Courtesy photo.
SANTA MARIA — Ways to relieve stress and information about mental health will be a few of the topics discussed at the 7thAnnual SMJUHSD Latinos Unidos Conference on Saturday, March 9th.
The event, which will highlight “Self Care”, is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at PVHS. The day will feature student-developed workshops ranging from journaling to nutritious snacks.
The keynote speaker will be Fong Tran; a renowned poet, speaker and educator. He’s known for hosting interactive workshops on topics such as social justice, poetry as a tool of empowerment, ally leadership, toxic masculinity among men of color, youth and social media, cultural identity/intersectionality and leadership. He will lead a workshop for the students on self-care and self-love.
“I am so excited to continue coordinating this district-wide conference for our students because I get to work with them on important issues outside the classroom. My hope this year is to provide our youth with resources that will help them reflect on their daily routine as it relates to self-care and mental health.” – Patricia Villalobos, Latinos Unidos Advisor and Spanish Teacher.
Students say they are excited about joining forces.
“This conference is a great experience for ALL! Great topics will be covered to educate all on self-care. I hope that y’all come out and support us!” – Omar Mata, PVHS, 12thgrade.
“The conference allows us to be ourselves and grow through education, self-love, and culture.” – Ana Murillo, ERHS, 12thgrade.
“This conference is important because it brings the community together. It’s a fun and informational event, where people can meet others and enjoy some time together. Learning about self-care is important to live a nice life. Come for a good time and some great information.” – Juana Gonzalez, ERHS, 9thgrade.
“Loving yourself is also being proud of where you are from.” – Saul Martinez, SMHS, 12thgrade.
“People need to come to this conference because they need to learn how to take care of their own mental health. Many people don’t know how mental health can be affected by daily life. Thus, it’s important to know how we can practice more self-care.” – Gabriela Ramirez, PVHS, 12thgrade.
“This conference is important because all the schools in our district came together to plan and organize the workshops. Learning about self-care is also important because we always focus on our work and don’t always dedicate time to ourselves.” – Evelyn Pacheco, SMHS, 12thgrade.