About the panelists:

Priscila Desiderio Herrera serves as the first DACA recipient to lead Mi Centro as Executive Director, an organization serving Latine and Indigenous communities in Pierce County and across Washington. Born in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Priscila is a young Latina, immigrant, first-time mom, and survivor of domestic violence. Her own experiences have shaped the way she leads and advocates for communities that have often been overlooked, underserved, or excluded from decision-making. As someone who often describes herself as “ni de aquí, ni de allá,” Priscila sees herself as an embodiment of her parents’ American dream: creating opportunities, opening doors, and helping build a better future for the next generation.

Deborah Sioux Cano-Lee is proud of her Indigenous, Mexica and Chicano heritage and carries forward a legacy rooted in resistance, resilience, and community. Raised under the kitchen table, surrounded by her family of Chicano organizers who fought for the rights of migrant farm workers, she learned early that justice is something we protect, practice, and pass on. Today, she represents CIELO as Board Chair, advocating for and uplifting our beloved Indigenous migrant community through education, civil rights, and culturally grounded leadership. 

Danielle Surkatty is a volunteer with the Yakima Immigrant Response Network (YIRN). YIRN’s mission is to “support immigrant communities throughout the Yakima Valley.”  She will talk briefly about YIRN's history and YIRN's 3 major programs:  Rapid Response, Accompaniment, and Family Assistance.  YIRN provides assistance to the families of newly detained community members in the early days/weeks after a family member is detained by ICE as well as supporting the detained community members during their detention at the ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. 

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About the speaker:
Justice Steven C. González began his service on the Supreme Court on January 1, 2012. He served as the Supreme Court’s first Chief Justice of color and the 58th Chief Justice from January 2021 to January 2025. Before joining the Supreme Court, Justice González served for ten years as a trial judge on the King County Superior Court hearing criminal, civil, juvenile, and family law cases.

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About the session:
We often talk about racism, but what happens when skin tone influences how people are treated within the same racial or ethnic community? This session takes an honest look at colorism, its historical roots, and the ways it can influence relationships, professional opportunities, leadership, and belonging. Through conversation and reflection, we’ll consider how recognizing colorism can help us build stronger, more inclusive Latino communities and workplaces.

About the speaker:
Dr Luz Garza is the daughter of seasonal migrant farmworkers and grew up in Sunnyside, WA, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and Stephen, MN.  Eager to leave the fields and make a difference in the lives of her family and community, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Washington State University and a Master of Science degree in Applied Psychology from Eastern Washington University. After seven years as an elementary school counselor and Counseling President in the Sunnyside School district, she moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. While teaching part-time as an adjunct professor, running a tutoring business, and teaching Zumba fitness classes, she earned her doctorate in Health Psychology from Northcentral University and became the general education dean at a nursing college. Thrilled to return to her home state in 2023, she is currently the Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Columbia Basin College. 

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About the session:
Arts and cultural engagement are vital to a thriving society. Active participation in the arts has the power to improve physical and mental health, bridge community divides, and strengthen the social fabric that shapes well-being. In this facilitated conversation, join Juan Alaniz (Healthcare Authority), Miguel Guillen (ArtsWA), and Makaela Kroin (WA State Parks) as they discuss the importance of arts and cultural participation in individual and community health with a focus on Latine traditions.

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About the session:
This presentation explores how inclusive immigration policies can generate spillover benefits that positively impact not only immigrants but also the broader society. By examining the ripple effects of welcoming and supportive immigration measures, we can see how these policies help foster stronger communities, enhance economic opportunities, and promote social cohesion. The discussion aims to highlight the interconnected ways in which inclusivity in immigration leads to widespread advantages for everyone.
The presentation will center on how immigrant-friendly policies generate individual, community, state, and federal level benefits for all. I will draw on research to illustrate this argument and counteract public messages of immigrants as a "drain" to US society. 

About the speaker:
Vanessa Delgado is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Washington State University. Broadly, her work explores the incorporation pathways of low-income Latino/a immigrant families. She employs qualitative methods to examine how immigration laws exacerbate social and economic inequality among low-income Latino/a immigrants and their children. She is the 2025-2026 inaugural Faculty-in-Residence at the WSU Multicultural Student Services Center. She is also a 2025-2026 Visiting Poverty Scholar at the Center for Poverty and Inequality Research at the University of California, Davis. She has published 13 peer-reviewed articles and numerous policy briefs on matters that span immigration, immigrant families, and education. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Irvine in 2022.

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Join us as we close out Hispanic Heritage Month with a presentation on Equity and Employee Development. Our presenter, Delia Arce, is a Learning Design and Delivery Professional focusing on Equity and Employee Development with the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services.

Use this link to join the general meeting on October 13, 2026 at 3pm.