Los Angeles

National Latino Advocacy Group Holds Conference in Los Angeles

The conference will focus on immigration and feature members of Congress as speakers

A four-day convention hosted by the largest Hispanic American advocacy group in the U.S. is gathering this weekend in downtown Los Angeles.

Speakers at the National Council of La Raza's annual conference include Mayor Eric Garcetti, Rep. Luis Guttierez, D-Ill., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-N.Y., and undocumented journalist and activist Jose Antonio Vargas.

NBC4's Michelle Valles was the master of ceremonies for the conference luncheon on Saturday. Questions of immigration reform are at the focus of the conference, as the thousands of Central American children and families coming to the U.S. have come to the center of a national controversy.

The convention also features workshops and panels on issues such as health, education, community building and Latino representation in STEM fields. 

Organizers emphasized the conference's location in Los Angeles, which boasts the nation's largest Latino population, as ideal for the NCLR. 

"Los Angeles really leads the way for California and many people say the way California goes, so does the country," said Clarissa Martinez of NCLR. "So, it's incredibly important to be here." 

Kate Larsen contributed to this report.

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