Every year, the Día de la Mujer leadership and empowerment Conference, or DDLM, presents a space for women empowerment with engaging speakers, workshops, exhibitors and vendors. “Día de la Mujer” translates to “Women’s Day” and coincides with Women’s History Month in March. This year, the conference took place March 22 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
DDLM Planning Committee. Photo by Marisa Laura Photography
The conference also marked 30 years of empowering women on MSU’s campus. Themed “Nuestro Legado: 30 Años De Fortaleza,” or “Our Legacy: 30 Years of Strength,” the conference embodied DDLM’s enduring legacy and continued effort to provide a space to gather and acknowledge the barriers that women face in personal, professional and academic spaces.
According to Juan Flores, the student success and community initiatives coordinator for the Office of Multicultural Enrichment and Advocacy at MSU, “DDLM is more than a conference; it is a celebration of strength, resilience and empowerment. It addresses the unique challenges faced by Latinas and provides a platform for developing robust support systems.”
This year’s DDLM chair and graduating senior, Sofia Mireles-Gonalez, described the conference as a collaboration of generations. “The impact that this conference has had in the Midwest has been largely attributed to the women who saw a need and vision for this space 30 years ago,” Mireles-Gonzalez said, “and to those who have dedicated their time to continuing the legacy.”
DDLM initially started with the desire to create a conference for women by women. The start of DDLM can be traced to Maria Zavala and like-minded students and faculty at MSU. Zavala envisioned a space that shed light on the struggles and accomplishments of Latina women, and this vision continues to be celebrated with the Maria Zavala Award, which annually recognizes a Latina who demonstrates a strong commitment to the Chicano/Latino community.
This year’s awardee was Patty Joly. Joly serves as the associate director for international initiatives at MSU’s Migrant Student Services office. Joly’s work provides students with service-learning opportunities through the International Engagement in Mexico program. She guides MSU students and supports their volunteer experience throughout various cities across Mexico. Beyond this work, Joly is committed to supporting students in higher education spaces and is regarded as a cherished mentor by many students.
The keynote speaker for the conference’s 30th year was Mariana Atencio, a Peabody award-winning journalist. Atencio is well known for her previous work as a renowned news anchor and network reporter at Univision, as well as for her role as a national correspondent for NBC News. At DDLM, Atencio started her keynote address by recounting her journey to the U.S. from Venezuela and the challenges of building her career as a journalist. She also shared anecdotes from several of her TED talks, including “The Power of Authenticity” and “Communicating Confidently — Cut Through the Noise and Get Heard.”
The conference’s featured artist was Lisbet Barragan, a first-year student majoring in packaging with a minor in Chicano/Latino Studies. Barragan describes her artwork as a “visual that shows the diverse set of emotions that encompass being a woman and also the strength and resilience that comes with celebrating womanhood.” Her piece pays homage to Latine heritage and reflects on culture, beauty and struggle.
DDLM is also known for its professional development, and this year’s conference included three cycles of workshops to provide hands-on experiences for attendees to learn from a variety of knowledgeable presenters. Workshops explored academic support; anti-racism and inclusion; community organizing and activism; cultural identity and storytelling; finance and business; interpersonal relationships and self-empowerment; leadership and professional development; resilience, mental health and well-being; and science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.
DDLM attendees participate in a variety of workshops throughout the conference, including creating a communal blanket (left) and keynote workshop on communicating confidently to be heard. Photos by Dane Robison
While the conference’s roots come from humble beginnings, its impact and popularity have grown — connecting generations of women, building networks of support, and encouraging more women to step into new spaces and infuse them with their unique and needed skill sets. DDLM’s main purpose is to center women’s voices by connecting the stories and experiences of Latina women to drive empowerment and community.
After 30 years, the conference welcomes over 400 people annually, making it the largest Latina empowerment conference in the region.