By Lesly Williams, VP Publicity/Public Relations
The SOMOS 2023 Conference took place, as is customary, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Nov. 8-11. The well-attended event drew 2,300 people, a record number. Among the attendees were NYS elected and appointed officials, members of various community/labor organizations, and officers and members of the DC 37 Retirees Association.
The theme of the SOMOS conference – Strengthening & Supporting Our Communities -- was quite apropos, in light of the difficulties that are endemic in some communities significantly more than others.
A comprehensive agenda consisted of several workshops covering topics ranging from health care, housing, economic independence, asylum seekers’ empowerment, and mental health to voting rights, public safety in New York, and Puerto Rico & the Diaspora. While at SOMOS, DC 37 Retirees also conveyed to some elected officials and others our strong opposition to Medicare Advantage and our continued efforts to maintain Traditional Medicare.
Listed below are some of the more than 35 workshops that were available to attendees during the conference:
Empowering Asylum Seekers through Workforce Development: A Path to Economic Independence.
Bridging The Gap: A Comprehensive Approach to Addressing the Mental Health Crisis and Cultivating Cultural Competence in Social Work.
Saving Lives in Puerto Rico and New York: Harm Reduction Crosses Oceans.
Healthcare Access in Puerto Rico and the Diaspora
Safety Net Hospitals: The Road to Health Equity
Multidisciplinary Approach to Strengthening Food Access in Puerto Rico
Empowering Community through Language
Creative Organizing in Our Latino Communities
Empowering Communities through Language
Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies: Understanding the Best Ways for Undeserved Communities to Stay Safe in the Digital Space.
Empowering LGBTQ+ Homeless Youth in NY and Puerto Rico
The vision for Unity and Equity
Access to Justice
Wage Theft in NY and Puerto Rico: Stealing from More than Workers
The conference also featured individuals and organizations that are engaged in the fight for racial and economic justice, ecological awareness, agricultural self-sustainability, food justice, and education reform, land use, and worker safety. Other social/ educational events underscored the unity within the Latino community, such as Mariachi night and events focused on Puerto Rican and Dominican culture.
Consistent with the theme of the conference, attendees also had the opportunity to participate in the traditional “Day of Service,” providing assistance in planting, environmental conservation, and other activities supportive of local communities affected by recent hurricanes. It is fitting to add the adage, “By coming together, we can pave the way for a better future for all.”
Photos below show DC 37 members and officers at SOMOS 2023, along with NY State Gov. Kathy Hochul and NY City Council Member Darlene Mealy (D-District 41), who also attended the event.
