Yesterday, as part of Black History Month programming, the White House hosted a virtual Celebration of Afro-Latino Heritage, where Administration officials highlighted how President Biden has prioritized equity and diversity in his Administration. The program consisted of two panels and remarks from Ambassador to Spain Julissa Reynoso, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Cedric Richmond, Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education Dr. Pedro Noguera, as well as a spoken word by writer Melania Luisa Marte.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute CEO Marco Davis moderated a discussion focused on Afro-Latino representation with Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson; Director of the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services Marvin Figueroa; and Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility CEO Cid Wilson. White House Senior Advisor for Public Engagement Carissa Smith later moderated a second discussion focused on achieving Black wellness, the theme for this year's Black History Month, with Deputy Director for Energy Justice, Shalanda Baker, at the Department of Energy, and Acting National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency, Miguel Estién, from the Department of Commerce. Administration officials shared accomplishments from the first year of the Biden-Harris Administration and participants shared their own experiences as leaders in the Afro-Latino community.