Some 40 BCC students attended the Spring 2019 conference of SOMOS, Inc. a nonprofit organization committed to addressing the needs of the Hispanic population of New York State. From March 8 to 10 in Albany, SOMOS brought together legislators, scholars, business and labor leaders – and students from colleges and universities across the state — to address the issues facing the Latinx community.

“SOMOS this year was very interesting and the students were able to get a lot out of it,” says BCC’s Student Government Association President Carolina Valenzuela, who was one of ten SGA officers at the conference. The events included workshops and seminars; a CUNY/SUNY luncheon with New York City Council Member Vanessa Gibson and several CUNY trustees; a model senate session that debated the legalization of recreation marijuana use; and another luncheon with New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, which included Council Member Fernando Cabrera.