Latino Artists and Educators Spotlighted at 14th Annual LEAD Summit: ‘Telling Our Stories—Our Way, Our Voice’

Performing a corrido written specifically for the conference, Fontana-based group Chaparrón Norteño—comprised of alumni and current Cal State San Bernardino students—welcomed attendees to the 14th annual Latino Education and Advocacy Days (LEAD) Summit on Oct. 3 at Cal State San Bernardino.

Initially launched to facilitate discussions on pressing issues facing Chicano/Latino education, the summit has since grown to address a range of themes, including “¡YA BASTA! Enough is Enough” in 2023, which focused on education and school violence, and “¡VIVA LA MUJER!” in 2018, when IECN Publisher Emeritus Gloria Macías Harrison and her sister, Marta Macías Brown, were honored as Madrinas de Honor for their civic advocacy and community activism.

This year’s theme, Telling Our Stories—Our Way, Our Voice: Latino Representation in the Arts, Media and Education, emphasized the need for accurate and expansive reflections of Latinos in popular culture and academic spaces.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Enrique Murillo Jr., founder and executive director of the LEAD Summit, encouraged students and educators to help shift perceptions by sharing their unique voices.

“Honor the power of Latino narratives in arts, media and education while also expanding that invitation to all communities whose histories have been marginalized or erased,” Murillo said. “Reclaiming our histories does not erase the stories of others—it expands the truth.”

The 2025 Padrinos de Honor included Grammy-winning musician José Feliciano and Chicano artist and muralist Ignacio Gomez—both recognized for creating transformative art that elevated Latino voices and identity.

Born in Lares, Puerto Rico, in 1945, Feliciano was blind from birth due to congenital glaucoma. Despite this challenge, he became a critically acclaimed musician and songwriter. After moving to New York City at age five, he immersed himself in the vibrant culture of Spanish Harlem and developed a distinctive musical style blending Latin music with jazz, soul and rock.

Over his decades-long career, Feliciano has earned nine Grammy Awards and over 45 Gold and Platinum records. He is widely regarded as one of the first major Latino crossover artists in the music industry and has remained a strong advocate for Latino representation.

Though unable to attend in person due to health issues, Feliciano appeared via video, expressing appreciation for the honor.

“It’s a special movement. I know a lot of it is about telling our stories—and let me tell you…I have quite a few stories,” he said. “I cherish them all. Whether they seemed positive or not at the time, they’ve made me who I am, and I thank God every day.”

Ignacio Gomez, known for his iconic painting of Edward James Olmos as “El Pachuco,” was honored for his contributions to Latino visual arts. The image was used as the promotional poster for Luis Valdez’s 1979 play Zoot Suit, a landmark production based on the Sleepy Lagoon murder trial and Zoot Suit Riots.

A screenprint of Gomez’s original painting—never sold and considered a cultural artifact—hangs in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, commemorating the first Chicano play to appear on Broadway.

Storytelling through music remained a prominent thread throughout the summit. One panel, The Afro-Latino Foundations of Hip-Hop, featured Henry “Hen-Gee” Garcia, who recounted his rise in the 1980s West Coast hip-hop scene alongside artists such as Cypress Hill and Ice Cube. Through his personal lens, Garcia highlighted the often-overlooked influence of Latino and Afro-Latino communities in shaping the genre.

Vocalist and songwriter Little Willie G (Willie Garcia), a member of the pioneering Chicano band Thee Midniters, added further depth to the music discussion. He explored identity and its role in shaping the “Eastside Sound” before treating the audience to an impromptu performance of his hit, “Dreaming Casually.”

Dr. Veronica Valadez, president and co-founder of Ehecatl Wind Philosophy and moderator of the Curriculum Justice: Centering Latino Voices in Education panel, urged educators to challenge outdated policies and practices concerning ethnic studies.

“As educators, cultural workers and community members, we know that representation is not enough,” she said. “It’s about the reclamation of our narrative, ancestral knowledge and lived experiences.”

Jose Aguilar-Lopez, an ethnic studies teacher at Carter High School, emphasized the importance of early exposure to Chicano/Latino history in schools.

“It wasn’t until higher education that I was exposed to our voices—and it was transformative,” he said. “It changed who I was, and it became even more real when I became an ethnic studies teacher. Given the opportunity now to center the voices of my students, I don’t want them to wait until they get to higher education.”

The summit concluded with a Capstone panel examining Latino representation in Hollywood. Panelists cited a systemic shortage of Latino writers, directors and producers as contributing to a fundamental lack of authentic storytelling.

Bel Hernandez, founder and CEO of Latina Heat magazine, issued a call to action: “We need to support Latino stories if we want to see more Latino stories. We have to give our own projects the love!”

Echoing Dr. Murillo’s earlier message, the panel closed with a reminder to the community: “If we don’t tell our own stories—others will.”

For more information, visit @leadprojects.