Annual Día de la Mujer Conference

Welcome to our Annual Día de la Mujer Conference Website!

The Día de la Mujer Conference (DDLM) began in 1994 by Maria Zavala who was an undergraduate student at Michigan State University (MSU) to highlight the accomplishments of Latina women in our community.  Since that time DDLM has grown into a multi-faceted series of workshops focusing on Leadership, Education, Health, Advocacy, Antiracism, Legal, STEM, Family, Finance, Business, Interpersonal Relationships, and Self-Empowerment for all participants.

DDLM is a statewide leadership and empowerment conference dedicated to the advancement of Latinas. DDLM has become a hub in the Midwest region for the empowerment of Latinas. The success of this community initiative is due to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers and sponsors each year. The goal of the conference is to empower, motivate, inspire, train, and work collectively to expand opportunities for Latinas and all women. According to the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics – Latinas in the U.S. (2015), Latinas have the lowest high school graduation rate compared to other major subgroups and are less likely to complete a college degree. Furthermore, the college completion rate is 19 percent compared to nearly 44 percent of white women. Many of the barriers affecting Latinas relate to poverty, access to health, and education. Historically, Latina women experience more adversity and challenges on their paths to success than women do from other cultural/language groups.

Each year DDLM disseminates information & evidence based strategies to attendees through a series of informative workshops, keynote speakers, and exhibitions. Last year we offered 34 workshops that focused on business, finance, education, health, community development, inter-personal growth, self-empowerment, and leadership. DDLM is open to everyone regardless of cultural identification, gender or ethnicity and serves as a great cross-cultural learning experience. Join us on and share this wonderful opportunity with your networks!

DDLM29 conference will be held in person on April 6th, 2024 from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.

Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center
Located in: Michigan State University
Address: 219 S Harrison Rd, East Lansing, MI 48824
Phone: 517-432-4000

About Culturas de las Razas Unidas (CRU)

Culturas de las Razas Unidas (C.R.U.) is the Michigan State University Council of Racial & Ethnic Students (CORES) Latinx Student Organization. CRU is an umbrella organization to other Latinx student organizations and represents Latinx students political, social, cultural, and academic issues at Michigan State University. CRU serves as the voice of the Latino community and serves as an advocate to resolve issues that affect Latinx students on campus and beyond.

Mission: CRU’s mission is to increase the quality of life academically, socially, and culturally through retention and cultural programming while promoting Latinx unity and celebrating diversity at Michigan State University. Through membership and affiliated organizations, CRU strives to increase awareness of issues facing Latinx’s in an effort to influence change and ensure Latinx students have an inclusive, positive, and engaging experience at Michigan State University.

What does CRU have to do with DDLM you may wonder? The answer is CRU has hosted DDLM since the very first conference back in 1994. Maria Zavala, a CRU member had the idea to host a gathering to recognize successful Latinx women and in the process inspire other Latinx women on their journey to success. DDLM has since then grown to be a multifaceted conference that focuses on enhancing the life of Latinx women while providing a cross-cultural learning opportunity for all individuals that attend.