The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) held today its first annual Future Leaders Conference at the Inter-American Development Bank’s headquarters, where more than 150 D.C. summer youth interns attended. In his welcoming remarks, IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno emphasized that internships are key in developing skills needed to assume leadership roles in the region. He acknowledged the contribution of the interns working at the Bank who come from the IDB member countries.
Keynote speaker U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez highlighted the importance of leadership skills in achieving success in the students’ careers. Youth interns also heard from CHLI Chairman Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and IDB Executive Director for the United States Hector E. Morales.
Morales noted that this conference was “helping develop future leaders of our communities… and the importance of giving back to our communities both economically and socially.”
The all-day conference offered students the opportunity to hear from young corporate leaders including Carlos Orta, President and CEO, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility and Michael L. Barrera, President and CEO, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and representatives from Wal-Mart, Pepsico, Federal Mortgage Assistance Corporation (Freddie Mac) and the Young Americas Business Trust. Panels covered financial literacy, effective writing, and youth leadership, chaired by the IDB.
CHLI is a non-partisan not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a broader awareness of the diversity of thought, heritage, interests and views of Americans of Hispanic and Portuguese descent.