Thousands of people, including ASU representatives and U.S. senators, flocked to downtown Phoenix to participate in discussions on Latino issues early this week.
The National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights organization, expected 23,000 to attend their annual four-day conference, said NCLR spokeswoman Lisa Navarrete.
ASU representatives were seen at various events over the course of the conference, participating in workshops and reaching out to prospective students.
"We're trying to make sure we're as connected to Latinos as possible," ASU President Michael Crow said.
Crow was a guest speaker at the Linking School Quality and Innovation workshop, one of the featured sessions of the conference.
In order to serve a diverse community, all educational institutions must strive toward finding unique ways to teach diverse students, Crow said at the workshop.
Education is the only way to resolve current economic disparities, he added. But most of today's schools ignore students who do not succeed according to traditional measures of achievement, such as standardized tests.
"We've laid the foundation in our country for a civic democracy," Crow said. "It's not always perfectly implemented, but we have it. We, however, do not have a plan or a mechanism for a multi-cultural economic democracy."
Carlos Vallejo, a panelist for the workshop and an ASU education professor, stressed the importance of working as a community to achieve Crow's vision.
"The scene is changed. Schools by themselves can't do it. We need each other," he said.
Several politicians were also on hand to discuss issues of interest to the Latino community.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was the first keynote speaker of the conference, addressing several hundred participants at a luncheon held Saturday.
McCain encouraged listeners to work toward a solution to America's immigration problems.
While McCain does not favor blanket amnesty, he said there must be a comprehensive way to allow immigrants into the country legally and safely.
"The reason why we are such a great nation is because we have had a continuous influx of new blood and vitality into our country for more than 200 years," he said.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., is scheduled to be the final keynote speaker at the conference today.
Reach the reporter at amanda.keim@asu.edu.
