Friday April 29               Room                

10:45 am-11:45 am    Member and Guest Conference Registration                                         

12:00pm to 1:30pm  LULAC Veteran’s Recognition Luncheon      Magnolia                                     

Host: Xochitl Rodriguez-Murillo, CALVET Deputy Secretary of Minority Veterans Affairs 

Keynote: Army Brig. Gen. Sylvia R. Crockett (R) First Latina general officer in the California National Guard         

Guest Speaker: Mirtha Villireal-Younger, President Sacramento American G.I. Forum

Special Guest: Hector Barajas, Director, Deported Veterans Support House “The Bunker” Tijuana, BC Mexico 

1:30 pm to 2:30  A Framework for Parity in the US Armed Forces                             Magnolia   

Part 1: As the face of America continues to change, we must continue to assess our nation’s progress in adapting to this change by increasing the ranks of Latino senior military leaders, including General and Flag Officers. Part 2: Over the past several decades, a technology wave has swept over America and the global community. This technology “explosion” is being led by government agencies such as NASA and by commercial industry players such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and others.                                                                                                                                         

Presenter: Eddie Cabrera, Col (R)

2:30 pm to 3:30 pm  State and Assembly Veterans Committees Update       Magnolia

With over 1.8 million former service members and 128,373 Active Duty members living in California, These two committees represent the largest veteran population of any state in the United States. They focus on all bills pertaining to veterans, military affairs, and armories and bills amending the state’s Military and Veterans Code.

Moderator: Jose Carlos Alanis, LULAC Council 3274, Veterans of Southern California

Panelist(s): 

Bob Archuleda, Chair, Senate Standing Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs (invited)

James Ramos, Chair, Assembly Standing Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs (invited)

Xochitl Rodriguez-Murillo, Deputy Secretary of Minority Veterans Affairs 

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Opening Reception                                                                        Gardenia

Hors d’oeuvre available for all guests 

Cash bar only

 Saturday, April 30    

7:30 to 11:45 am;     Member and Guest Conference Registration                                  

2:00 to 5:00 pm    

8:00 am to 9:45 am Youth and Young Adults Empowerment Breakfast      Magnolia/Camelia   

Keynote(s): 

Belen R. Flores, Executive Director for California Center for Civic Participation

William Virchis, CEO of Virco Enterprises and the former director of visual and performing arts at the Sweetwater Union High School District

Lizbeth De La Cruz Santana, Public Scholar, and Doctoral Candidate at University of California Davis

Belen R. Flores, Executive Director for California Center for Civic Participation

Belen Flores was born and raised in north Sacramento, CA, where she enjoyed playing soccer and engaging in outdoor recreation.  After graduating from high school, she was recruited to the Sierra College women’s soccer team.   After a few years of classes, she decided to move to San Diego for a fresh start and a change of scenery, but a year and a half later decided to return home to finish her college education.  While majoring in Mass Communication at CSUS, she simultaneously gained a passion for politics during the historic 2008 presidential election of Barack Obama.  Interning for places like the district office of Pro tem Senator Steinberg and the California Center for Civic Participation, she established her interest in engaging low-income and diverse groups of youth to the political process so that they may take meaningful action in their communities.  Over the past eight years at the CalCenter, Belen has helped mobilize hundreds of youth through her environmental program Green Focus and, as Executive Director, intends to expand several civic education programs for youth across the state. 

William Virchis, CEO of Virco Enterprises and the former director of visual and performing arts at the Sweetwater Union High School District

Mr. William A. Virchis, born in Mexico City on Mother’s Day the middle child of Roman J. Virchis and Margarita Olvera Virchis.  His father Roman Virchis was an international sales manager for Aeronaves de Mexico, and his mother Margarita was a famous Spoken Word Poet.  He graduated from Chula Vista Junior High, Chula Vista High School, Southwestern College, San Diego State University (SDSU) and post graduated work University of Mexico City, Mexico.  He holds an AA degree from Southwestern College, B.A. and a M.A. degree San Diego State University, he has a Community College Administrative Credential, a Career Educational Technical Administrator Credential and a Regional Occupational Credential.  Mr. Virchis, was the first District Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Director for the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD), and he was honored by having the VAPA Department. Award-winning director, producer, actor, mime and championship wrestling coach has produced, directed and acted in over 250 productions and featured in Maria Garcia’s book, Who Made San Diego, and San Diego Latino Legacy Foundation, Timeline-Milestones-Stories book, contributing columnist for the San Diego Union Community Voices Project.  Mr. Virchis’ trajectory contains many Latino firsts, inducted into five halls of fame, and won over 100 national and international awards, proclamations and citations for his work in and out of the theatre.  He is an activist in the Chicano movement and a prominent voice in the Latin American Theatre in the United States.  His vast experience in the landscape in theatre and film has given him the opportunity to present theatre for the underserved and diverse communities for over 50 years.  His landscape for visual and performing arts are internationally known, he has acted, directed, and produced short and feature films as well as multi-media productions such as the first theatrical Zoom production in 2020 Etapas (Stages of Valor).

Lizbeth De La Cruz Santana, Public Scholar, and Doctoral Candidate at University of California Davis

Lizbeth De La Cruz Santana (she/her/ella) is a public scholar and doctoral candidate at the Spanish and Portuguese Department at the University of California Davis. Her doctoral degree is in Latin American Literatures and Cultures with a designated emphasis on Human Rights. Her area of research and teaching interests focus on diaspora studies, digital storytelling, testimonial literature, and 20th and 21st Century Mexican, Mexican-American, and Chicano/a Literature and Culture. De La Cruz’s first book manuscript draws from her doctoral dissertation. It centers on US childhood arrivals and intends to draw attention to a range of ethical-oriented concerns regarding the legal treatment of this group. Specifically, she focuses on the illegalization of a generation of immigrants raised in the country vulnerable to deportation and who have faced deportation. In her contribution, she coins the Childhood Arrivals Critical Theory (CACrit) framework, the Childhood Arrivals Diaspora, and introduces a more general definition of this group. Her activist-oriented public scholarship includes the Playas de Tijuana Mural Project, an interactive mural on the Mexican side of the westernmost point of the US-Mexico border, which documents the stories and portraits of (deported) US childhood arrivals. Other digital humanities projects include the Leave No One Behind Mural project and DACAmented: DREAMs Without Borders digital storytelling project.

9:45 to 10:00 am     Official Welcome Ceremony                         Magnolia/Camelia

Jose Barrera, California LULAC State Director

With over ten years of service in LULAC, Jose “JB” Barrera became a community advocate in high school and is now serving as the youngest State Director in the history of California LULAC. An inspired dreamer born in Michoacán Mexico, JB graduated from the University of California Davis and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish. During his school years, he worked for a Public Affairs firm in Sacramento gaining experience in which he would later use in his professional life. Jose currently works for SEIU-UHW advocating for healthcare worker rights. His passion for an advocacy-focused approach allows him to work across the aisle to advance the rights of Latinos across the state. 

8:00 to 11:30 am;     Member and Guest Conference Registration                          Concourse

2:00 to 3:30 pm    

10:00 to 10:50 am Concurrent Workshop Sessions:

• Higher Education within the Latino Community Panel                               Tofanelli   

Moderator: Daniel Estrada 

Panelists: Sara Arce, Campaign for College Opportunity; Denise Castro, The Education Trust-West; Enrique Murillo,  College of Education California State University, San Bernardino 

A significant subject to be presented during the Higher Education Panel session is the Latino bachelor’s degree gap.  Despite increases in access to higher education in states like California, the lack of degree achievement by Latino students prohibits gains in reducing or eliminating the higher education gap between Latinos and non-Hispanic whites.  At the same time, Latinos students are experiencing a gender gap where more Latinas are gaining college access and graduating with college degrees than Latinos.  The panel will discuss strategies for making gains in both college access and graduation rates while also discussing the role of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) in this effort.

• The Invisible Backpack                                                                                   Compagno

Moderator: Miriam Aguilar Escobar, California LULAC State Deputy Director for women

Panelists: William Virchis

Youth and Young adults will explore the valuable tools that you need in your backpack to be successful in the fields of visual and performing arts. The navigation of a successful journey in these exciting careers will be explored in an interactive forum! The power of your unique voice will make a difference in this world.

11:00 to 11:50 am Concurrent Workshop Sessions:

• Health Panel: Covid-19 Crisis in the Latino Community                                 Tofanelli

Moderator: Alyssa Mireles, California LULAC Deputy for Young Adults                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Panelists: Mao Vang, MPH- Health Equity Lead, La Familia Maple Neighborhood Center (invited); Amy Barrios-Youth Coordinator, Latina Leadership Council; Mike Nguy, Health Equity Lead- Sacramento County Public Health; Lizette Escobedo- AVP Civic Engagement and Advocacy, AltaMed

COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on the Latino community.  In this session you will hear from community organizations and advocates who will discuss misinformation, myths about the vaccine, easing the impact of Covid-19, and steps taken to mitigate the burden on the Latino Community.

• Ouch, On the Job Injuries—Inequities and Disparities—the How, Why and What to do to Protect Yourself and Others                                         Compagno                                                                             

Moderator: Elizabet Zepeda, California LULAC State Deputy Director

Presenter: Lisa Hernandez, Esq.

Accidents in the workplace happen. Whether the condition develops over time or happens in an instant. No matter how careful you are or how healthy you are, people get hurt. Injuries affect all of us physically, internally, and emotionally. If you are injured, there are steps you must take to protect yourself. You must file a claim for worker’s compensation. Most Latinos loathe to complain when hurt or sick. There is often a stigma that comes with filing a claim for worker’s compensation benefits. Further, when English is not your first language, the system can seem even more intimidating. Which is all the more reason you need to know what to do in the event you or your loved one is injured on the job. This program will teach you what to look for and what to do. Some bases for filing workers’ compensation claims include: Repetitive stress and strain injuries; Slip and fall or trip and fall accidents; Toxic exposure; Work-related stress; infections and disease; workplace violence.                                                                                                                                                                                         

12:00 to 1:45 pm – Empowering our Women’s Luncheon                           Magnolia/Camellia                                                               

Master of Ceremony: Noerena Limon, Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Industry Relations at the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)

Opening Remarks: Sindy Benavides, National LULAC Chief Executive Officer

Keynote Speaker(s): Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, California Labor Federation, Former Assemblymember (virtual)

Cindy Marten, United States Deputy Secretary of Education (invited)

National Anthem: California LULAC Youth

Sindy Benavides, National LULAC Chief Executive Officer

Sindy Marisol Benavides is a Honduran-American immigrant who has experienced the American dream, and now devotes her career to public service, ensuring that countless young people, women, and immigrants have the same opportunity. She is currently Chief Executive Officer for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the country. She previously served as the Chief Operating Officer and National Director for Civic Engagement and Community Mobilization for LULAC, Vice President of Field & Political Operations for Voto Latino and as Northern Virginia Political Director for the 2012 Kaine for Virginia senatorial campaign. She has also been National Director of Community Outreach for the Democratic National Committee, and Latino Liaison and Director of Gubernatorial Appointments for Governor Timothy M. Kaine.

She received her Bachelor of Arts from Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, where she graduated Valedictorian of her class and studied Political Science with a minor in Spanish. She has also attended American University for her Master’s degree in International Affairs and is working on submitting her substantial research paper. Sindy is the founder, co-founder, or founding board member of LULAC Council 4611, VA Latino Higher Education Network (VALHEN), VA Coalition of Immigrant Rights (VACIR), and the Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Action (HOLA). Sindy serves on numerous civic boards and can be found on Twitter @SindyBenavides. She lives in northern Virginia with her beloved family. Ms. Benavides is an alumna of the Sorenson Political Leadership Program through the University of Virginia and the Virginia Executive Institute and Minority Political Leadership Institute through Virginia Commonwealth University. She is an alumna of the 2009 class of the National Hispana Leadership Institute. Sindy obtained her Certificate on Executive Management and Leadership from Harvard Kennedy School in April 2009 and attended the Center for Creative Leadership in July 2009. She was also named top 20 People to Watch in 2009 (Richmond magazine) and named top 20 Latina Women of Excellence in 2010 (Hispanic Business magazine). In 2010, Sindy was selected by the American Jewish Committee to travel to Israel with a delegation of 13 national Latina leaders. In 2013, Sindy was selected as part of the class of 2013-2014 for New York University’s IGNITE Fellowship for Women of Color in the Social Sector. In 2014, Ms. Benavides was selected for Emerge Virginia, the premier training program for Democratic women to run for public office. Lastly, in 2016, Sindy was selected for the Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) Next Generation Latino Philanthropy Fellowship program.

Keynote Speaker(s): Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, California Labor Federation, Former Assemblymember (virtual)

2:00 to 2:50 pm Concurrent Workshop Sessions:  

• Voting Rights Panel                                                                                                   Carr                                                      

Moderator: Daniel Estrada

Panelists: Ernest Herrera, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF); Angelica Salceda, Campaign for College Opportunity; Christian Contreras, Esq., Justice X; Rosalind Gold-Chief Public Policy Officer, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)

The participants of the Voting Rights panel will be discussing several issues.  These include the current state restrictive voting laws, the status of voting rights legislation in congress, Latino voter turnout, and the changing demographics in California and the nation.  Several panel participants will also explain voting rights cases in various regions of the nation.

• Ouch, On the Job Injuries—Inequities and Disparities—the How, Why and What to do to Protect Yourself and Others                                                                   Compagno                                                                       

Moderator: Elizabet Zepeda, California LULAC Deputy Director

Presenter: Lisa Hernandez, Esq.

Accidents in the workplace happen. Whether the condition develops over time or happens in an instant. No matter how careful you are or how healthy you are, people get hurt. Injuries affect all of us physically, internally, and emotionally. If you are injured, there are steps you must take to protect yourself. You must file a claim for worker’s compensation. Most Latinos loathe to complain when hurt or sick. There is often a stigma that comes with filing a claim for worker’s compensation benefits. Further, when English is not your first language, the system can seem even more intimidating. Which is all the more reason you need to know what to do in the event you or your loved one is injured on the job. This program will teach you what to look for and what to do. Some bases for filing workers’ compensation claims include: Repetitive stress and strain injuries; Slip and fall or trip and fall accidents; Toxic exposure; Work-related stress; infections and disease; workplace violence.

• End of life Care and Ensuring People Have Access to Quality and Equitable Care   

Tofanelli                                                                                          

Moderator: Serena Alvarez, California LULAC  Health Committee Chair

Panelists: La Luz Project

This panel will review the California End of Life Option law, also known as assisted suicide, 

and what we know about its impact on the healthcare system in California, health equity for 

underserved populations, and those living with chronic disease or disability. We will also 

examine additional protections needed to safeguard our most vulnerable populations. Hear 

from subject matter experts from the social justice, healthcare, civil rights, and medical 

communities during this thought-provoking session

3:00 to 3:50 pm Workshop Sessions:

• Sacramento 101: How to Advocate for your community (Y)                 Carr

Moderator: Kimberly Fuentes, Policy and Communications Director

Panelist: Christopher Sanchez-Policy Advocate, Western Center on Law and Poverty 

This workshop will cover a brief overview of the legislative process in Sacramento and current state legislation that will impact the latino/a community. They will also touch upon key pieces of the California Governor’s budget proposals. If you feel passionate about helping the latino/a community regarding policy, this workshop will provide opportunities on how to get engaged in the legislative process. The Western Center on Law and Poverty has been proactive in advocating for le

4:00 to 4:50 pm Workshop Session:

• Genealogy: Following your roots (Y)                                                           Compagno                                

Moderators: Nathan Castillo

Panelist: Marty Puentes,  Sacramento County Unified School District, Teacher        

In this workshop, Marty Puentes will give you tips on how to get started with your family 

research by utilizing documents here in the United States and then tracing them back to 

Mexico. He will provide an overview of the common documents to search for of both online 

genealogy sites and Mexican-specific resources. Marty will briefly touch on the value of DNA as 

a tool and will highlight both civil and church documents found in Mexico.          

* Please note that this is an introductory course. Q & A, as well as assistance on helping 

attendees research their family tree will depend on the time remaining as this is normally a two 

hour workshop.                                     

6:00 to 7:00 Opening Reception       Magnolia

Hors d’oeuvre available for all guests 

Cash bar only

7:00 to 9:00 pm California LULAC Presidential Awards Dinner                                 Magnolia                       

Master of Ceremony: Noerena Limon, Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Industry Relations at the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP)

Opening Remarks: Domingo Garcia, National LULAC President

Keynote: U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (virtual remarks) 

Continued Remarks: Kimberly Fuentes, California LULAC Policy and Communications Director

Closing Remarks: Jose Barrera, California LULAC State Director

Domingo Garcia, National LULAC President

Mr. Garcia’s life is that of a self-made success and public service spanning decades of hard work and sacrifice, a son born of Mexican immigrants who earned his way from shoeshine boy to the Statehouse of Texas as an elected lawmaker. From newspaper boy, he rose to become one of Texas’ most visible newsmakers, as the youngest Mayor Pro-Tem of Dallas, one of America’s top 10 cities. From a busboy who dreamed of his own future, he went on to protect America’s Dreamers as author of Texas’ laws, the first in the nation to protect immigrant students, after receiving his B.A. in Political Science from the University of North Texas in 1980 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas in 1983. From a young man who grew up listening to his parents’ stories about life in Mexico, he went on to win a scholarship to study at the El Colegio de Mexico in Mexico City where he earned a Masters degree in International Relations. Indeed, the depth and breadth of his life have enabled Domingo to also serve as an editorial columnist and broadcast commentator as well as a highly-successful trial lawyer for thirty years.

U.S. Senator Alex Padilla 

Senator Alex Padilla, a progressive problem-solver, is the first Latino to represent California in the U.S. Senate. He was appointed in January 2021 to complete the Senate term of Vice President Kamala Harris. The son of immigrants, Padilla grew up in the San Fernando Valley and studied Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was drawn to politics in response to California’s anti-immigrant Proposition 187. Padilla was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 1999 and the State Senate in 2006. As California’s Secretary of State, he oversaw a historic expansion of voting rights and voter participation. Padilla serves as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety. He is a member of the Senate Committees on Budget; Environment and Public Works; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Judiciary; and Rules. Padilla lives in the San Fernando Valley with his wife, Angela, and their three sons, Roman, Alex and Diego.

Continued Remarks: Kimberly Fuentes, California LULAC Policy and Communications Director

Kimberly graduated from California State University Channel Islands with a Bachelors in Political Science and a minor in Chicano/a studies. She graduated as a Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honors inductee. For three years, she served as a Model United Nations Delegate. Through these Model UN conferences, she engaged in research and discussion on the global community’s most pressing issues and was recognized for her work with two Position Paper awards. Throughout her four years, she served as a University Experience Associate where she helped students transition into their first years at the university. This program has been recognized for increasing the retention and graduation rates of incoming students at the university. In 2015, she was chosen as the CSUCI representative to serve in a Congressional office. Through the Leon Panetta Institute Congressional program she worked on Capitol Hill in the office of Congress Member Alan Lowenthal. She has been proactive in serving the Latino community through advocacy. She hopes to be able to help advance her community in a positive way throughout her career endeavors.

Closing Remarks: Jose Barrera, California LULAC State Director

With over ten years of service in LULAC, Jose “JB” Barrera became a community advocate in

high school and is now serving as the youngest State Director in the history of California

LULAC. An inspired dreamer born in Michoacán Mexico, JB graduated from the University of

California Davis and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish. During his 

school years, he worked for a Public Affairs firm in Sacramento gaining experience in which he 

would later use in his professional life. Jose currently works for SEIU-UHW advocating for 

healthcare worker rights. His passion for an advocacy-focused approach allows him to work 

across the aisle to advance the rights of Latinos across the state. 

Awardees: 

State Senator Connie Leyva, CA LULAC Educational Champion (Virtual)

Assembly Member Miguel Santiago, CA LULAC Housing Champion (Virtual)

Assembly Member Eloise Gomez Reyes, CA LULAC Health Champion  (Virtual)

State Senator Monique Limon,  CA LULAC Economic Champion 

State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, CA LULAC Political Champion 

Secretary of State Shirley Weber, CA LULAC Civil Rights Champion

9:00 pm to 10:00 pm Our Ball of Tomorrow                                                             

Dj Tuese

Sunday, May 1, 2022 

Good Standing Membership only

7:30 am to 2:00 pm Convention Assembly and Breakfast                                                               Magnolia

General Assembly, Resolutions, Selection of Next Year’s Convention Site, Elections, Swearing in of New Officers, Closing Comments

Interested in Joining LULAC? 

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