FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Indiana Latino Expo Celebrates the Success of Their Annual Mayors’ Breakfast, Highlights the Importance of Representation in Local Governments and the Impact of Latino Constituents

Indianapolis, IN — August 15, 2024 — The Indiana Latino Expo (ILE) proudly announces the successful conclusion of its annual Mayors Breakfast, a significant gathering that took place on August 14 at the Crane Bay Event Center, downtown Indianapolis. The event featured a lineup of distinguished speakers and a panel of Indiana mayors, delivering an enriching morning of dialogue and insight.

Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas of the City of Indianapolis and Joelle Martinez from the Latino Leadership Institute delivered keynote addresses, sharing their perspectives on the importance of diverse representation in government and the growing influence of Latino constituents.

The event also included a Mayors Panel featuring Mayor Deb Whitfield of Lawrence, Mayor Eddie Melton of Gary, and Mayor Matt Nicholson of Seymour. Karla Lopez-Owens, Director of Community Outreach for the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office graciously served as moderator, asking powerful questions and engaging the audience on the topics that matter most to these mayors’ communities.

These esteemed mayors, along with 9 other Indiana mayors, represented their cities and engaged with members of the Indiana Latino community in a robust discussion on how local governments can better reflect the diverse communities they serve and the importance of empowering Latino voices in civic life.

This year, the ILE Mayors breakfast saw an impressive record of Mayoral representation.  Mayors in Attendance:

Mayor Kerry Thomson, Bloomington
Mayor Sue Finkam, Carmel
Mayor Mary Ferdon, Columbus
Mayor Kamron Yates, Delphi
Mayor Eddie Melton, Gary
Mayor Deb Whitfield, Lawrence
Mayor Chris Martin, Logansport
Mayor Aaron Sims, Monticello
Mayor Chris Jensen, Noblesville
Mayor Matt Nicholson, Seymour
Mayor Scott Ferguson, Shelbyville
Mayor Scott Willis, Westfield

Attendees enjoyed a delightful breakfast while engaging in thoughtful discourse on the significance of representation in local governance. ILE founder and Board Member, Carlos May served as emcee for the event. ILE Board President, Andy Nino led opening remarks and Zicri Williams, the current Executive Director of ILE, thanked the mayors and community members for attending and announced that applications for Cohort 7 of the Axis Latino Leadership program would be launching in September, inviting young Latino professionals between the ages of 21 and 28 to sign up for the waitlist.

This event provided a unique opportunity for community members, civic leaders, and local officials to come together, share insights, and advance the conversation on how to foster inclusive and representative governance in Indiana.  ILE is committed to promoting civic engagement and empowering communities through education, advocacy, and leadership development.  This year’s Mayors Breakfast solidified that commitment and advanced the conversation on how local governments can engage their Latino constituencies.

The Indiana Latino Expo is excited to invite everyone to two significant forthcoming events: the Indiana Latino Expo, scheduled for September 7th at the Lafayette Square Mall, and the Indiana Latino Expo Awards Gala, taking place on Friday, December 6th at the Biltwell Event Center. These occasions will provide further opportunities for community engagement, celebration, and collaboration.

We also want to make sure we recognize our Gold Sponsors, IU and AES Indiana and ILE Mayors Breakfast Sponsors, MSD Lawrence Township and the Capital Improvement Board for their support. We can’t forget about our Silver and Bronze sponsors either! We are grateful for each and everyone of them, none of our work would be possible without them.