7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Room 2355 Foyer, Second Floor

Registration

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Third Floor Commons

Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Welcome Remarks

• Mr. Arturo Vargas, Chief Executive Officer, NALEO Educational Fund

• Ms. Sonja Diaz, Executive Director, Latino Policy and Politics Initiative (LPPI), University of California, Los Angeles

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Session I:

A Conversation on Challenges and Opportunities for Latinos in the 21st Century

As our nation’s population is becoming more diverse, these changing demographics require that leaders understand the opportunities and challenges faced by the Latino community. Public opinion polling offers a unique tool to assess the policy positions and attitudes of constituents and individuals. This session featured a thought provoking conversation with thought leaders on how Latinos in the United States view major policy challenges and opportunities, including criminal justice, the economy, and immigration.

Session Chair: Hon. Lucy Flores, Former Nevada State Assemblymember

• Dr. Matt A. Barreto, Professor of Political Science and Chicana/o Studies; Faculty Co-Director, Latino Policy and Politics Initiative (LPPI), University of California, Los Angeles
PRESENTATION | AUDIO | Resources: 1 | 2

• Mr. Arturo Vargas, Chief Executive Officer, NALEO Educational Fund

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Session II:

Academic Attainment Trends for Latino Students

Latino students are the second largest student population in the K-12 public school system. Ensuring that this student population excels in the attainment of a high school degree and is prepared to be career or college ready is a key economic priority for the country. To gauge how well students are prepared post high school, policymakers must understand how to navigate the various data sources available to them that highlight the educational attainment and opportunity gaps for Latino students. Policymakers attending this session received academic trend data on Latino students. The session also highlighted short and long-term goals and objectives to develop effective policies to support the academic transition of Latinos through our public-school system, from early learning through high school, with special attention placed on the academic trajectory of Latino boys.

• Ms. Daria Hall, Vice President for Partnerships and Engagement, The Education Trust
PRESENTATION | AUDIO | Resources: 1 | 2

• Dr. Joseph Bishop, Director, Center for the Transformation of Schools, University of California, Los Angeles
PRESENTATION

Center for the Transformation of Schools State Profiles:Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Illinois | Indiana | Michigan | Minnesota | Nebraska | New Mexico | New York | Ohio | Texas

Additional Resources: 1 | 2

12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Presentation:

Census 2020 – Make It Count!

• Mr. Arturo Vargas, Chief Executive Officer, NALEO Educational Fund
PRESENTATION | Resources: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

State Profiles: Arizona | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Illinois | Indiana | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | Ohio | Texas | Washington

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Third Floor Commons

Networking Luncheon

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Session III:

Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Transformative Justice

Schools across the country have carried out policies and practices around zero tolerance, detention, arrests, and incarceration of students that have resulted in the overrepresentation of Latino and Black students in our criminal justice system. Many schools have also developed policies and practices that rely on law enforcement personnel to handle routine school disciplinary matters while not doing enough to provide mental health support and educational services. This session highlighted best practices that seek to prevent and interrupt the cycle of discipline and over incarceration of Latino boys.

Session Chair: Hon. Christopher Rosario, Connecticut State Representative; Chair, Black and Puerto Rican Caucus

• Ms. Kacy Martin, Researcher, Center for Civil Rights Remedies, The Civil Rights Project, University of California, Los Angeles
PRESENTATION | AUDIO

• Dr. Monica Bhatt, Research Director, Crime and Education Labs, The University of Chicago Urban Labs
PRESENTATION | AUDIO

Additional Resources: 1 | 2 | 3

3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Session IV:

Increasing College Access and Opportunities for Latinos

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Latinos account for most of the nation’s population growth over the last decade and currently represent 16.7 percent of the United States population. Although Latino enrollment numbers on college campuses continue to rise, this growth has not been mirrored in higher education completion rates, especially among Latino males. These dramatic demographic changes and the increased presence of Latinos in American higher education highlight opportunities for academia to develop innovative policies and strategies to support a Latino college completion agenda. This session explored policies and strategies to increase college completion rates among Latinos, with a specific agenda for Latino male completion of postsecondary degrees.

Session Chair: Hon. Roger Garcia, Trustee, Metropolitan Community College; Board Member, NALEO

• Dr. Thomas L. Harnisch, Director of State Relations and Policy Analysis, American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)
PRESENTATION | AUDIO

• Dr. Luis Ponjuán, Associate Professor, College of Education and Human Development; Co-Founder, Project MALES; Texas Education Consortium for Male Students of Color, Texas A&M University
PRESENTATION

Additional Resources: 1 | 2

5:00 p.m. – 5:05 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Evaluations

5:05 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Closing Remarks

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Exploration Room, Luskin Conference Center

Opening Reception

Hosts:
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

State Farm®

Opening Reception Patron:
Delta Aeromexico

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Room 2355 Foyer, Second Floor

Registration

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Third Floor Commons

Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Welcome Remarks

• Dr. Gary M. Segura, Dean, Luskin School of Public Affairs; Faculty Co-Director, Latino Policy and Politics Initiative (LPPI), University of California, Los Angeles

8:40 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Session V:

Fruitvale, Oakland: A Case Study on Transit and Economic Development

Safe neighborhoods, good schools, access to healthy foods, recreational spaces, quality jobs, and adequate housing are often not as prevalent in low-income communities of color. Policymakers have the opportunity to better understand the effect of environmental stress on the lives of families and young children and identify strategies to support the well-being and success of the communities and families they represent. This session provided a timely case study on how a city used transit as a means for economic development. This case study was followed by policy conversations that highlighted ways in which policymakers can have a positive influence on increased access to economic development, education, and housing needs.

• Mr. Chris Iglesias, Chief Executive Officer, The Unity Council
PRESENTATION | AUDIO | Resources: 1 | 2

• Dr. Gary M. Segura, Dean, Luskin School of Public Affairs; Faculty Co-Director, Latino Policy and Politics Initiative (LPPI), University of California, Los Angeles

Resource: 1

10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Session VI:

Improving Public Trust in Communities While Addressing Public Safety

Trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve is critical for the well-being and success of its residents. At the national level, criminal justice reform has paid increasing attention to the role of law enforcement in improving public safety through community-based policing, procedural justice, eliminating poverty penalties associated with court fees, restorative justice, and police accountability. However, reforms at the state and local levels have the most influences on the type of justice system residents will experience, from the number of public defenders available to residents in a community to the innovative type of interventions and treatments that will be funded and implemented to improve public safety. This session highlighted innovative policy solutions being developed in Texas to address public safety and improve public trust, and provided participants with examples of best practices being implemented across the state.

Session Chair: Hon. Sergio De Leon, Justice of the Peace, Tarrant County, Texas; Board Member, NALEO

• Hon. Carlos B. Lopez, Constable, Travis County, Texas

• Hon. Mark A. Gonzalez, District Attorney, Nueces County, Texas

Million Dollar Hoods: Caged L.A. | Policing the House | Policing the Unemployed | Cannabis Enforcement | Policing the Houseless | Price of Freedom

Additional Resources: 1 | 2

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Third Floor Commons

Networking Luncheon

12:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Session VII:

Collateral Consequences: Blurred Lines between Immigration and Criminal Law

Immigration in the United States has become a highly politicized issue. The presence of a significant number of Latino immigrants in the country has been accompanied by intense anti-immigrant rhetoric that often focuses on immigrants’ presumed criminality. This session explored the intersection of crime control and immigration control – two different issues that are often blurred together and have significant consequences for the Latino community.

Session Chair: Hon. Martin Quezada, Arizona State Senator; President, Pendergast E.S.D., Arizona

• Dr. Julia Gelatt, Senior Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
PRESENTATION | AUDIO | Resource: 1

• Dr. Amada Armenta, Assistant Professor of Urban Planning, Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles
PRESENTATION | AUDIO

Ms. Shaina Aber, Regional Manager, Center on Immigration and Justice, Vera Institute of Justice
PRESENTATION | AUDIO | Resources: 1 | 2

Additional Resources: 1 | 2

2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Session VIII:

Restoring Hope through Reintegration

Formerly incarcerated people face particular challenges as they seek to reintegrate with loved ones. These challenges include finding secure housing, employment, transportation, and meeting their basic health care needs. Research demonstrates that employment and the attainment of basic needs reduces the rates of recidivism among re-entry individuals while placing them on paths towards social mobility. This session provided an overview of the issues affecting re-entry individuals and their families, and identified best practices that address structural barriers to achieve full integration post-incarceration.

Session Chair: Hon. Nellie Pou, New Jersey State Senator; Chair, New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus

• Mr. Duy Pham, Research Assistant, Center for Post-Secondary and Economic Success, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
PRESENTATION

• Ms. Sonja Tonnesen, Deputy Director, Program Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Root & Rebound
PRESENTATION | AUDIO | Resource: 1

CLASP Resources: Reconnecting Justice | Incarceration to Reentry – California | Incarceration to Reentry – Indiana | Incarceration to Reentry – Ohio | Young Women of Color

Vera Institute Resources: 1 | 2

3:45 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Evaluations

3:50 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Closing Remarks

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Room 2355 Foyer, Second Floor

Registration

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Third Floor Commons

Breakfast

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Opening Remarks

9:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Decision-Making Model

Policymakers are continuously having to craft policy proposals and respond to real-world policy challenges facing their constituents in their communities. This session provided participants with the opportunity to practice the governance skill sets learned in the prior two-days’ worth of content in an interactive manner utilizing a decision-making process model that is aimed to support policymakers in their development of a cohesive policy agenda to help support Latino families and students.

• Ms. Sonja Diaz, Executive Director, Latino Policy and Politics Initiative (LPPI), University of California, Los Angeles
PRESENTATION | AUDIO | Resource: 1

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Participants were assigned to a group onsite.

Community-Based Public Safety Practicum

Policymakers must understand the limits of their respective role to best leverage policy windows of opportunity that arise. This session provided participants with the opportunity to respond to a real-world policy challenge using a decision-making process model to craft a policy reform that takes into account on-the-ground dynamics and the political realities of elected office. Applying a core set of governance skills to navigate barriers, policymakers created the best policy agenda to meet the needs of Latino families and students.

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Third Floor Commons

Networking Luncheon

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Community-Based Policy Proposals

Policymakers regrouped in the general session room to present and receive feedback on their proposals.

Panel of Experts:

• Dr. Gary M. Segura, Dean, Luskin School of Public Affairs; Faculty Co-Director, Latino Policy and Politics Initiative (LPPI), University of California, Los Angeles

• Ms. Sonja Diaz, Executive Director,Latino Policy and Politics Initiative (LPPI), University of California, Los Angeles

• Mr. Nicholas Espíritu, Lecturer in Law, School of Law, University of California, Los Angeles

2:30 p.m. – 2:35 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Evaluations

2:35 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Room 2355, Second Floor

Closing Remarks