Xochitl Garcia said she feels inspired after hearing a speech given by Valerie Otero, CU’s associate professor of scientific education, at a mini summit for the Colorado Coalition for the Educational Advancement of Latinos (CO-CEAL).
“As a student it’s empowering,” said Garcia, a 34-year-old junior ethnics studies major. “You get to a point in life when you lose sight why of I’m here. When I hear stories like [Otero’s] I feel I have a purpose…There are big opportunities if we will all work together.”
The mini summit was held at CU Boulder’s University Memorial Center Oct. 23. In attendance were faculty and staff from public and private universities and colleges throughout Colorado.
Otero shared her personal experiences and current studies on education as a guest speaker.
“[My goal] is to influence scientists to become civil rights activists so they will ultimately help influence educational issues and educational equity, diversity and opportunity,” Otero said.
Post-secondary and professional teachers formed CO-CEAL from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) to increase Latino/Hispanic educational success in Colorado, according to information handed out at the event.
Sallye McKee, the vice chancellor of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement, explained the significance of HACU and CO-CEAL.
“HACU and CO-CEAL are organizations that are dedicated to a very important societal need, ensuring that Hispanic/Latina/o and Chicano students have access to and graduate from colleges and universities across the US and Colorado,” McKee said.
CO-CEAL members attended sessions throughout the day to discuss data management, innovations, funding, legislation and communications in subcommittees.
One of the groups represented in CO-CEAL is the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement (ODECE). McKee explained the role of ODECE in the CU Community.
“ODECE is a campus based service division that supports this important mission and is uniquely designed to serve our campus so that faculty, staff, students and alumni work together to increase likelihood that all students from traditionally under-represented backgrounds flourish and graduate from our degree programs,” McKee said. “Additionally another major goal of ODECE is to ensure that we practice inclusion as a way to achieving excellence for all on campus.”
CO-CEAL now prepares for the national HACU conference from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. The conference will be held in Orlando, Florida. Two representatives will attend the conference on behalf of CU Boulder, McKee said.
Also on Nov. 2 and 3, CU Boulder is hosting its 15th annual Diversity and Inclusion Summit at the UMC.
For more information about the upcoming event, visit the Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement Web page.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Rose Heaphy at Josephine.heaphy@colorado.edu.
