13th Annual State of the Latino Community Address
TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT! (Join the waitlist)
Sonoma State University – 3rd Floor, Ballroom
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Event Schedule
8:30am – 9:15am | Doors Open + Checkin + Breakfast
9:15am – 9:55am | Opening + SSU Welcome
9:55am – 12:00pm | Main Program + Keynotes
About SOLCA 13
The State of the Latino Community Address (SOLCA) is the North Bay’s most impactful leadership gathering, convening over 600 leaders, advocates, students, and changemakers for a morning of meaningful conversation, bold ideas, and data-driven conversations focused on the Latino experience in Sonoma County. This year’s address moves across three segments, each one building on the last.
Two brand-new pieces of local data debut live at this year’s address, and neither has been shared publicly before. If you want to be in the room when the numbers drop, this is the year to come.
Segment 1: The Local Economic Impact of Immigration Enforcement
Speaker: Abby Raisz, VP of Research, Bay Area Council Economic Institute
Abby will open the morning with new research built specifically around Sonoma County, looking at what economic instability under enforcement means for our workforce and our local businesses. This is the first of two data reveals of the day, putting real numbers behind a conversation most of us have only had anecdotally.
Segment 2: State of the Latino Community, Economic Power & Opportunity
Keynote/Moderator: Dr. Marlen Orozco (Stratified Insights)
Panelists: Lala Castro (Latina Geeks), Juan Hernandez (Creser Capital), Hector Velazquez (B-OSS)
Segment two shifts the focus from risk to results. Dr. Orozco and a panel of local business and community leaders unveil the first update to our Latino Scorecard since 2021, our second data reveal of the day. Expect real movement (and real gaps) across income, education, homeownership, and entrepreneurship, alongside stories from the people building Sonoma County’s Latino economy right now.
Segment 3: AI, Work, and the Future of Latino Opportunity
Keynote/Moderator: Alejandro Martinez (Propelling Tech)
Panel: Jacob Martinez (DigitalNEST), Dr. Angélica Garcia (Santa Rosa Junior College), Dr. Michael E. Spagna (Sonoma State University)
We close the morning by looking ahead. This is a plain-language conversation about what AI means for Latino students and the local workforce, and what our schools and colleges can do now so nobody gets left behind.
Whether you join us as a guest, vendor, or sponsor, your presence fuels this vital conversation and supports Los Cien’s mission to build bridges, amplify voices, and advance equity for all. Sponsorship opportunities and tickets are now available!
Reserve your spot today – let’s move forward together toward a Sonoma County where everyone thrives.
What is the State of the Latinx Community Address?
The State of the Latinx Community Address serves as a pivotal platform for fostering unity, collaboration, and collective action across diverse sectors. By convening over 550 people every year at Sonoma State University, we host policymakers, business leaders, healthcare professionals, agricultural stakeholders, educators, and community leaders, this annual event aims to ignite meaningful dialogue and collective efforts toward addressing the pressing challenges faced by the Latinx community and other marginalized groups.
Our primary focus is building bridges and fostering a shared responsibility toward achieving equitable outcomes for all. In light of recent revelations from the Portrait of Sonoma update highlighting the interconnectedness of issues faced by the Latinx community and other BIPOC groups, there is a pressing need to forge multi-racial unity and solidarity.
Through this address, we seek to inspire advocacy and push for systemic change that dismantles unfair systems and uplifts those most affected by disparities. By coming together at the table, we acknowledge the depth of pain and trauma experienced and commit to investing our collective efforts where they are most needed.
We must engage in open and inclusive dialogue, listen to diverse perspectives, and commit to actionable steps that advance equity and justice for everyone who calls Sonoma County home. Los Cien invites everyone to join us in this crucial conversation and be part of the movement toward a more inclusive and equitable future.
Watch our last two State of the Latinx Community Address videos on our YouTube Channel
2022 Event
2023 Event