LEO PRIETO

 

Current Contact Info:

 

Work:  1333 S. 27th Street                                                       Home: 10229 W. 81st Terrace #162

            Kansas City, KS  66106                                                         Overland Park, KS  66204

            (913) 432-7656                                                                      (913) 221-VOTE (8683)

            (913) 432-7677 fax                                                                

            lprieto@ushli.com                                                                    DOB: 9/18/76

                                                                                                           

 

BIO

 

At the age of three, Leo Prieto emigrated from Chihuahua, Mexico with his parents to Garden City, KS.  Throughout high school he excelled scholastically and athletically.  Upon graduation he chose to attend Kansas State University where he became involved in the Hispanic American Leadership Organization, Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity, Student Government Association, Blue Key, and various other honoraries. 

 

After receiving his Bachelors degree in Spanish and Social Sciences with a Secondary Major in Latin American Studies and Minor in Leadership Studies, he was selected as a 2000-2001 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Public Policy Fellow and moved to Washington, DC.  As a CHCI Fellow Leo chose for his first placement to work at the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related and Unfair Employment Practices where his duties included investigating discrimination cases while working with the nation’s highest ranking Latino in the Department of Justice, the Honorable John Trasviña.  His second placement consisted of working in the office of one of the most admired Latinos in the nation, U.S. Representative Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.) where he worked on Capitol Hill as an acting Legislative Assistant aiding in the Congressman’s daily tasks and helping to shape immigrant and educational policy at the national level.

 

His current position is with one of the premiere Latino leadership organization in the nation, the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute where he serves as the first Central States Regional Director based out of Kansas City, KS.  His responsibilities include implementing leadership development programs at the grassroots level (GLDP), collegiate level (CLDP), and high school level (LEPS), conducting candidate campaign training sessions, promoting Latino Vote/voter registration, redistricting, CreditSmart Español financial literacy, organizing an annual Regional Central States Hispanic Student Leadership Conference, and empowering the Hispanic community at every level. 

 

In five years Leo sees himself with a law degree under his belt and eventually representing his community by serving in office at the state and national level. 

 

 

 

Speaking Engagements:

 

-Hispanic Heritage Month Keynote Address:  “Personal Development for College Students” Kansas State University; October 8, 2001; Manhattan, KS

 

-U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices:  “Immigrant Rights:  Knowing your Civil Right/Conociendo Sus Derechos Civiles”

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Fellow; December 18, 2000; Washington, DC

 

-League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Scholarship Banquet:  “A Latino Legacy for the 21st Century:  Educational Attainment-The Sky’s the Limit” Keynote Address; April 27, 2001 Garden City, KS

-Hispanic Student Day Guest Presenter:  “Opportunities Abroad:  Community Organizing in South America” October 13, 1999 (scheduled Keynote Address on “Staying in School:  Latino Empowerment” November 1, 2001 Garden City, KS

 

-1999 Midwest Regional Leadership Conference:  “Student Organizing on Campus” Chicago, IL

-1998 United States Hispanic Leadership Conference:  “Latino Vote and Student Activism” Chicago, IL

 

-K-State’s Youth Empowerment Project- guest speaker/presenter, and event coordinator

-Cinco de Mayo Keynote Speaker- “Celebrando Nuestra Cultura/Celebrating Our Culture” Job Corps. Manhattan, KS

 

-National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Annual Conference:  “Self-Control and Integrative Citizenship Among Mexican and Mexican-Americans:  Rationale and Proposals on How To”  April 4-8, 2001   Tucson, AZ

 

Recent Keynote Addresses/Conferences: 

           

“Leadership Empowerment & Staying in School” -Hispanic Student Day; November 1, 2001 Garden City, KS       

“Latinos and Redistricting” (presentation)-Heartland Latino Conference; November 3, 2001 Omaha, NE

“Latino Political Influence” -Hispanic Legislative Day on the Hill; February 15, 2002 Topeka, KS  

“Seize the Opportunity and Make it Happen:  The Future of Latinos Begins Today!”  -USHLI First Annual Central States Hispanic Student Leadership Conference                 -Organizer of event; April 13, 2002 Kansas City, MO             

“Celebrating Our Diversity” -Cinco de Mayo Youth Scholarship Banquet; May 2, 2002 Hutchinson, KS                                  

 

Latino Vote Campaigns 2002:            Las Vegas, NV           Wichita, KS    Kansas City, KS         Kansas City, MO.  Omaha/Lincoln, NE      Springfield/St. Luis, MO           Garden City/Dodge City, KS