AAUW Dialog

Atrévete a Soñar ¡Edúcate! — or Dare to Dream: Get Educated! — will kick off its fourth annual conference for young Latinas on January 28 at Illinois’ Elmhurst College. Founded by Connie Baker, former president and longtime member of the AAUW Elmhurst (IL) Branch, this conference grew out of the 2007 AAUW National Convention in Phoenix, where Baker learned about the Adelante Mujer conference for Latina high school students. She returned home with the idea to create a conference for Latina girls and their mothers. Her aim was to encourage girls’ academic achievement from middle school through college as well as success in a professional career. The conference targets middle school girls in an effort to influence their decisions about college education and careers.

To develop this program, Baker recruited Latina educators, professional women, community activists, and many talented members from local AAUW branches, including the AAUW Lombard (IL) Branch, the AAUW Wheaton-Glen Ellyn (IL) Branch, and the AAUW Downers Grove (IL) Branch. Thanks to the support of these branches and other organizations, Baker and the Dare to Dream conference were awarded a 2008–10 AAUW Community Action Grant.

Featured in AAUW’s 2010 annual report, Dare to Dream is preparing for yet another successful event. The conference is now at capacity, with 500 girls and their mothers, 18 schools, and 100 volunteers participating. Dare to Dream is an opportunity to focus on mothers’ education as well as their roles in their daughters’ education. Students and their mothers attend workshops on topics ranging from careers, campus life, and navigating the American school system to mothers as mentors and college preparation.

The conference encompasses many levels of education and also includes a college fair. This year, the Elmhurst College admissions office has helped recruit seven colleges and universities to participate. Many of these universities bring Latino or Latina admissions counselors to further the cultural connection the girls can make with higher education.

During the panel discussions, girls engage with high school and college women, many of whom previously attended the conference, as well as professional Latina women, including police officers, doctors, and businesswomen. This year’s keynote speaker, Jackie Camacho-Ruiz, is a successful entrepreneur and author who will speak about her personal experiences and overcoming obstacles and hardships — such as arriving in the United States when she was about the same age as the conference participants. Kate Skegg, media contact for Dare to Dream and an AAUW member, perfectly sums up the conference as “a day of inspiration” for both mothers and daughters.

Although the conference lasts only a day, the experience leaves a lasting impression on the girls’ lives. Last year’s attendees were given silicone rubber bracelets inscribed with “Dare to Dream: Get Educated! Atrévete a Soñar ¡Edúcate!” Skegg spoke recently to one participant, who said, “Every time I look at my Dare to Dream bracelet, I feel inspired!”

This post was written by AAUW Fellowships and Grants Intern Elyssa Shildneck.