Hispanic national conference opens in Phoenix

Education is the key to Hispanic women overcoming inequities in the workplace, the organizer of a national conference said Thursday.

"Latina women make 54 cents on the dollar compared to the average Anglo male," said Linda Mazon Gutierrez, president of the Hispanic Women's Corp. "There's a lot of catching up to do."

Gutierrez's group sponsored the National Hispanic Women's Conference and Expo, a two-day event that began Thursday at the Phoenix Convention Center.

The conference, which is expected to draw more than 2,500, provides leadership and professional development to Hispanic women.

Gutierrez said Hispanic women and men tend to be strong-willed, but that positive trait needs to be combined with an education.

"We have got to educate our young Latino men and women," Gutierrez said. "Latinos need to realize that they can make a difference in their wage-earning abilities by having an education."

U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Ariz., and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon were on hand Thursday morning to open an exposition involving dozens of organizations.

Elizabeth Rodriguez's group, Parenting Arizona, handed out information and answered questions about teen pregnancy, dropout rates and parenting skills. She noted that the pregnancy rate among Hispanic teens is much higher than the national average.

"We come from old traditions, especially Latino families," said Rodriguez, who is a teacher with the group. "Today Latina women will learn new tools to break away from old traditions such as teen pregnancy and dropout rates."

Wendy Carlos, a volunteer for Refugio De Colores, a Phoenix shelter for female victims of domestic violence, recommended that women be financially independent.

"It is important to be self-sufficient and to rely on your expertise and your knowledge," she said. "It helps you make better decisions for the future for your children."

Alexis Parra, the conference's chairwoman, said Hispanic women need to network.

"Although there's strength in numbers, one person can make a difference," she said.