More than 200 people attended each day of NIU’s sixth annual Voz de la Alianza Latina Estudiantil Leadership Conference on Friday and Saturday.

Juan Gonzalez, a senior Spanish business translation major, and senior nursing major Anibal Perez organized the conference, noted as the year’s biggest event for the Latino/Latina culture at NIU. Opening remarks were made Friday by NIU President John Peters.

“He was happy this conference could bring so many people together and how so many could benefit from it,” Gonzalez said.

Perez was thrilled with the overall response to the event.

“I was extremely satisfied with how it went,” she said. “I think the students got a lot out of it, and the speakers were really good.”

Friday’s events consisted of Peters’ opening remarks; two workshops; a luncheon; speeches by NIU alumnus Juan Andrade, Lt. Consuelo Kickbusch and

motivational speaker George Mendoza; and Noche Cultural, which was a night of music. Saturday included a third workshop; speakers Juan A. Ramirez, artistic director and co-founder of the Latino Chicago Theater Company, actress Bernadette Balagtas and Illinois Sen.Miguel DelValle, D-Chicago; an organizational exposition and Noche De Gala, a formal dinner and dance.

Balagtas’ one-person show was called “Faces of America.”

“The skit showed stories of young people from different nationalities,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and Perez said most who attended the conference reacted to Kickbusch’s speech.

“She got everyone involved, and she really helped them see how important school is,” Perez said.

Gonzalez said he thought many of the younger people at the conference probably related well to Ramirez because he grew up in Chicago.

“Juan had a good impact because he’s from where a lot of these kids are from, and he knows what they’re going through,” he said.

VALE also included a small awards ceremony. Outstanding male and female awards went to studio art-design major Angelica Barrera and mechanical engineering major Jesse Rojas, respectively. The award for outstanding faculty member went to Michael Gonzalez, director of the Center for Latino and Latin Services. A new category was added this year called outstanding organization outside of NIU, which was awarded to Harper College.

While the conference was mainly targeted toward NIU and the DeKalb area, Gonzalez said they try to open the conference up to a wider region.

The events were funded by the Student Association, Affirmative Action and Diversity Resources, the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, Student Support Services and various other groups.

“I think the students got a lot out of it, and the speakers were really good.”