Latino Student Retreat 2019

Ukiah, CA. - The 31st Annual Latino Student Retreat, presented by Mendocino College, will take place on Friday, May 3, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. beginning at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts. 

The purpose of the Latino Student Retreat is to promote social and cultural awareness to high school students from Mendocino and Lake Counties and it includes motivational speakers, workshops, entertainment and lunch. The event has increased in popularity since its inception 30 years ago, and it continues to draw well-known and excellent Latino role models as presenters from educational, political, legal, business and artistic fields. The theme for this year’s retreat is “Hecho en Mendo/Made in Mendo”. We are very fortunate to have an accomplished poet & speaker Yosimar Reyes joining us for the retreat this year:

Yosimar Reyes is a nationally-acclaimed poet and public speaker. Born in Guerrero, Mexico, and raised in Eastside San Jose, Reyes explores the themes of migration and sexuality in his work. The Advocate named Reyes one of "13 LGBT Latinos Changing the World" and Remezcla included Reyes on their list of "10 Up And Coming Latinx Poets You Need To Know."  His first collection of poetry, For Colored Boys Who Speak Softly… was self-published after a collaboration with the legendary Carlos Santana. His work has also been published in various online journals and books including Mariposas: An Anthology of Queer Modern Latino Poetry (Floricanto Press) and Queer in Aztlán: Chicano Male Recollections of Consciousness and Coming Out (Cognella Press). Reyes was featured in the Documentary, "2nd Verse: The Rebirth of Poetry."  Yosimar is a LAMBDA Literary Fellow as well as the recipient of the Undocupoets Fellowship. Reyes previously served as Artist-in-Residence at the media and culture organization, Define American.  He has toured and presented at university campuses across the United States. He is currently working on his one-man show, "Prieto," to premiere in the near future. Reyes holds a B.A in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.

We anticipate over 300 students from grades 9th-12th will be in attendance accompanied by their teachers, counselors and chaperones.  The following schools will be participating: Accelerated Achievement Academy, Anderson Valley High School, Clearlake High School, Fort Bragg High School, Kelseyville High School, Laytonville High School, Lower Lake High School, Middletown High School, Point Arena High School, Redwood Academy, Ukiah High School and Willits High School.

Thank you to our sponsors: Career and Technical Education at Mendocino College, Redwood Credit Union, Migrant Education Region 2, the First Year Institute at Mendocino College, the College Assistance Migrant Program at Mendocino College and the High School Equivalency Program at Mendocino College.

For questions about the Latino Student Retreat, please call Monica Flores at (707) 467-1008.