The 12th Annual Summit is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 19, 2020
Utica, NY — Leaders from across New York State will meet virtually on Thursday, November
19 for the 12th Annual Upstate Latino Summit hosted by the Mohawk Valley Latino
Association. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This event will be the first one of many beginning in 2020 and continuing in 2021. However, if
COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, workshops could be celebrated in person in 2021.
“We’re very proud to welcome this assembly of distinguished leadership to Utica for the third
time,” said Sonia Martinez, Executive Director of MVLA. Past summit conferences have been
held in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Amsterdam/Albany.
“Nearly 250,000 Latinos live north of the Hudson Valley in urban, suburban, and rural settings,”
Martinez added. “This vibrant population has been a major contributor to the development of
New York State and will continue to be a key resource in shaping the future of the Mohawk
Valley Region.”
The summit will address the role of Americans of Latino descent in the fabric of regional
community life and civic affairs. Key topics will include economic development, education,
health, and services for youth and families. The summit is invaluable for those wanting to learn
how to connect with and empower the Latino community and establish more sustained mutuallybeneficial relationships with this growing demographic.
Experts on these subjects will participate in panel discussions to develop policy
recommendations for New York State and community leaders. The Summit is invaluable for
those wanting to learn how to connect with and empower the Latino community in the Mohawk
Valley. The theme this year will be focused on the health and well-being of our communities
with planned presenters to include:
● Social Determinants of Health – What does it mean to us?
● Health Care Disparities – What happened to us?
Expert Panelists:
Mr. Kelvin Sapp, Project Coordinator, NY State of Health, The Official Health Plan
Marketplace
Dr. Brian Steale, Excellus Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Ms. Sara Taylor, Community Liaison and Training Specialist, Heritage Christian Services
Dr. Joseph M. Di Mari, MD MBA, MS HIT, PharmD, Upstate Family Health Center
Dr. Mauricio Valencia, Slocum-Dickson Medical Group, Urgent Care
Mrs. Wilma Alvarado-Little, Assistant Commissioner and Director, NYS DOH Office of
Minority Health and Health Disparities Prevention
Ms. Alicia Dicks, will be the keynote speaker of the event. Ms. Dicks is CEO of the Community
Foundation HOC, and will discuss her leadership role and how she led the foundation’s
transformation into an organization that drives significant social impact in the community.
Summit Event Agenda:
Welcome
9:00 A.M. – 9:25 A.M.
Mrs. Zaida Morell,
Counselor, Fresh Start Program
Mohawk Valley Community College
Keynote Speaker
9:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
Ms. Alicia Dicks
President/CEO
Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties
Workshop 1
10:10 A.M. – 10:50 A.M.
Mr. Kelvin Sapp, MPH
Project Coordinator
NY State of Health, The Official Health Plan Marketplace
Workshop 2
11:00 A.M. – 11:45 A.M.
Speaker(s)
NYS of Health AIDS Institute
Workshop 3
12:00 P.M. – 12:45 P.M.
Mrs. Wilma Alvarado-Little, MA, MSW
Associate Commissioner,
NYSDOH Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Prevention
Concurrent Health Panel Discussions
1:00 P.M. – 1:45 P.M.
Panel 1: Social Determinants of Health, A Local Perspective
Moderator: Mr. Joseph Searles
Corporate Diversity Relations Director,
Excellus BlueCross BlueShields
Dr. Brian Steale, Excellus Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Ms. Sara Taylor, Community Liaison and Training Specialist, Heritage Christian Services
Panel 2: Health Disparities
Moderator: Ladan Alomar
Dr. Joseph M. Di Maria, MD, MBA, MS HIT, PharmD, Upstate Family Health Center
Dr. Mauricio Valencia Urgent Care at Slocum Dickson Medical Group
Summit Closing
2:00 PM – Farewell
Ms. Sonia Martinez, Executive Director, MVLA
Sponsors for the 2020 Upstate Latino Summit include NY State of Health, The Official Health
Plan Marketplace , AIDS Institute, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Prevention, 1199
SEIU, Alzheimer Association, Carman & Colon Spanish Language Specialists, LLC, Excellus
Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and the Upstate Family Health Center.
Mohawk Valley residents are invited to attend and encouraged to participate in the summit.
Attendance to the virtual event is free. People can register following this link:
https://rb.gy/elbyso
For more information about the summit, please visit the website http://www.mvlautica.org/upstatelatino-summit-2020.html or phone Sonia Martinez at
315-864-8419.
Upstate Latino Summit for 2020 Going Virtual
