Community event organized to promote Latinas in higher education coming to Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A new event coming to Houston this week will focus on Latinas in higher education. The goal is to increase the number of Latinas earning their diplomas.

According to organizer Anjelica Cazares, unique social and cultural barriers keep this demographic from earning a degree. She says she had a child early on in life, and becoming a young mom kept her from thinking she could stay in college full-time.

Cazares is now using her personal story, her passion, and her platform with the Latina Leadership Podcast to come up with community solutions to stop Latinas from dropping out of college at higher rates than other demographic groups.

SEE ALSO: Work and Learn program providing 6-week paid training course for young adults

The Work and Learn program, hosted by the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans, offers young adults the skills needed to land a job.

"Say you have 100 Latinas signing up. Only 20-30 will graduate from that program. This is dedicated to Latinas in higher education and helping them understand maybe they can go back at 40 years old, or they can go back to full-time education as opposed to part-time," Cazares said.

The Latinas in Higher Education event will feature a panel of successful Latinas who have graduated from local colleges, universities, and training programs.

The event is free for the community on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Houston Community College's southeast campus on Rustic Street.

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