Mayoral candidate Teresa Brice-Heames, vice president of the Mesa Association of Hispanic Citizens, will lead the discussion of leadership at Saturday’s Mesa Latino Town Hall.
Brice-Heames is vying to become Mesa’s first female Hispanic mayor.
Saturday’s forum on issues affecting Mesa’s Hispanic community is open to all residents. The event at Mesa Community College’s Kirk Student Center will have high-profile speakers such as Attorney General Terry Goddard and exgubernatorial candidate Alfredo Gutierrez.
Events will run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the morning’s speeches leading into a broad discussion that could touch on a wide range of topics, including officer-involved shootings and the proposed day-labor center.
After lunch, participants will break into issue-centered groups, or "tracks."
The education track is expected to attract the largest crowd again. Gloria Chavez, an Adams Elementary School teacher who will lead the discussion, said last year’s event improved communication between Mesa Unified School District administrators and teachers on issues concerning Hispanic students. Chavez said education lies at the root of everything else that will be discussed Saturday.
