This session will be complemented by a live Q&A with the experts.

The 2021-22 redistricting cycle is following our nation’s most challenging decennial census ever. This session will provide an overview of the opportunities for increased Latino representation after this decade’s redistricting, as well as an update on the adjusted schedule for the release of census redistricting data. The session will also focus on the important roles Latinos are playing in state and local re-drawing of lines, including serving on redistricting commissions and mobilizing Latino community participation in the redistricting process.

Session Chairs: State Farm® and Wells Fargo

Small businesses serve as the nation’s economic backbone. Latino-owned businesses play a vital role in our economy as the fastest-growing part of the nation’s small business ecosystem. As recovery efforts proceed, regions and counties have had to think about innovative mechanisms, such as microgrants for their communities’ most vulnerable businesses. This session will feature innovative approaches local leaders are implementing to support entrepreneurs and business owners.

As context to the plenary, The Current State of COVID-19 in America, this session will feature the most recent polling data on Latino attitudes toward COVID-19, vaccines, and effective messengers and messages. This information is critical to current vaccine uptake efforts in our community and ensuring Latinos are not left behind in pandemic recovery efforts.

Host: Amazon

Session Chair: DoorDash

Food insecurity is a critical problem in the United States, with the COVID-19 pandemic further exposing the fragility of our food systems. Innovative policy responses during the pandemic that alleviated food insecurity can be valuable lessons to build more resilient local food systems. In this live networking opportunity, participants will share and explore strategies to ensure that everyone has access to sufficient food as we continue to recover from the crisis.

The fight against COVID-19 is not over, yet despite the increase in access to vaccines, data demonstrate that there is much work to be done to ensure Latinos and other communities of color are not left behind in vaccination efforts. This session will explore the current state of equity in vaccine rollout, look to the next stage in the fight against the pandemic, and discuss lessons learned in preparation for the next one. 

Sponsors: Anheuser-Busch Companies and Golden Road Brewing

Being virtual does not have to mean missing out on the fun! In celebration of Latino resiliency, join us over your favorite beverages while showing off your NALEO swag and listening to our Mixer DJ. This virtual NALEO Midday Mixer will continue our annual tradition of being the premier networking spot for the nation’s more than 6,800 elected and appointed Latino officials. This experience will offer the same face-to-face connections you have come to expect, successfully blending the safety of an immersive virtual setting with the benefits of an in-person reception. Please visit the Networking Lounge for access to the NALEO Midday Mixer.

According to FBI data, the prevalence of hate crimes in the United States is at the highest levels seen in more than a decade, including an alarming surge in anti-Asian hate incidents. Data demonstrate that a majority of reported hate crimes are motivated by race, ethnicity, or ancestry, as well as religious and sexual orientation bias. A panel of diverse experts will discuss how leaders and communities are coming together to stand against hate.

Session Chair: Google

As Latinos have become more connected and engaged online – they have become prime targets of misinformation and disinformation campaigns. From the census, to elections, to COVID-19, Latinos are in the crosshairs of inaccurate or malicious efforts to instill fear and disenfranchise the community. This session will highlight top trends and provide practical tools for recognizing and reporting misinformation and disinformation.

Session Chair: AARP

Conveners: AbbVie, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer

As the nation continues on our path toward recovery, health experts and researchers are shifting attention to the next stage of the health crisis and the long-term symptoms and side effects related to COVID-19. Participants will learn about the efforts underway to understand these realities and the potential impact Americans with chronic long-term COVID-19 symptoms may have on the workforce and healthcare system. The session will also examine the opportunities policymakers have to anticipate the need for services and support systems that may arise as a result of these long-term implications.

Since the pandemic began, teachers, school staff, and education policymakers have moved instruction online for millions of students, where many experienced significant learning loss due to the challenges that arose with these shifts. As the pandemic eases, students are returning to in-person or hybrid learning programs and will need expanded academic support to address learning loss. In this discussion, speakers will amplify best practices for academic intervention and innovative ideas for rapid make-up of lost instruction so that all students can thrive in post-pandemic classrooms and beyond.

Track Hosts: Bank of America, State Farm®, and Toyota Motor North America

Session Chair: PepsiCo

Convener: The Annie E. Casey Foundation

The economic impact wrought by COVID-19 has taken a disproportionate toll on Latinas. Strengthening policy efforts aimed at assisting Latinas will be essential to maintain our nation’s economic livelihood. Policymakers and organizations alike are assessing ways they support Latina workers looking for new workforce sectors, preparing to re-enter the workforce, or have dropped out of the labor force altogether. This session will highlight recommendations to adapt to constituent needs.

Track Hosts: Edison International and State Farm®

Session Chair: Walmart

Conveners: Boehringer-Ingelheim and Starbucks

In an age of growing public distrust in government, policymakers often face the brunt of such discontent. From online harassment to personal threats and attacks, no political party, gender, or office level is exempt from the risk, with women mayors more than twice as likely to experience such incidents. In this session, participants will identify strategies to maintain mental well-being and best practices to protect themselves and their institutions.

The American Rescue Plan Act provides $350 billion in assistance to states, counties, municipalities, territories, and tribal governments to cover expenses, make up for lost revenue, and ease the overall economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This session will explore how state and local governments can prepare to ensure their jurisdictions have access to these federal resources and invest the funds strategically and equitably to address their communities’ current and future needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought our economy and way of life to a halt. State and local budgets that rely heavily on taxes from sales, hotel, gas, and other service fees experienced a deep decline. This live discussion will highlight the opportunities local jurisdictions have to innovate and rethink their revenue sources and increase fiscal resiliency before the next economic crisis.

During this live session, the presenters will answer questions from the on-demand session highlighting principles that support elected officials’ ability to engage in effective strategies when discussing policy issues that affect diverse constituencies and require a dialogue with colleagues who may have different views.

Host: Wells Fargo

With all the challenges we have faced over the past two years, this forum will bring a distinguished slate of our nation’s leaders together around their visions for our community and the country as we look toward the future. With their insights and perspectives on the most pressing policy issues that can help our collective recovery from COVID-19, we will hear about our national progress and what we plan to accomplish in the coming months and years ahead. In addition to these critical conversations, this forum will also provide a sneak peek at next year’s NALEO Annual Conference!

The NALEO President’s Award is presented to organizations and individuals whose efforts have helped strengthen NALEO and NALEO Educational Fund. This year, the NALEO President’s Award honors two distinguished individuals who have played a critical role in strengthening the organization for the past quarter-century. We are proud to recognize General Counsel Mr. Agustin Medina and Special Counsel for Employment Matters Ms. Mercedes Cruz with the presentation of the 2021 NALEO President’s Award.

Please check back for more information.

Please check back for more information.