The UnidosUS Annual Conference gives participants from all over the U.S. a meeting ground to discuss and focus on topics that address pressing issues that Latinos face daily. This year was unique—they went to a virtual format, keeping everyone safe, without losing momentum and still moving the agenda of the Latino community forward. We had the opportunity to hear from prominent leaders about a variety of key topics like the importance of health insurance, phenomenal Latinas, and voting. For me, it was empowering to learn about current events and problems that are affecting many people. The virtual conference was held …

When I was eight years old, I looked forward to playing football. One day I was at Hermoso Park for our flag football practice when suddenly two young black men bolted through our practice field towards the back of the park. A cop car immediately drove onto the field and apprehended one of them. I remember looking around at our team of eight-year-olds and telling my coach, “I hope we can still keep playing.” My coach looked at me and said, “I hope this park can, one day, be safe enough for children to play football.” We never practiced at …