D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, his Office on Latino Affairs (OLA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will host the first Latino Youth Summit between 1 and 8 PM this Friday, February 29, at the IDB. The opening session with Mayor Fenty and IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno will take place from 1:30 to 2 PM.
The summit seeks to engage and empower Latino youth by providing a forum that will allow them to share their views on topics of concern and suggest strategies on how government and community services addressing these issues can be improved. It will include the participation of 200 District-based youths between the ages of 12 and 22.
“The fundamental building blocks of a healthy and productive society are to ensure that young people are equipped with skills, values and opportunities,” said IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno. “Our experience shows that when we invest in our young people, they can be key partners for development and serve as agents of change."
The recommendations drawn from the youths’ participation in the summit will be collected, analyzed and compiled in a report that will function as an action plan to be utilized in addressing these issues more thoroughly by OLA and the youth leaders that will emerge from the event.
These youth leaders will be asked to participate in the inaugural D.C. Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs Youth Advisory Committee, which will meet on a regular basis and continue to provide input and advice to OLA and other government agencies as well as follow-up on the recommendations made by participants of the Summit.
“This year’s Latino Youth Summit exemplifies the Mayor’s ongoing commitment to empower and improve the lives of youth throughout the cit,” said OLA Director Mercedes Lemp. “This forum will provide a unique opportunity to explore the unique linguistic and cultural issues specific to Latino youth as well as allow us an effective manner in which to work hand in hand with participants to devise solutions addressing the obstacles they face on a daily basis”
The media is invited to attend the opening session of the summit from 1:30 to 2 PM, which will take place at the IDB Conference Center, 1330 New York Avenue, N.W., Conference Room A3.