On Sept. 8, 2004, LATINA Style hosted the National LATINA Symposium, its first-ever conference of Latina leaders, in Washington, D.C. There could not have been a more fitting culmination to our celebration of 10 years of publication.

When Anna Maria Arias created LATINA Style, she knew the magazine needed to exemplify the strength, determination and commitment to succeed that her Latina audience would identify with. LATINA Style had to represent the significant achievement and empowerment of Latinas.

The National LATINA Symposium did just that. Not only did it bring together the Latinas who have been leading this country since long before the first issue of LATINA Style, but it celebrated the young women who will carry on that legacy in the next 10 years and beyond. 

Lily Zepeda, Jessica Tomazic, Maia Molina-Schaefer and Cindy Nieves traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive their Latina Leadership awards.

We were honored to have First Lady Laura Bush serve as the Honorary Chair of the Symposium. It was also our honor to recognize our young compatriots currently attending our national military academies, and I think everyone in attendance was as impressed as we were by the four young women selected to receive our first Latina Leadership awards. Maia Molina-Schaefer, Cindy Nieves, Jessica Tomazic and Lily Zepeda reassured us all that the hard work our Latina mothers and sisters have done to pave the way will be continued by our Latina daughters.

In this issue of LATINA Style, you can read all about the Symposium, as well as about the military academy honorees in “Not Just Your Average Undergrad.” Never forgetting those that opened the doors for us, we speak with five Latinas who were among the first to climb the military ranks in “The First Generation.” Linda Garcia Cubero, the first Latina to graduate from the Air Force Academy, writes our “ˇPunto Final!” and Michael Montelongo, a graduate of West Point and the assistant secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller, shares his story in “His View.”

These members of our community have chosen to give back to our country in a very important way, with the gift of service. They set an example for all of us.

Finally, I would like to thank Michael Montelongo, Shirley Martinez, Charles Abell, John M. Molino, Clarence A. Johnson, Charmane Collins and Brigadier General Maria Owens, whose vision and support made it possible to bring together for the first time ever the military academies to honor our young Latina cadets and midshipmen. For a closer look at these young leaders, visit our website, www.latinastyle.com

Robert Bard.

[This article has been edited for www.latinastyle.com. For the full version, check out the September/October issue of LATINA Style.]

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