Texas Latino Policy Symposium to draw experts on the needs of Latinos amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Digital programming will focus on health and human resources, labor and employment, education, housing and development

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected the Latino population in Texas. The virtual, two-day Texas Latino Policy Symposium on Thursday, Oct. 1, and Friday, Oct. 2, will draw together experts from across the state to discuss advocacy needed in the areas of education, labor, affordable housing, health care and other topics.

The Texas Latino Policy Symposium is an independent, non-institutional Latino policy think tank focused on the bienstar (well-being) of Latino families. This year’s online event is hosted by the St. Mary’s University Department of Economics and Master of Public Administration program.

“The goal of this symposium is to formulate policy responses to propose to the Texas Legislature that redress the disproportionate lasting impact the pandemic has had on Latino families,” said Belinda Román, Ph.D., St. Mary’s Assistant Professor of Economics and organizer of the symposium.

Panels of note include:

• Oct. 1: A noon to 1:30 p.m. Plenary Session titled, “Texas Latino Policy Priorities: Latino Policy Priority due the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The panel features Angela Kocherga, KTEP news director in El Paso (moderator); Marta Tienda, Ph.D., principal investigator of the Texas Higher Education Opportunity Project and Princeton University Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs; Robert Santos, vice president and chief methodologist of the Urban Institute; Mercy Murguia, Potter County commissioner precinct 2; and Amelie Ramirez, Dr.P.H., UT Health San Antonio.
• Oct. 2: An 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. session titled, “Policy Priorities and Plans for the 87th Texas Legislature.” The session will feature Texas State Senator José Rodríguez for District 29, moderated by St. Mary’s University Professor Emeritus Henry Flores, Ph.D.

Those who would like to attend can visit the Latino Policy Symposium registration page to register for free. A full schedule is located on the Symposium’s schedule page.