Kent State will host the third annual Hablemos (Let’s Talk) Conference Friday at 9:30 a.m. in the Kiva.

The program features two keynote speakers. Juan Andrade Jr., president of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute located in Chicago, will speak first about the socioeconomic and political role Latinos play in society. Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, representative of Puerto Rico in Congress, will speak second about the possibility of Puerto Rico becoming the 51st state.

David Garcia, associate vice president for enrollment management and chair of the Latino Networking Caucus, said that this year’s theme is focusing on the impact Latinos have in the greater community.

“My hope is that they’ll take away that organizations really need to have more in-depth discussions in relations to the growing trends of the Hispanic population,” he said. “But also to go back and talk about what they can do within their own organizations to try to reach out to the Hispanic community group, in hopes of increasing the diversity within their own organizations.”

The conference sessions are open for anyone to attend, but reservations for the luncheon were required. For more information, contact Garcia at 330-672-4050 or [email protected].

Contact Kelsey Leyva at [email protected].