Latino administrators gather to empower youth at leadership event

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents held a leadership conference so educators can best support Latino youth in their education.

The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents is launching a New England Chapter, striving to inspire powerful, Latino leaders in western Massachusetts school districts.

Friday's leadership conference, the organization's first, and a milestone event in creating inclusive learning environments where Latino students and educators thrive. Jose Esribano, Assistant Superintendent for Springfield Public Schools, told 22News, "Springfield's about 70% Latino, Worcester's about 50%, and we go on and on, so it's important that the leaders that are in front of our students understand their needs and how best to support them."

The conference brought together Latino educators and administrators from all across the country, helping them collaborate and share goals on how they can solve existing issues in education.

Some of those issues, Biden's former U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardona, defines in his keynote address. He shares his message of leading collaboratively in what he calls a "challenging time", amidst the federal government's cuts to the Department of Education. Despite roadblocks, he says it's a time educators should be grateful to influence.

"So when we find out that we have groups like this that can come together and engage philanthropy, or work with legislators to help them understand the impact of that, that's strengthened when you have a group like ALAS New England that can do that together," says Cardona.

Cardona adds ALAS New England is a step in the right direction, using the power of unity to enact change in our school districts.