CA Fwd continues touring the state in its search for creative answers to get California back on track.
As California celebrated the spirit of ¡Sí Se Puede! on César Chávez Day, CA Fwd co-sponsored the 2011 Inland Empire Quality of Life Summit at CSU San Bernardino, a two-day conference presented by the Inland Empire Economic Partnership (IEEP). The venue served as a vibrant discussion forum for business, government, education and nonprofit leaders.
Top on the agenda: education, healthcare and improving quality of life in the Inland Empire.
“What a perfect occasion to come together and talk about the current opportunities and challenges facing our region,” said Paul C. Granillo, IEEP President and CEO. “Our job is to get (those who are not here) engaged and empower them to create solutions.”
Keynote speaker: Juan Sepulveda, director of White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, said, “The latest 2010 Census numbers show there’s no doubt the future of the U.S. is linked to the future of the Hispanic community. However, this is not a Latino issue. This is an issue of ‘self-interest’ to the overall American population.”
More than 22% of students in Pre-K public education in the U.S. are Hispanic. However, they continue to attain the lowest education levels of any group. “We cannot move forward if we don’t increase education opportunities,” said Sepulveda.
When it comes to improving healthcare, deregulation became the focus.
“Hospitals are the second most regulated industry. Regulations are killing us,” said Christina M. Bivona-Tellez, VP of Hospital Association of Southern California. “We need to deregulate California. We need to work more efficiently, strategically and creatively.”
Sepulveda agreed, “In his State of the Union Speech, the President said that in order to win the future we must: Out Educate, Out Innovate and Out Build the Rest of the World. We look forward to doing this with you as partners, and create the quality of life each and one of us want to have for our children.”
To find an event near you, check out our events page. Or, we encourage you to host your own event.
