Issue:
Purdue Cooperative Extension in Marion County is making efforts to address the educational needs of a growing Hispanic Population in Indiana, as well as offering educational opportunities directed to traditional audiences to help them assimilate in a positive manner the current demographic shifts in this county.

What you have done:
For the last three years Purdue Cooperative Extension has organized a state-wide Hispanic/Latino Summit. The 2003 summit continued the dialog with Hispanic/Latino and non Hispanic/Latino leaders to exchange information and facilitate understanding. This year's summit focused on "Building Leadership and Cultural Sensitivity". The day-long event presented four workshops: Leadership and Culture: A Powerful Partnership; Reaching Hispanic/Latino Population for Action; Understanding Hispanic/Latino Culture; Including Hispanics/Latinos: A Model Example - how to recruit and support Hispanics/Latinos leaders in your community. The keynote speaker was Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army (retired), the highest ranking woman in the U.S. Army's combat support field and founder of Educational Achievement Services. Participants were exposed to an artistic and cultural program at lunch time. Mrs. Judy O'Bannon, special guest speaker for the lunch program, shared her efforts in building communities across Indiana. The day-long event ended with a visit and reception at the newly opened Mexican Consulate in Indianapolis where guests received information on the services and operations of the consulate.

Impact
The summit attracted the participation of two hundred sixty people from all over the state of Indiana. Sixty-nine evaluations were collected with the following feedback: one hundred percent said the summit should be held next year, fifty percent rated the overall summit as excellent and forty-eight percent rated the summit as good and two percent rated it as fair. The speakers and artistic and cultural program were very well received. Participants reported having made valuable contacts and gathered valuable information to bring to their communities.

Impact Summary:
For the last three years Purdue Cooperative Extension has organized a state-wide Hispanic/Latino Summit. The 2003 summit continued the dialog with Hispanic/Latino and non Hispanic/Latino leaders to exchange information and facilitate understanding. This year's summit focused on "Building Leadership and Cultural Sensitivity". Two hundred and sixty people attended this year's summit. All of them find this event very helpful to network and gather updated valuable information on Hispanic/Latino Issues to bring to their communities.