Convention aims to address needs of Pa.’s growing Latino community
The flags of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and the United States hang in the window of the Latino Hispanic American Community Center in Harrisburg. (Photo: Tom Downing/WITF)
(Harrisburg) — Pennsylvania is home to nearly one million Latinos, including many Puerto Ricans who fled the island after last year’s Hurricane Maria.
The upcoming Pennsylvania Latino Convention aims address the needs of this community. It will host discussions and workshops on topics such as education, jobs, health, immigration, and poverty.
Chairman Norman Bristol Colon said the three-day event is meant to be the place to draft a strategic agenda for the commonwealth’s Latino community.
“Once we have the discussions during the convention, we will have a white paper that we’re going to be publishing and sending to all stakeholders around the state so they know the latino realities,” Colon said.
Colon said he hopes to make the convention an annual event, so they can review progress on key issues year after year.
The convention is scheduled to coincide with the first anniversary of Hurricane Maria hitting Puerto Rico.
Colon said participants can use the opportunity to honor the victims of the storm.
The convention is slated to be held September 20-22 at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, 25 S Queen St., Lancaster, PA 17603.
A collection of interviews, photos, and music videos, featuring local musicians who have stopped by the WITF performance studio to share a little discussion and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.
