Join hundreds of teens and teachers from across New Mexico on April 12, 2025 for a unique and powerful day planned entirely by and for students.
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Teens from large and small, urban and rural, public and private schools across New Mexico are invited to join the 6th annual New Mexico Diversity Conference for Youth, to be held in Albuquerque on April 12, 2025.
This is a unique opportunity for youth working for inclusion and justice to come together, learn from experts on a variety of issues, and brainstorm projects to improve their schools and communities.
Who Should Attend
The Conference is open to all high school students and supportive teachers/adults from across New Mexico. In particular, this event is a great opportunity for groups such as:
- Diversity or multicultural student clubs
- Student councils
- Peace/conflict resolution-focused organizations, including PeaceJam and Interact
- Religious student organizations interested in exploring interfaith dialogue and positive social change
- Clubs celebrating specific student ethnicities, including Black Student Alliance, Latinx or Hispanic student clubs, Native/Indigenous student clubs and others
- Gender/sexuality-focused student groups, including gay-straight alliances
- Female empowerment student clubs
- Peer counselors
- Deaf students and their allies, including ASL signing clubs
- Disabled students from all backgrounds
- Creative writing and performance student groups, including poetry, spoken word, hip-hop, dance and other clubs
- Students from a local youth organization, even if they attend different schools
- ANY group of teens interested in improving their school’s culture or making a positive change in their community
Student Board
This event is planned entirely by the YCD New Mexico Student Board, a team of some 15-25 students from a wide variety of high schools and identities. Join a group of teens who are passionate about advancing inclusion and social justice, and learn the skills you need to make positive social change in your school and community!
The Board is open to any Albuquerque-based student who will be in high school during the 2024-25 school year. Weekly meetings take place Mondays from 6:30 – 8:00 pm and are held at Highland High School (get directions here). Meetings start in November 2024 and run through March 2025.
Apply today
Ready to apply for your spot on the YCD New Mexico Student Board? Click the button below. Interested youth are encouraged to apply by November 1, 2024.
Venue and Directions
The New Mexico Diversity Conference for Youth will be hosted by Highland High School in Albuquerque; you can find directions to the event on Google Maps here. Make sure you enter the campus off Jefferson Street and park in the faculty parking lot. Look for balloons to show you to the entrance of the cafeteria.
Past Keynote Speakers
Each year the YCD New Mexico Student Board selects a dynamic and interesting keynote speaker to address the audience; as soon as one is selected, we’ll announce it here. In the meantime, see below a list of past keynote speakers featured at the event:
Schedule
We fill the conference day with numerous opportunities for students and teachers to discuss, engage and explore the topics that are most important to them. Click any portion of the day below for more information. You can also download a printable version of the day’s schedule.
Arrival and Parking / 9:00 – 9:30 am
If your group is not traveling to the event together, agree on a specific time to arrive as a group in advance. Once parked, follow the balloons to registration.
Breakfast / 9:00 – 10:00 am
We provide a light breakfast, including bagels and cream cheese, yogurt, fruit and muffins, as well as water and coffee. Participants are then ushered as a school group to the courtyard to register.
Registration and Morning Entertainment / 9:30 – 10:00 am
Group leaders register their clubs or groups; registration takes a matter of minutes. Each school receives a packet containing materials for the conference day, including nametags. An emcee and various student groups from around the state keep participants entertained as we get closer to starting the formal program.
Opening Ceremonies and Keynote Speech / 10:00 – 10:50 am
Opening Ceremonies begin with welcome speeches by the conference student co-chairs and educational leaders. Each year the Student Executive Committee works hard to identify and invite a notable public speaker to address conference attendees. In 2020 we were addressed by slam poet and community activist Hakim Bellamy.
Discussion Groups and Lunch / 10:55 am – 12:25 pm
The first interactive session of the conference day involves informal group discussions of students from all over the state led by trained student facilitators. Students have an opportunity to speak their mind about the social issues they are facing in their schools and communities, and hear from other students from across the state who may be facing similar or different issues. Lunch is served at this time as well. While students are in their discussion groups, faculty advisors meet to have professional development workshops on teaching for equity and social justice.
Workshop A / 12:35 – 1:45 pm
Students and faculty advisors attend a workshop of their choice, chosen in advance. See a list of workshops offered here.
Workshop B / 1:50 – 3:00 pm
Both students and faculty advisors attend a second workshop of their choice, chosen in advance. See a list of workshops offered here.
Closing Ceremonies / 3:10 – 3:40 pm
We finish the day by giving out a community award, viewing a video montage, and hearing from an exceptional musical performer.
Workshops
The 20+ workshops offered at the Conference each year are chosen by the YCD New Mexico Student Board, so that the topics are constantly reflecting the needs, interests, and challenges facing NM teens.
Below are examples of workshops that have taken place at the Conference in recent years. We will post the list of workshops for the upcoming event no later than March 1, 2025.
An #ActuallyAutistic Tour of the Spectrum
This workshop is a crash course on autism, the autistic community, and the neurodiversity movement. Led by autistic self-advocates, this workshop will break down stereotypes and misconceptions about autism in order to help clarify who we are, what we think about ourselves, and how we perceive and interact with the world.
Appropriation and Symbolism: Understanding the Case of the Zia Sun Symbol
In this workshop dive into the world of symbols, meaning, and context from a Pueblo perspective. Start by learning about the history of Native American design appropriation through the case study of the Zia Sun symbol on the New Mexico State flag. Then explore your own understanding and use of symbols in a hands-on activity and group discussion.
Challenging Linguistic Prejudice
What assumptions do you have about language diversity? Participants will be asked to reflect on how linguistic prejudice is still largely accepted in society (demonstrated with several current media examples) whereas other types of discrimination are not. The workshop will end with discussing real world consequences of linguistic prejudice, and how this form of prejudice impacts our lives today.
Empowering You to Prevent Suicide
In this session, participants will gain insight and information into the risk factors students face when it comes to suicide. We’ll debunk some myths and face some hard truths. The goal? To feel empowered to support ourselves and one another, working toward prevention of suicide in our community.
Healthy Masculinity = Healthy Men
It’s no secret that the quality of life for many men and boys has declined in the past several decades—from addictions to absent fathers, and failure to launch, to suicide across the lifespan. We will discuss the roadblocks to healthy manhood, based our society’s “man rules”, and will show how those rules impede physical, social, emotional and psychological health. Finally, as a group we will create solutions for improving health for men/boys.
Know Your Rights: Students’ Rights
All people in the United States enjoy the same constitutional protections, regardless of nationality, religion, immigration status, sexual identity, disability and gender. The best way to protect your rights is to know your rights. In this workshop, we share information on students’ rights related to free speech, dress codes, privacy, LGBTQ rights, and immigrants’ rights. We’ll also cover what to do if your school violates these protections.
Navigating Diversity Backlash
This workshop is an interactive conversation about why there is resistance to equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts and how to work through the backlash. Learners will engage in dialogue and activities (role-play is one) to come away with strategies on how to address diversity backlash when they are faced with resistance to their work in social and racial justice.
Restorative Practices in Schools
We will practice a community building circle, and discuss the unique and dynamic ways circles are used in schools to change climate and culture. You will then do a brief activity that demonstrates the influence of perspective. You will learn how restorative practices eliminate the power differential between people, which creates equity in conflict and discipline situations. The training is interactive, relevant, and fun.
Travel and Lodging
In general, school groups within a 3-hour drive of the Albuquerque Metro area can attend the event without requiring overnight stays. For groups coming from further away, YCD will negotiate a hotel room block. Check back here for more information, or contact us.
Registration
Groups
Established youth clubs and groups are encouraged to register as a chapter of YCD, which includes attendance at this Conference as part of their annual membership, in addition to numerous other benefits!
Individuals
Are you a high schooler or educator without a group? Contact us for help in starting one or to discuss how you can still join this unique event.
Contact Info
Nikki Archuleta
Adult Mentor – YCD New Mexico Student Board
Albuquerque, NM
(505) 804-6790
[email protected]