May 2006 – Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte and performer Chris Fonseca will give keynote addresses during Proyecto Visión’s fifth national Bridges to Employment conference May 31 - June 2 in San Antonio. Registration and hotel accommodation deadlines for the event – which convenes Latino and disability advocates, policymakers, service providers and business representatives to discuss issues concerning Latinos with disabilities and employment – have been extended to May 17.

"I am thrilled to have Senator Van de Putte and Fonseca join us this year because they are excellent role models," said Kathy Martinez, director of Proyecto Visión. "They are illustrating the vast variety of employment opportunities that exist for Latinos with disabilities."

Featured Speakers
Senator Leticia Van de Putte, recognized by many civic and community organizations as one of the most hardworking, sincere and influential legislators in Texas, has been invited to give the keynote address June 1 at the opening plenary session. Senator Van de Putte is a strong advocate for children, health care, education and economic development issues. She has consistently authored and sponsored bills to assist individuals and families, including Latinos with disabilities, to secure access to opportunities. A legislator since 1990, Van de Putte has served as a Texas State Senator for District 26 since 1999. In 2003 she became the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus Chair. Van de Putte also serves as immediate past-president of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators.

During the closing plenary luncheon on June 2, conference attendees will be entertained by comedian Chris “Crazy Legs” Fonseca. A Latino who has cerebral palsy, Fonseca uses edgy anecdotes to break down preconceived barriers about his disability while keeping audiences roaring with laughter. For more than a decade, Fonseca has turned his physical disability into a positive visual image. He is the first and only person with a visible disability to entertain on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Currently, Fonseca participates in the Los Angeles Latino Comedy Festival and tours more than 200 nights a year.

Roundtables/Workshops
Van de Putte and Fonseca’s addresses will bookend two days of dynamic workshops and roundtables that address: best practices in job readiness and development programs that serve Latinos with disabilities; new research initiatives and results of studies about disabled Latinos; employer narratives about how to recruit/employ people with disabilities; financial literacy, planning and asset-building for jobseekers with disabilities; the intersections between Latino culture and disability, and success stories.

Registration/Scholarship & Hotel Deadlines Extended
The deadlines for registering to attend the conference and getting the special hotel group rate have been extended to May 17. Individuals can sign up at the early-bird rate ($150) and get hotel accommodations information online at www.projectvision.net. There are a limited number of rooms available at the group rate so make your reservation today. Scholarships are available to low-income Latinos with disabilities to cover the registration fee.

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