Federal employees, education and private sector representatives celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month in Nebraska with Judy Canales, USDA Rural Development's Administrator for Rural Business and Cooperative Programs. The Hispanic Employment Council of Nebraska hosted a seminar at the new headquarters of the National Park Service Midwest Regional Office along Omaha's Missouri Riverfront on Tuesday, September 14.
Canales shared her experiences as a Mexican American growing up in South Texas. She emphasized the importance of education in her life, particularly that of community colleges. She also talked about the impact of the GI Bill, allowing her father to receive post-secondary education. Canales has taught at her local community college in Eagle Pass, Texas and has worked in economic development there, in a predominately Hispanic community.
She has also worked in Washington, DC in several capacities, as executive director of the International Hispanic Network, with a member of Congress, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and two administrations at USDA Rural Development, with appointments from President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.
The 2010 event is the 31st annual Hispanic Heritage Month celebration for the Hispanic Employment Council of Nebraska. Its other main project is the Role Model Project, a mentoring program that emphasizes education and various employment opportunities for eighth grade Hispanic students in Omaha.
Members of the Council are the Natural Resources Conservation Service of USDA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service, National Park Service, Federally Employed Women and Federal Executive Association. Private sector members include First National Bank of Omaha and Metropolitan Community College.
To read more about USDA in Spanish click here.