Image" Courtesy Adelante Youth Alliance Website

“We want these young men to aim high, to dream big and understand that they can achieve anything they want to. They just need to work hard and follow the path that these professionals have laid out for them to build a network of support for themselves,” said Stella Murga about a Saturday event for young Latino men.

Murga is Executive Director and Founder of the Adelante Youth Alliance (formerly Pasadena Youth Center), and she’s talking about the Alliance’s sixth annual conference at PCC that expects to bring over 2,200 young men ages 12-21 from all over the Southland to network with working Latino professionals to spark inspiration towards following rewarding career paths.

The conference is the largest of its kind in California and offers middle and high school boys the opportunity to take part in interactive, age-appropriate, educational workshops related to issues that affect their lives now and in the future.

“The overall purpose is to provide these young men with valuable information and resources about college and careers that will enhance their growth, their leadership and pursuit of a post-high school education,” said  Murga.

Pasadena Youth Center (PYC) began to formulate in 1995, in response to dramatic increase in local youth violence and high school drop-out rates. Youth and adults came together and community focus groups were conducted to identify the needs and solutions.

PYC has been instrumental in assisting hundreds of youth, on the verge of failing in school, progress to the next grade level, complete high school, identify and implement career plans, advance to college or trade training, secure employment, and become productive members of their communities – willing and able to give back, according to the website.

“All boys are welcome to come to the conference. It started because of the need to expose our young latino boys to occupations and careers that they are not represented in and never had to opportunity to consider,” said Murga.

Over one hundred successful latino professional from various academic levels and disciplines in areas of business, health, science, technology, law, engineering, arts, entertainment and other promising fields, according to Murga.

There will be a resource fair that features a variety of exhibitors that include colleges, universities, and community organizations.

“The important thing is that they see men who look like them as successful individuals in these careers. It gives them the expectations and the hope that they can do these things, too,” said Murga.

Interactive workshops are scheduled throughout the day to offer hands-on insight into various professions, lead by the profssionals themselves.

“The workshops are designed to give the young men a feel for the occupation or career itself,” said Murga.

An example of an impressive workshop at the conference includes a hands-on heart dissection lead by a practicing heart surgeon.

The number of participants has grown steadily from 250 attendees the first year and is expected to bring together over 2,200 participants who are primarily from Southern California, but some have come from as far away as Northern California, San Diego County and the Imperial Valley, according to Murga.

“It’s really a huge volunteer effort. It has just grown incredibly,” said Murga.

The AYM Conference will also feature SoCal influential latinos including Human Rights Advocate and Famed Exoneree,Franky Carrillo and JPL Avionics Systems Engineer Luis Dominguez as the Keynote Speakers and ABC 7 Eyewitness News General Assignment Reporter Sid Garcia and NBC 4 Sports Reporter Mario Solis as the Masters of Ceremonies.

The event is sponsored by PCC, Kaiser Permanente, Edison International, ABC 7, Pacific Western Bank, Union Bank and Wells Fargo.

The Adelante Young Men Conference is Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Pasadena City College located at 1570 E Colorado Blvd.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call 626-798-1538 or visit bit.ly/1MXgXqe.