AUGUST 19-22, 2026            CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

María Hinojosa is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author, educator, and founder of Futuro Media who has helped reshape American journalism for nearly four decades. She was the first Latina hired by NPR, the force behind Latino USA and award-winning reporting across radio, television, podcasts, and print, she has brought overlooked stories and communities into the national conversation. Her work centers on identity, immigration, culture, democracy, and belonging, ensuring stories too often left out are seen, heard, and remembered.

Julissa Arce is a bestselling author, speaker, producer, and public thinker whose work explores immigration, identity, assimilation, and belonging. Through acclaimed books such as My (Underground) American Dream, Someone Like Me, and You Sound Like a White Girl, she has become a leading national voice on race, culture, and the meaning of the American Dream. An ex-Wall Street executive, Julissa was undocumented for a decade and also co-founded the Ascend Educational Fund to support immigrant students.

Daniel Suárez made history in 2022 as the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race, and in 2026 he earned his latest Cup victory with a Coca-Cola 600 win at Charlotte. Born in Monterrey, Suárez’ story speaks to visibility, perseverance, identity, and what it means for Latinx communities to see themselves in spaces where they have historically been underrepresented. His presence at the highest level of NASCAR is helping to expand what younger generations can imagine for themselves and for their communities.

As former Executive and Co-Head of Cultural Business Strategy at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Ruben worked with artists including Becky G, America Ferrera, Anthony Ramos, Ricky Martin, and Eugenio Derbez while advancing conversations about representation, cultural power, and Latinx visibility in spaces that often excluded those communities. He is also the founder of MOSAICO and creator of La Cena, a leading gathering space for Latinx leaders in entertainment, media, sports, and culture that grew from a dinner series into a national network of artists, executives, athletes, and changemakers.