Hispanic youth get challenged to 'educate others'
Hispanic youth get challenged to 'educate others'

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By Jesse Olivarez

Published: February 5, 2008

Get an education and give something back. That was the message given to more than 200 Hispanic high school students who attended the fourth annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference at Oklahoma City University.

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Featured speakers Jesse Iniguez and Rolando Santoyo, co-founders of the Hispanic Web site and T-shirt line no-manches.com, told the students how they started their business. The Chicago natives, both in their mid-20s, said a solid college education was the key.

"When I first started I wanted to study music, but before that I wanted to be a professional soccer player, ... but I realized if I messed up my ankle — what then?” Iniguez said. "Then I realized that if I got a degree I could do anything.”

The duo said they draw much of the inspiration from their community, and they have worked to improve the neighborhoods they grew up in.

"It's our responsibility to educate ourselves; this way we can educate others,” he said.

Students from the Putnam City and Oklahoma City school districts attended the Friday conference. They had an opportunity to meet with representatives from colleges across the state and learn about degree programs, scholarships and financial aid. Organizers said the goal of the daylong conference was to get students thinking about going to college.

Alfredo Melchor, president of the Hispanic Youth Association at OCU, said he hoped the conference would make the students understand that a good education and an active civic life can help them shape the future.

"It's very important that students get reached so they realize that they also have a part in the rest of America and what's going on,” he said. "By bringing them to these kind of events ... they get to see how they have a part in America.”

Iniguez also discussed anti-immigration issues that have become a hot-button topic in this year's national elections. Iniguez said he opposed immigration laws such as Oklahoma's House Bill 1804 and urged the students to exercise their right to vote.

"We are the products of immigration,” Iniguez said. "We're here because our parents decided that they were looking for better opportunities and now I'm contributing to my country. I'm paying taxes ... I'm not a criminal.”

Iniguez' message of empowerment hit the mark for Julian Villa, 18.

Villa, a senior at Southeast High School, said the conference made him more aware of the advantages he has as an American citizen. He said he is a registered voter and plans on exercising his opinion by stepping into the voting booth today.

"I plan on really getting more involved in my community and helping out because he's right about a lot of things,” Villa said.

Brianda Ortega, a senior at Northwest Classen High School, said she already has started to give back to her community. Ortega said she spends time working as a volunteer translator at a free clinic. Helping people in need makes her feel good, she said.

Ortega said she and her peers need to remember the positive message presented at the conference.

"We have to push ourselves to be able to change things,” she said.

Related Topics: Special Interest Groups, Hispanic and Latino Issues