2026 Conference

Western Michigan University will host the 2026 Alsame Youth Conference at Kalamazoo, MI on May 8, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. We expect 400 students from various high schools across the state to attend. Please check this page for updates, to register your group to attend, and to learn about the keynote speaker, artists/entertainment, workshop presenter highlights, the college and career fair, and more!

Western Michigan University Youth Conference News Release

INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING? REGISTER TO BE A VOLUNTEER!

2026 Youth Conference Keynote Speaker

Montez O. Morales

Commissioner, Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, D3

Director, Student Well-Being & Thriving, Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Commissioner Monteze O. Morales is a transformational leader, public servant, and equity strategist with more than 20 years of experience driving systems-level change across education, government, and community impact. She serves as the first Afro-Latina Commissioner representing District 3 on the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, where she also made history as its first Afro-Latina Vice Chair. Appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, she completed two terms with the Hispanic Latino Commission of Michigan. Morales is recognized for designing and scaling high-impact, data-driven strategies that advance equity and measurable outcomes. A leader who drives innovation and sustainable change at scale, she spent a decade at Kalamazoo Valley Community College leading place-based scholarship and student success initiatives. Her work integrated basic needs, financial wellness, and academic support into a unified model that strengthened retention, improved course success, and elevated the student experience. Now serving as Director of Student Well-Being and Thriving at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Morales leads a comprehensive strategy focused on food security, housing stability, and financial empowerment—ensuring students can learn, grow, and thrive. As a policymaker, she championed funding for Gender Affirming Care, established an emergency assistance fund for county employees and advanced a landmark proclamation declaring housing a public health crisis, demonstrating her ability to translate vision into actionable policy. She holds a master’s degree from Western Michigan University and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

General Conference Agenda

ALSAME Youth Conference

Western Michigan University, May 8, 2026

8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Arrival & Check-in

9:15 a.m. Welcome from WMU & ALSAME

Keynote Speaker
Scholarship Awards

10:15 a.m. Breakout Session 1 Sangren Hall

10:45 a.m. Interactive Activity

11:00 a.m. Breakout Session 2

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Lunch and College Fair

1:15 p.m. Breakout Session 3

1:45 p.m. Interactive Activity

2:00 p.m. Breakout Session 4

2:30 p.m. Optional Campus Tours and Dismissal of Groups

Alsame Live Podcast to Return in 2026

In 2026, the voices behind Alsame’s “Talking with the Tíos” Podcast are back. Adnoris “Bo” Torres and Santiago Gayton will return to the Latino Youth Conference stage for another live podcast experience, bringing real conversations, fresh perspectives, and engaging dialogue with students and Latino leaders. The live recording will once again be streamed across social media, giving participants the chance to be part of the conversation in real time.

Doble V Entertainment, Featuring Compa Bandit & Compa Prek to Return as Emcees and Music Entertainment

Doble V Entertainment, featuring Compa Bandit & Compa Prek will emcee the conference again this year while engaging with students and providing a fun and exciting music lineup.