Welcome to our Annual Día de la Mujer Conference Website!

The Día de la Mujer Conference (DDLM) was founded in 1994 by Maria Zavala, an undergraduate student at Michigan State University (MSU), to celebrate the achievements of Latina women in our community. Since then, DDLM has evolved into a comprehensive series of workshops focused on key areas such as Leadership, Education, Health, Advocacy, Antiracism, Legal Issues, STEM, Family, Finance, Business, Interpersonal Relationships, and Self-Empowerment for all participants.

DDLM serves as a statewide leadership and empowerment conference dedicated to advancing the cause of Latinas. It has become a vital hub for Latina empowerment in the Midwest, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers and sponsors. Our mission is to empower, motivate, inspire, and train women while collaboratively expanding opportunities for Latinas and all women.

According to the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics (2015), Latinas have the lowest high school graduation rates among major subgroups and are significantly less likely to complete college degrees—only 19% compared to nearly 44% for white women. Barriers such as poverty, limited access to healthcare, and educational challenges disproportionately affect Latinas, who historically face more obstacles than women from other cultural or language groups.

Each year, DDLM provides attendees with valuable information and evidence-based strategies through a series of engaging workshops, keynote speakers, and exhibitions. Last year’s workshops covered topics such as business, finance, education, health, community development, interpersonal growth, self-empowerment, and leadership. DDLM is open to everyone, regardless of cultural identification, gender, or ethnicity, making it a rich cross-cultural learning experience. We invite you to join us and share this incredible opportunity with your networks!

Save the Date!
The DDLM30 conference will be held on March 22, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.

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

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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.