Latina Conference Goes Virtual

THE WYOMING LATINA YOUTH CONFERENCE EMBRACES LEADERSHIP, SCIENCE AND CREATIVITY

When Professor Cecilia Aragón and Cheyenne’s Ann Esquibel Redman teamed up, they decided to bring their passions together, bringing the Wyoming Latina Youth Conference (WLYC) to the University of Wyoming. According to Pew Research, in 2016, the Latina/o community made up 10 percent of Wyoming’s population. It was apparent to Redman that there was a need for mentorship and community for young Latinas in the Mountain West, so she addressed the need.

In 2016, the WLYC moved under the umbrella of UW’s Latina/o studies. Aragón joyfully took on the role of executive director of the conference. Working alongside Redman, they created two committees—one in Cheyenne and one at UW.

With years of successful programming, UW looked forward to hosting the WLYC on campus for the seventh year in fall 2020. Due to COVID-19, this was not possible. Nevertheless, the WLYC persisted. Aragón knew it was ambitious, but insisted the conference be moved virtually.

Wrangling over 300 young women into Zoom conference rooms was difficult, but it worked. Hosted through the UW Zoom platform, the conference included more than six hours of programming.

Flying Free This year’s theme was Flying Free, and Cecilia Rodriguez Aragon, Professor at the University of Washington served as the keynote speaker. Growing up as a shy young woman, Aragon never thought she’d have the potential to stand in her power, let alone pursue the sciences.

The daughter of a Chilean father and a Filipina mother, Cecilia Aragon grew up as a shy, timid child in a small Midwestern town during the 1960s. Targeted by school bullies and dismissed by many of her teachers, she worried that people would find out the truth: that she was INTF. Incompetent. Nerd. Terrified. Failure. This feeling stayed with her well into her 20s when she was told that “girls can’t do science” or “women just don’t know how to handle machines.”

Yet in the span of just six years, Aragon became the

ART TOOK A FOREFRONT AT THE WLYC CONFERENCE THIS YEAR. AS A CATALYST FOR COLLECTION, REDMAN AND ARAGÓN ENCOURAGED ATTENDEES TO SEND THEIR ARTWORK IN FOR AN ART CONTEST.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR PEREA PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA PEREZ

first Latina pilot to secure a place on the United States Unlimited Aerobatic Team and earn the right to represent her country at the Olympics of aviation, the World Aerobatic Championships. Using mathematical techniques, Aragon was able to conquer her fear of heights, people and new experiences with the confidence of data.

Having a heart for young Latinas, Aragon was the perfect keynote, offering wisdom and encouraging the young women to break barriers that were in front of them. Knowing that young Latina’s are discriminated against due to issues around gender and race, Aragon encouraged them be mindful of glass ceilings and know that they were meant to be broken.

Making Do with Zoom Art took a forefront at the WLYC conference this year. As a catalyst for collection, Redman and Aragón encouraged attendees to send their artwork in for an art contest. All mediums were encouraged, including 2-D artwork, photography and collage.

With coordination from high school leaders, registration for the Zoom conference was a success. Spanning over two days in October, the conference was packed to the brim with engaging, curated materials.

The event kicked off on Oct. 9, 2020. The university offered a virtual UW art museum tour followed by a documentary film “Sister Cities.” The rest of the day focused on social development and art, as well as a general Q&A.

On Saturday, Aragon took the stage and presented her keynote entitled “Flying Free.” Then with coordinated packages, the young women over Zoom took on a bonding craft, creating LED e-textile masks. After a lunch break, Aragon came back again and spoke about her memoir, the process of creative writing and how to craft a cultural narrative.

The rest of the day was spent on practical skillset building with classes on financial wellness, COVID-19 safety and wellness training. After a long day of digital communing, the young women had a TikTok dance party with a live DJ.

Lifelong Connections Thankful to their donors, the WLYC looks forward to supplying programing for young Latina’s for years to come. The program has offered stewardship to many young women who have gone on to do great things.

Women who go through the conference program often eventually attend UW, then continue on to great success. Taylor Perea, a senior from Cheyenne, is looking towards medical school with great excitement. Another successful WLYC member, Laura Perez, born in Mexico and raised in Jackson, Wyo., is a senior double majoring in psychology and Spanish with a minor in statistics.

She currently serves as the director of diversity for the Associate Students of the University of Wyoming (ASUW). Her future career plans are to attend law school and hope to become a social justice/civil rights lawyer.

The WLYC has encouraged excellence in many Latina students. Former members have gone on to become therapists, social workers, scientists, writers and academics. Check out the WLYC webpage for more information: uwyo.edu/wlyc.