Gustavus Adolphus College

Author Jimmy Cabrera speaks at this year’s ChYLI conference.

Gustavus Adolphus College is hosting its annual Chicano/Latino Youth Leadership Institute service conference Oct. 25-26. This year’s conference is for Latino high school students from St. Peter and St. James high schools.

ChYLI is a culturally based positive youth development program that provides Chicano-Latino high school youth from southern Minnesota with opportunities to develop their leadership ability and enhance their educational outlook.

The program was developed in 1993 by the Region Nine Development Commission in Mankato, Minn., and is now coordinated by Gustavus. Goals of the program include building a network of Chicano-Latino leaders, increasing understanding of the Chicano-Latino culture, involving youth in service-learning opportunities, community decision-making and vision setting, and increasing school connectedness and graduation rates among Chicano-Latino youth.

This year’s conference features a keynote address by author Jimmy Cabrera, several educational presentations by ChYLI facilitators, and a workshop/performance by the college’s “I Am We Are” social justice theatre company.