Girls met J.D. Natasha at the 5th National Latina Conference.
	Girls expressed the joy and beauty of their cultures at this year's conference.

Connecting with your Cultura
The 5th National Latina Conference

By Natasha Lycia Ora Bannan, staff writer

Girls ages 11-17 years old converge every year at the National Latina Conference to make new friends, share their personal stories, and celebrar their culture in both traditional and new ways.

Experience the Tradition

For the fifth year in a row, hundreds of girls and adults from across the country and beyond gathered together for four days in Long Island, New York, to explore, celebrate, and experience the rich diversity of Latino culture. There were participants from over 20 states—and even a delegation from Honduras.

Discovering Your Cultura

This annual conference provides a space for girls to explore who they are and what it means to be bilingual, bicultural, and part of the nation's fastest growing population. Of course, it's not only Latinas who come to the conference, but also those who may not be of Hispanic origin but enjoy the rich diversity that makes each one of us unique.

If you missed this year's conference, make sure to mark your calendars now for next year! This conference happens every year in July, so check out www.studio2b.org in 2006 for more info.

Entre tu y yo

Through workshops dealing with everything from growing up female and Latina, to how to afford college, participants engaged in lively dialogue and activities. Some of the most pressing issues facing young Latinas were addressed and openly discussed. This theme continued with the performance of the off-Broadway play, "Yo Soy Latina", after which girls had a personal Q & A session on what it means to be Latina with the producer and actors in the play.

Crossover Crooners

Kicking off the opening night of the conference was a rare treat by Latin pop sensation J.D. Natasha. After sharing her story of how she made her sueño of performing her own music and songs a reality, she sang two songs acoustically. Then the Latina trio, Chica, performed songs off their soon-to-be-released album. The rockin' mini-concert set the tone for a high-spirited and empowering conference over the next few days.

And the Beat Goes On…

Girls from various backgrounds and parts of the country were also able to share and celebrate their cultura through traditional costumes and dance. From flamenco to reggaeton, everyone got a chance to express themselves on the dance floor once night hit. But before they were done, girls got a taste of the hottest fashion trends when models hit the catwalk sporting the latest looks.