GRCC staff and members of the Latino Student Union (LSU) club attended the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI) National Conference in February. This annual event is the largest gathering of students, young professionals and emerging leaders in the nation. Attendees have the opportunity to interact with public policy makers, expert presenters and current community leaders. For Alexsandra Aguilar-Delgado and Joel Reyes Hernandez, the conference offered an opportunity to grow their leadership skills and connect with their cultural identity. Aguilar-Delgado is a current GRCC student and treasurer for the LSU. Reyes Hernandez is a GRCC alumnus and currently serves as the ALAS program coordinator. Creating Space for Connection Over the four-day event, attendees connected over meals, listened to inspiring keynote speakers and participated in workshops. Both Aguilar-Delgado and Reyes Hernandez described feeling energized and empowered at the end of every day. “It was a life changing experience,” said Aguilar-Delgado. “I met professionals with the same background as me. Or people who grew up in difficult circumstances and still found success. Hearing about their journeys was so inspiring.” “Being there with all those people was powerful,” said Reyes Hernandez. “I felt valued and like my voice mattered. I know that if we stick together, we can make a huge impact in our communities.” A Focus on Leadership USHLI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering communities through education, leadership development, civic engagement and research. The 2026 conference theme was “Uplifting America’s Emerging Leaders” and encouraged participants to access resources and grow their servant leadership capability. “I didn’t realize how many Hispanic leaders we already have in the United States,” said Reyes Hernandez. “There were politicians, ambassadors, educators and industry leaders at the conference. Especially in our current political climate, it helped me see that we have what it takes to make the world a better place now.” “One workshop was about the reality of being from two different cultures,” said Aguilar-Delgado. “It can feel like having two different identities and splitting your time 50/50 between them. But the speaker encouraged us to think about both identities being 100% you. Added together, that’s 200%.” The conference was presented in both English and Spanish. “That was a huge plus for me,” said Reyes Hernandez. “One of the biggest challenges we face as an underrepresented community is the language barrier. Having both languages there equally made me more comfortable. I didn’t feel pressure to have perfect English. I could be myself.” Inspired to Make a Difference   “I learned a lot about leadership and community,” said Aguilar-Delgado. “One speaker received a very prestigious award, but she did so with so much humbleness. She said love for her community inspired her to lead. It helped me realize that the answer to a lot of problems we face today is love. Love for your community, love for everything. And that love will inspire you to stand up for what’s right and fight for justice.” “Instead of creating divisions, we need to create more unity,” said Reyes Hernandez. “My biggest takeaway is to not let fear hold me back. Put yourself out there and do the right thing even if you feel scared. And to always root for yourself and believe in your own potential.” Aguilar-Delgado and Hernandez hope more GRCC students and staff have the opportunity to attend next year’s conference. “This conference is one of the ways GRCC extends learning beyond the classroom,” said Reyes Hernandez. “Opportunities like this empower students and help them realize that learning happens everywhere and that we can make a bigger impact when we do it together.”